Kurt Vonnegut's Harrison Bergeron

“Harrison Bergeron” conveys the conflict between the needs or ideals of society and the realities of individuals because it shows how a utopian idea can quickly turn to a dystopian reality. To create a Utopia is to walk on water. Everyone has a different perspective on what their perfect world is, therefore it is impossible to make a perfect community for everyone since the ideas of one vary. If you don’t know what you are creating, how can it be made? This is proved with “Harrison Bergeron” by Kurt Vonnegut, Jr., in the story the concept of equality for all is enforced. This seems like it would create a harmless, perhaps some may even say perfect world, however this is not so. When taken to extreme lengths even the nicest of ideas can suddenly

Hazel, unlike George, has an average intelligence however this still is found to be a burden. Hazel “... (can’t) think about anything except in short bursts.” Not only can she not think too hard on subjects of matter but also Hazel is unable to express her emotions that she feels, “There were tears on Hazel’s cheeks, but she’d forgotten for the moment what they were about …” This couple is doomed, communication is lost due to inability to speak freely and the inability to express thoughts and emotions. Already the Utopian idea seems like a not so good plan but to make matters worse, “... George and Hazel Bergeron’s fourteen-year-old son, Harrison (was taken) away.” This isn’t for committing a crime but for merely wanting a normal life, without being hindered down. As it states in the text, “Nobody had ever borne heavier handicaps… scrap metal was hung all over him… Harrison carried three hundred pounds… the H-G men (also) required that he wear at all times a red rubber ball for a nose, keep his eyebrows shaved off, and cover his even white teeth with black caps at snaggle-tooth random.” The Handicapper General and her men made Harrison carry immense amounts of birdshot and made him look like a clown, to keep the equality motif