Kurt Vonnegut's Cry For Forcing Equality

125 Words1 Page

Forcing equality leads to a loss of talents and beauty in all of society. In the story, George was very smart but lost this talent by being forced to wear a buzzer in his ear to keep him from thinking. This shows that anyone with intelligence is unable to use that talent. Second, Harrison, who had the most talents, since he was really athletic, smart, and good looking was arrested. This shows that people who had too many talents weren’t even allowed to be free in society. Finally, the ballerina who was “extraordinarily beautiful” had to wear a mask that “was hideous” (Vonnegut 3). Society isn’t even allowed to see someone who is beautiful so the whole country is just full of ugly stupid

Show More
Related

  • Similarities In Harrison, Bergeron, By Toni Marrison

    724 Words  | 2 Pages

    To begin with, Vonnegut advises that beauty can make a better society every now and then for everyone. Kurt Vonnegut explores his main character, a young fourteen boy, Harrison considered as a handicap because of his abilities to succeed. Harrison is designated as smart, skilled, physically strong, and better looking. However the author inscribes this story based on Harrison’s mind. Vonnegut plots the conflict within Harrison’s morality because Harrison struggles with his desires of making an equal society. Vonnegut chooses to develop Harrison in order to help us readers understand the meaning of equality in his creative society, that no man or woman was supposed to be attractive or beautiful than others. Earlier in the story the government put laws on individual’s physical appearance that everyone should be equal. But Harrison and his empress were above the average of the other. Harrison had power as soon as he declared himself “emperor” and the empress was “extraordinarily beautiful” by the reason why the government killed them. “It was then ...

    Read More

  • The Lego Movie Vs Harrison Bergeron

    617 Words  | 2 Pages

    In the story, H-G men apply handicaps such as masks, as well as bulky bags on certain individuals who were ‘above average.’ Everyone within this society has to deal with performing just like others and walking past other hideous people. Individuals who were handicapped were held back from their intelligence, creativity, and most importantly from their beauty, making everyone, no smarter, stronger, quicker, unable to see a free and graceful gesture, or be able to see a beautiful face. “‘Ladies and gentlemen,’ said the ballerina, reading the bulletin. She must have been extraordinarily beautiful, because the mask she wore was hideous. And it was easy to see that she was the strongest and most graceful of all the dancers, for her handicap bags were as big as those worn by two-hundred pound men.” (Vonnegut, p.103/par. 39). In the story, a ballerina, burdened with weights as well as a mask, had to perform on stage, stripped off from her gorgeous face and graceful dancing skills, making her look like an embarrassment. Though, it was obvious that she was better than all the other dancers, which clearly shows that a society that values equality leads to lack of beauty.

    Read More

  • Unequality in Harrison Bergeron by Kurt Vonnegut

    860 Words  | 2 Pages

    Ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle once said, “The worst form of inequality is to try to make unequal things equal.” Kurt Vonnegut portrays Aristotle’s philosophy brilliantly in his short story “Harrison Bergeron.” The story depicts the American government in the future mandating physical handicaps in an attempt to make everyone equal. Vonnegut describes a world where no one is allowed to excel in the areas of intelligence, athletics, or beauty. Yet, the inequalities among the people shine even brighter. Vonnegut uses satire to explore the question of whether true equality can ever really exist.

    Read More

  • Equality in Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury, and Anthem by Ayn Rand

    808 Words  | 2 Pages

    ...much equality and a sense to keep that equality was the downfall of this society.

    Read More

  • Lyddie Individualism

    1733 Words  | 4 Pages

    Equality is perhaps one of the most controversial concepts that has plagued human society and communities as well as nations, since Earth’s earliest days. The idea that all are deserving of an equal amount of respect and acceptance, however appealing it may be, is quite impossible. There will always be factors (ie. economic situations, former methods of servitude, personality, etc.) that will affect the way in which humans treat one another, no matter the circumstance. It is a ridiculous idea to even attempt to comprehend that one’s feelings and thoughts and history as a person could ever be the equivalent to another’s. As a result, we are able to achieve a sense of individualism within ourselves and are able to clearly notice the differences between one another. One specific aspect of each and every person that is notably different as you begin to analyze people for who they are is the concept of values. Each and every person upholds contrasting values, which may range from education and gaining knowledge to simply being happy and making others happy. This is no different for fictional characters—or at least well-written fictional characters—and one I can specifically mention is Lyddie, from the novel of the same name, written by Katherine Paterson. During a time of sexism, poverty, and child labor as its main issues, Lyddie is a 12-year-old girl who is forced to undergo all of the mentioned, paired with her own personal matters. She works at a textile mill in Lowell, working in gruesome, repulsive working conditions, with the primary objective of freeing her and her family from debt. Throughout her time working at the mill, a petition is proposed to Lyddie and her “coworkers”, requesting of the owners of the mill to shorten work...

    Read More

  • Repressive Society in Harrison Bergeron by Kurt Vonnegut

    762 Words  | 2 Pages

    The most important theme that we can easily notice in the story is the lack of freedom, which is extremely significant to the American ideals, and Harrison demonstrates it as his escapes from jail, remove his handicaps, and influence others around him. In order to have a completely equal society in Harrison Bergeron’s world, people cannot choose what they want to take part in or what they are good at because if a person is above average in anything, even appearance, they are handicapped. These brain and body devices are implanted in an effort to make everyone equal. However, instead of raising everyone up to the better level, the government chooses instead to lower people to the lowest common level of human thought and action, which means that people with beautiful faces wear masks. Also, people with above average intelligence wear a device that gives a soul-shattering piercing noise directly into the ear to destroy any train of thought. Larger and stronger people have bags of buckshot padlocked a...

    Read More

  • The Idealism of Kurt Vonnegut

    2000 Words  | 4 Pages

    The Idealism of Kurt Vonnegut Kurt Vonnegut was greatly influenced by his involvement in World War II. His entanglement with the Dresden bombing had an unequivocal effect upon his mentality, and the horrid experience propelled the liberal anti-war assertions that dominate many of his novels. Throughout his life, his idealistic nature has perceptibly undulated, and five representative novels illustrate the forceful progression and gradual declivity of his liberal views. The first thirty years of his life outwardly coincided with the average American man. He was born in Indianapolis on November 11, 1922, and lived a happy childhood with a stable family.

    Read More

  • Role Of Satire In Harrison Bergeron

    1670 Words  | 4 Pages

    What gives the reader the false idea of utopia in Vonnegut’s “Harrison Bergeron” is the deep social control in the form handicaps where individual’s abilities and competence and even appearance are neutralized and vilified as a form of inequality. The characteristics of equality chosen by Vonnegut; beauty, athleticism, and intelligence is important to the story’s message. The main focus of the story are the characteristics of equality that are subjective, the very same characteristics we are born with that makes us different and minimally states the objective ones, the ones that plague our society today. This not only satirizes the epitome of equality itself, but rather the people’s flawed ideals and belief of what total equality is supposed to be or should be.

    Read More

  • Compare And Contrast Harrison Bergeron

    661 Words  | 2 Pages

    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

    Read More

  • Choice and Direction in the Writings of Kurt Vonnegut Jr.

    2862 Words  | 6 Pages

    Satire in American literature has evolved in response to the development of the American mind, its increasing use of free will, and the context that surrounds this notion.  Satire is the biting wit that authors (labeled satirists) bring to their literature to expose and mock the follies of society.  Satirists can be divided, however, into two groups with very different purposes.   One type  mocks simply for the enjoyment of mocking.  These satirists are found almost everywhere in the world, on every street corner, household, and television sitcom.  It is the second type of satirist who is a strong force in the world of literature.  The satirical author will mock to heighten the reader's awareness of the problems that threaten to destroy the world that they believe has so much potential. They do this with the hope that their satire will encourage others to better society.  "I have often hoped that the arts could be wonderfully useful in times of trouble" (32) says the writer who is perhaps the king of this second type of American satire, Kurt Vonnegut Jr.  Vonnegut uses his literature to help guide a disillusioned America, in which free will has been  fundamental since the writing of the Constitution.  As a humanist, Vonnegut uses the idea of free will as a constant motif in his writing. He believes that every soul has the freedom to do anything, but that the problem with society is that people lack  direction.  Free will, used as a  theme in Timequake, is an enormous responsibility. Acknowledging the free will that one has also involves accepting the responsibility that is necessary to use this privilege in a way that will benefit humanity.  In several essay...

    Read More

  • The Doctrines of Kurt Vonnegut

    1418 Words  | 3 Pages

    The Doctrines of Kurt Vonnegut The writing of Kurt Vonnegut exhibits perception without restriction and imagination without limitation. It surpasses mountains of ignorance and rivers of innocence to extend emotions for society to sympathize with reality. He incorporates his knowledge and view-points into a variety of literary genres for everyone to learn of his inquiries and philosophies. To draw readers into his sphere of influence, Kurt Vonnegut administers an inflection on the present to state other tenses

    Read More

  • Kurt Vonnegut Mentality Analysis

    1758 Words  | 4 Pages

    Kurt Vonnegut is an author that isn’t afraid to question and critique major establishments. Vonnegut question those intentions of religion, whether they are in reality working in good faith or in dehumanizing people and taking away from their ability to grow and have their own opinions. In his works, Vonnegut doesn’t steer clear from examining the pointlessness of warfare, the ability to escape your current reality, religion and the immoral aspects of science. Vonnegut’s short story Harrison Bergeron and his novels, Slaughterhouse-Five and Cat’s Cradle were all works that were inspired and reflected off events in his life. The decline of his mental health, his wife turning to Christianity, the growing political and

    Read More

  • Criticism Of Kurt Vonnegut

    3252 Words  | 7 Pages

    Kurt Vonnegut was born on November 11th 1922 in Indianapolis, Indiana. His parents, Kurt Vonnegut Sr. and Edith Leiber Vonnegut were hit particularly hard by the great depression and his family was financially unstable for most of his childhood. Vonnegut studied at Cornell University, where he double majored in chemistry and biology. Shortly after graduation, Vonnegut enlisted in the United States Army and was deployed to Germany once America entered World War II. Around this time, Vonnegut’s mother committed suicide. Vonnegut was deeply traumatized by the event and never truly forgave his mother during his lifetime. In 1944, he was captured by Nazi troops and placed in a prisoner of war camp in Dresden, Germany. Vonnegut was a survivor of

    Read More

  • Discrimination in Of Mice and Men

    873 Words  | 2 Pages

    Overall discrimination is an awful thing. It is like a STD, it can be passed from parent to child, or someone can become infected if you don’t watch out. Discrimination is also like the plague. It sweeps over a large amount of people, infecting most, and most don’t survive. Though today much of the discrimination is gone, just like the plague, but it is still there. Unfortunately for some people, they have to deal with people discrimination from others. Whether it be discrimination of one’s race, age, disability, or gender. Discrimination has numerous damaging effects to someone’s life. In Of Mice and Men the unlucky victims of discrimination also suffer from the same effects. They allow for people to have control of them and walk all over them. Discrimination is like a fire... It hurts.

    Read More

  • Equality in Peter Singer´s All Animals are Equal

    2024 Words  | 5 Pages

    "In "All Animals Are Equal," Singer argues for the equality of all animals, on the basis of an argument by analogy with various civil rights movements, on the part of human beings. How does this argument go exactly, and what is Singer's precise conclusion? Is his argument successful? Why or why not? If you think it is successful, raise a residual potentially damaging objection, and respond on Singer's behalf (i.e., as a proponent of the position). And if not, how far does the argument go and/or how might it be improved? What has Singer taught us here, if anything?"

    Read More

More about Kurt Vonnegut's Cry For Forcing Equality

Open Document