The Mediocre Life Of Hazel In Kurt Vonnegut's Harrison Bergeron

The mediocre life of Hazel
In the short story “Harrison Bergeron” by Kurt Vonnegut, a merely intellectually average citizen thought of a highly illegal act that as a reader was very surprising. In the future the government has attempted to make everything equal. This hierarchy of individuals has issued out handicaps to anyone above average in any field. George and Hazel have a normal companionship between two people, they have son who was sent to prison at the age of fourteen. As a news bulletin pops on in the background Hazel suggest to George to brake one of the equality laws. As George declines the suggestion, the T.V. shows their son Harrison who has escaped from prison striping of all of his handicaps, selecting an empress, than get shot by the handicapper general. Hazel and George go on after the incident completely unfazed, as if nothing has ever happened. It's not surprising whatsoever that a ignorant, caring, but yet non fearful character like Hazel suggested to do something that would result in serious penalty, breaking the law.
The Merrian-Webster definition of equality is the quality or state of having the same rights, social status, ect… While watching T.V. George peered at the ballerina who was wearing large heavy government issued handicap bags, handicaps being setbacks. She was also wearing an extremely ugly mask

handicap. As exactly stated in the story “ She must have been extraordinarily beautiful, because the mask she was wearing was hideous. And it was easy to see she was the strongest and most graceful out of the dancers, for her handicap bags were as big as those worn by two hundred pound men”. This automatically signals that equality was the last thing from achieved. Yet everybody may not be competing with one another over certain fields in which others excel in but the only thing keeping those handicaps on is a fear, one that is believed to be inevitable. But apparently Hazel wasn't strucken with this fear.
A reason that Hazel made thought and suggested this act is because of her low intellect. Her ignorant personality was alerted by the pitiful grammar and lack of handicaps Hazel had. Studies show that the less educated, therefore meaningless smart, a person is the more likely that this being will make bad choices, and end up in prison. It makes sense that Hazel of clear lesser knowledge than George would suggest to break the law by dismantling Georges handicap. Clearly she was not thinking for a second about the serious consequences of her actions would bring. If Hazel would have stopped and thought ahead about what the results would be such as George did than this thought would not have pooped out. But regardless it is a reflection on her ignorance that really showed throughout the short story.
Possibly the biggest reason she suggested this was because of her compassion or love for George. If these two are married or not, or if the government controls all of the marriages and relationships, or even if two people are supposed to share a bond closer than any other two such as modern day goes we do not know. But one thing is for sure Hazel has some sort of feelings of intimacy for George. The way she would shudder watching George flinch in pain, the way she would be in a form of sadness thinking of how tired George is from work gives off a big indicator that Hazel does care beyond the average person does for her partner. Its very possible that Hazel knew all of the consequences that could result from what she offered but she just does not care, she would set them all aside for him. Its very clear Hazels feelings for George are not average. If everyone and everything were equal Hazel would feel the same for everybody and it shows here that there are exceptions to that because Hazel deeply cares for George.
In the short story “ Harrison Burgeron” by Kurt Vonnegut it is not alarming a character like Hazel suggested to her significant other to brake the law.

She was an ignorant person but yet a caring one who showed feelings of emotion for George. It also shows the true failure of equality the Government was trying to enforce. There is not all that much but a penalty and a throbbing fear holding George back from agreeing with Hazel. In conclusion there are several possibilities as to why Hazel's decision was made but one thing is for sure, the government has failed in their triumphant purge to create one impossible goal,

equality.