Harrison Bergeron And 2081 Comparison

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A future where everyone is completely equal in every aspect may sound like an amazing idea to implement into society, but an interpretation about how this may work out reveals a frightening future. The short story Harrison Bergeron and the film 2081 both depict a futuristic society obsessed with equality and consequently extracting individuality from almost every citizen. One significant difference was how Harrison’s speech to the audience was constructed after he broke into the show within the film- as a result making Harrison appear stronger and giving the film a more serious tone.

Within the film 2081, a departure from the short story was during Harrison’s speech to the ‘brainwashed’ audience. From the short story Harrison Bergeron, when …show more content…

I am a fugitive, and a public threat. I am an abomination of the able. I am an exception to the accepted. I am the greatest man you have never known. And for the last six years, I have been held prisoner by the state—sentenced, without trial, to torture without end.” There is a glaring difference between how Harrison is portrayed in each excerpt of his speech. Within the short story, Harrison adopts an immature image- declaring himself emperor and ordering others around. This behavior portrays a nonsensical ideal expected by a fugitive teenager. Within the short story, Harrison is described as, “Clanking, clownish, and huge.” (3) This also added to his immature, juvenile image. However, in the film, Harrison takes on an image where one could relate to his struggles and he incorporates emotion into how he affects his audience, as well as the watcher of the film. The main reason the filmmaker decided to change this crucial aspect of the plot line is because in the film, being able to visualize Harrison and others’ struggle makes the film more attention-grabbing. Having his speech match this mature, awakening tone in the film instead of having a powerful visualization paired with an immature speech sets the tone far more effectively. From the film 2081, Harrison’s message was very gripping, because he, in

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