There are a total of 89,055 regimes in our world, everyone of them is distinct from others, but the one in the short story, Harrison Bergeron (which seems to be the future-American government because in the short film, and there seem to be a presidential election with the Handicapper General), is a government that is more prejudiced and stands out the most and affects the natural rights of people than any other. The society in Harrison Bergeron, is one that believes (some individuals believe the society is equal, some believe it is equal but unfair to the society) in that everyone should be equal. And by that, they mean that if you are more intelligent, muscular, athletic,more attractive than others, and many other unique qualities a person …show more content…
has and doesn’t have. They penalize individuals with different traits, (an example would be that if your intelligent, which we see a lot in the Harrison Bergeron: Short Film, they would put a ‘buzzer’ in your ear so that it is difficult to think) and many of them could affect home life, or could affect hardly anything. The more extreme your unique qualities are, the heavier the ‘punishment’ will be on you. In the short story of Harrison Bergeron, there are three ‘main’ characters.
George Bergeron (the father of Harrison Bergeron), some of the ballerina’s that are in the play that ends and is the main scene of the story (there are several that take a part in the story, and others that are background characters), and lastly is Harrison Bergeron (in which who takes up half of the story and is an important role to play in the story). The father of Harrison lives in what seems to be an isolated area with only his wife (and from the Harrison Bergeron: Short Film, Harrison used to live there). George Harrison’s handicaps are weights, so he cannot take “unfair advantage of his brain”, and a buzzer. A quote from Harrison Bergeron: Short Story, that can later prove a claim is: “George weighed the bag with his hands. ‘I don’t mind’ he said, ‘I don’t notice it anymore. It's just a part of me” (Vonnegut Page 2) What is happening in this scene is that George’s wife, Hazel Bergeron, had asked him to rest his bags so that he could feel comfortable, and he replied with that quote. This is evidence that he had these bags not only for a long time, but possibly, everyone had them before and the 211th, 212th, and 213th amendment took place several years ago, maybe even decades. Some textual evidence is: “And it was in that clammy month that the H-G men took George and Hazel's fourteen-year old, Harrison, away” (Vonnegut Page 1). This quote firsts introduces the term H-G in the short story. This gives the reader an idea on who’s in charge of this regime. But later states that: “It was then Diana Moon Glampers, the Handicapper General…” (Vonnegut Page 5), so it might be possible that she was the start of this whole society change. Another that supported this is: “All this equality was to due the 211th,212th, and 213th amendments and the unceasing of agents of the United States Handicapper General.” (Vonnegut Page 1). This proves that a lot of people in the society agreed with the amendments. George in the end, did not experience his son’s death. One of the major characters (if not the major character) is Harrison Bergeron, who was fourteen years old when he was imprisoned by the government officials, and imprisoned and tortured for 6 years.
He eventually escapes, but runs into an unfortunate fate. In the Short Film, he ends up the same way but to start a revolution. “...the H-G men required that he wear at all time a rubber ball for a nose, keep his eyebrows shaved off and keep his even white teeth with black caps at snaggle tooth random” (Vonnegut Page 3) This is the first evidence that not only is George handicapped, but also his son, because of his many talents and abilities. The character was obliviously in torture during his time in prison, because he didn’t need to wear handicaps when he was alone. Because it was likely that he wasn’t visited much and could relate to present-day racial discrimination. Which makes it all the more unfair for people like him. What many people have noticed is that in the short story and the short film, Harrison Bergeron has these different handicaps than we knew existed. An example would be that in the short story, he where this fake black teeth and a rubber nose for him to look for revolting. But with everyone else, this does not seem to happen. What may be happening is that the author Kurt Vonnegut Jr. wanted the reader to specifically target Harrison because he was the main character and the person delivering the message that Kurt wanted to
express. The ballerina's in the short film and short story of Harrison Bergeron have also contributed to Kurt's message. They did this by dying with him, to say that people are affected by this cruel government and that there are supporters for every cause. “They were burdened with sashweights and bags of birdshot, and their faces were masked so that no one , seeing a free and graceful gesture or a pretty face, would feel like something that the cat drug in” (Vonnegut Page 1). This states that not only are the main characters are affected but that everyone else is. This brings a more major view on humanity and what current state it is in, because, people would feel puny and feel horrible about themselves. Some questions that people have is why are ALL the ballerinas wear masks, and why don’t people without masks are seen or read in the short story and short film? Most people would agree with this society because they feel that the people there would feel mocked and disgraced, but what they also think is that this is the wrong way to do it this way. There is a wide variety of options that can stop people feeling mocked or disgraced, but they do require much effort and many political debates because this society looks determined to stay the there in. “George winced. So did two out of the eight ballerinas.”(Vonnegut Page 1). This is very important because it tells the reader that when someone has a handicap and is ‘buzzed’, then so are people else that are also handicapped, meaning that there technology is not simply, but simple enough to break through and can start a new type of government. This is a possibility that Kurt was telling us how he thought the U.S. government would end up like, or something like the government in Harrison Bergeron Short Story and Short Film. Some negative effects that the government could have is progress. Because a lot of valuable people are limited, then making products or creating new ideas to make the world a better are gone because of that. What could be this government (it is a true small possibility) could be our new future government or any other countries future government
The main concern for the characters in “Harrison Bergeron” is equality. It is the handicapper general’s job to manipulate everyone so no man is stronger
Harrison Bergeron is a short story that creates many images and feelings while using symbols and themes to critique aspects of our lives. In the story, the future US government implements a mandatory handicap for any citizens who is over their standards of normal. The goal of the program is to make everyone equal in physical capabilities, mental aptitude and even outward appearance. The story is focused around a husband and wife whose son, Harrison, was taken by the government because he is very strong and smart, and therefore too above normal not to be locked up. But, Harrison’s will is too great. He ends up breaking out of prison, and into a TV studio where he appears on TV. There, he removes the government’s equipment off of himself, and a dancer, before beginning to dance beautifully until they are both killed by the authorities. The author uses this story to satire
Harrison Bergeron’s mother, Hazel Bergeron, is the definition of the Handicapper General’s “normal” and model for enforced equality. Everyone must be leveled and thereby oppressed to her standards. Hazel’s husband, George Bergeron, is no exception. “‘I’d think it would be real interesting, hearing all the different sounds,’ said Hazel, a little envious. ‘All the things they think up.’” (Vonnegut 910). George suffers from his own comically ludicrous mental handicap. The fact that this incites jealousy in Hazel reaffirms the artificial equality Vonnegut ridicules. The author satirizes oppression in American society through his depictions of misery and restraint exhibited in his characters’ ordeals. “The different times that George is interrupted from thinking, and his inner monologue is cut, we have a sort of stopping his having dialogue with himself. So he can’t have a unique personality, which itself involves his worldviews” (Joodaki 71). Not being able to know oneself epitomizes
“Harrison Bergeron” is a short fiction written by Kurt Vonnegut, the story is set in the year 2081, and it talks about a futuristic society where all individuals are equal. No one is cleverer, beautiful or stronger than the other, and if somebody is better than the others, they find themselves compelled by The United States Handicapper General to put on what they call “handicaps” to bring down their abilities to the most basic levels as the others. Throughout the story, Vonnegut expresses a bold and vigorous political and social criticism of some historical events in the US during the 1960s such as the Cold War and Communism, television and American Culture and Civil Rights Movement.
The author states,” Harrison plucked the mental handicap from her ear, snapped off her physical handicaps with marvelous delicacy.” People could easily take off their handicaps whenever they wanted to. This clearly shows us the reader that the text is telling how easy it is to take off handicaps. But if it is easy to take off handicaps then that means the handicaps in “Harrison Bergeron”, is useless to the people with abilities. They can take off the handicaps whenever they want to but they would have to do it secretly. George has to wear an earpiece which means he could take it out,but he would have to do it secretly when no one associated with the government was watching. Therefore, this makes handicaps useless and a waste of time to make or everyone in this story. As a result, the handicaps in this story is useless for everyone wearing it in the
The future entails breakthrough technology and unknown leadership. The harsh rules of the government in, Harrison Bergeron, causes the protagonist, Harrison Bergeron, to come up with the dangerous idea to overthrow the government which leads to the violent behavior of the antagonist Diana Moon Glampers. The author, Kurt Vonnegut Jr., uses character development to show the theme of the harsh government through the eyes of the protagonist, antagonist, and the foil characters Hazel and George Bergeron in this futuristic society.
The fictional short story by Kurt Vonnegut entitled Harrison Bergeron takes place in a dystopian future. Vonnegut chooses to make the story a satire in order to raise questions concerning how desirable social equality is within this world and how far society will go to achieve it. Like many dystopian, bleak, futuristic worlds, Vonnegut presents very clear aspects of how society is influenced by propaganda and the extent to how powerful a tool propaganda can be. After reading and analyzing this story, I will attempt to explain how Kurt Vonnegut’s life could have influenced his position on propaganda found within this short story. Furthermore, these elements will be matched to those common propaganda strategies discussed in this class and relate how this may impact any modern society.
“It was tragic, all right, but George and Hazel couldn't think about it very hard” (Vonnegut 3). Written in 1961, the classic “Harrison Bergeron” includes a meaningful story about society in the real world. The dystopian short story addresses how society might seem perfect, but deep down it has many issues that need to be solved. The story takes place in 2081, and 14 year old Harrison Bergeron is in jail for resisting the government. His parents, George and Hazel are controlled by the government with advanced technology. As shown in the quote, their thoughts are even restricted, along with the rest of the population as well. Kurt Vonnegut’s “Harrison Bergeron” critiques an illusion of a perfect society
Harrison Bergeron is George and Hazel Bergeron 's fourteen-year-old child. He is the main special case in the general public - he exceeds every one of his impairments, and figures out how to figure out how to overcome them each time they are put on him. He is 'solid, keen, articulate, effortless ' and good looking - to put it plainly, "a virtuoso and a competitor". He is detained toward the start of the story however figures out how to get away.
In both Harrison Bergeron and today’s society, people struggle with equality. As shown in Harrison Bergeron the pushing of equality causes consequences. Equality is being pushed onto everyone by having handicaps to make them sure that no one person is better than another. Equality can also cause any type of hurt, both physical and mental. Physical hurt is what occurs with George. George is
Hazel Bergeron in “Harrison Bergeron” is perhaps not the most obviously important character, when compared to the intellectual abilities of George Bergeron, she does not stand out. When comparing her to the great force that is Harrison, or the great beauty of the ballerina, again, she does not stand out. However, Hazel stands for much more than any of the other preceding characters, even Harrison himself. In the story of “Harrison Bergeron” Kurt Vonnegut establishes Hazel Bergeron as the light, sympathy, and, in some ways, foundation of the story; illustrating the kindness of humanity in the worst of times.
According to Darryl Hattenhauer, in the beginning of “Harrison Bergeron,” the narrator 's presentations of this utopia 's muddled definition of equality is “THE YEAR WAS 2081, and everybody was finally equal…nobody was stronger or quicker than anybody else.” Because of the Amendments 211, 212, and 213 of
As humans every individual on planet earth was created to be equal .Meaning despite race, colour, gender, sexuality, appearance or ability to perform a task everybody is the same.In the present society and generation its very difficult for everybody to be seen in the same way or treated equally. Harrison Bergeron takes place in 2081 and the government has been modified due to the government affirming laws in attempt to achieve total equality amongst everyone in society.Individuality is not supported by the government in fear of the idea of equality not being successful .Throughout the story characters such as Harrison, George ,and Hazel Bergeron encounter overwhelming events.In the short story Harrison Bergeron the author Kurt Vonnegut develops the idea of the dangers associated with total equality and the absence of individuality resulting in disastrous consequences.The outcome of the laws lead to lack of individualism and absence of freedom .Vonnegut also brings forward the actions the government takes in attempt to eliminate any threating forces.
“Harrison Bergeron” a short story by Kurt Vonnegut Jr., takes place in a totalitarian society where everyone is equal. A man who tries to play the savior, but ultimately fails in his endeavors to change the world. Vonnegut short story showed political views on communism, which is that total equality is not good (and that equity might be better).
“The narrator of the story Harrison Bergeron definitions’ of America’s equality begins not by positing a future equality as much as exposing the misunderstanding of it in the past and the present” (Hattenhauer). The story Harrison Bergeron has two meanings: too much equality and too much inequality. Too much equality is expressed through the Handicap General, Diana Glampers, as she wants everyone to be equal because she envies the talented and beautiful. However, “it is not fair to the productive, the risk taking, or the hard working, to deprive them of what they have produced, merely to make them equal to others who have worked less, taken less risk, and produced less” (Moore). This society would never work because “no one who has lived very long can think that all men are equal in physical, prowess, mental capacity, willingness to work or save, to assume leadership, to design or invent new products or processes, to get votes, to preach sermons, to play the violin, or even to make love” (Even Fingerprints Differ). In any society one should not have the power to make people equal for each “were endowed by our creator” (Moore). In a society where there is too much inequality, or a potential dictatorship- Harrison Bergeron, society would fail as well. Kurt Vonnegut wrote Harrison Bergeron in order to show the world that we cannot take away talent or