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    The story "Harrison Bergeron" by Kurt Vonnegut depicts a dystopian future where the government forces all citizens to be equal through the use of handicaps. The Handicapper General enforces strict laws requiring citizens to wear devices that limit above-average abilities and intelligence. Anyone who disobeys and removes their handicaps faces severe punishment or death. The story uses these handicaps as a symbol of the government's attempt to control society by eliminating differences and competition between citizens. It ultimately serves as a warning about the dangers of pursuing total equality at the cost of individualism and human nature.

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    Essay 1

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    265 views2 pages
    The story "Harrison Bergeron" by Kurt Vonnegut depicts a dystopian future where the government forces all citizens to be equal through the use of handicaps. The Handicapper General enforces strict laws requiring citizens to wear devices that limit above-average abilities and intelligence. Anyone who disobeys and removes their handicaps faces severe punishment or death. The story uses these handicaps as a symbol of the government's attempt to control society by eliminating differences and competition between citizens. It ultimately serves as a warning about the dangers of pursuing total equality at the cost of individualism and human nature.

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    The story "Harrison Bergeron" by Kurt Vonnegut depicts a dystopian future where the government forces all citizens to be equal through the use of handicaps. The Handicapper General enforces strict laws requiring citizens to wear devices that limit above-average abilities and intelligence. Anyone who disobeys and removes their handicaps faces severe punishment or death. The story uses these handicaps as a symbol of the government's attempt to control society by eliminating differences and competition between citizens. It ultimately serves as a warning about the dangers of pursuing total equality at the cost of individualism and human nature.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    265 views2 pages

    Essay 1

    Uploaded by

    api-428138358
    The story "Harrison Bergeron" by Kurt Vonnegut depicts a dystopian future where the government forces all citizens to be equal through the use of handicaps. The Handicapper General enforces strict laws requiring citizens to wear devices that limit above-average abilities and intelligence. Anyone who disobeys and removes their handicaps faces severe punishment or death. The story uses these handicaps as a symbol of the government's attempt to control society by eliminating differences and competition between citizens. It ultimately serves as a warning about the dangers of pursuing total equality at the cost of individualism and human nature.

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    Kim

    Section 1106

    Literary Analysis of “Harrison Bergeron”

    Equality is a state that everyone has the same right and equal access to social goods

    and services. But what if everyone were equal in abilities, intelligences or even appearances,

    and everyone was ruled by one person. What would you do? Story written by Kurt Vonnegut,

    Jr “Harrison Bergeron” is about government controlling people by making them equal. In

    Harrison Bergeron, Kurt Vonnegut tries to show us what the society be like if everyone were

    equal in every aspects by using handicaps as a symbol. Everyone is ruled by the law which is

    symbolized by Handicapper General. Lastly, he uses TV to express abilities of the

    government.

    Handicapper General is like law that can control people. In this story there are many

    scenes that government is like a law that can control people; like in the scene that George

    talked to Hazel about consequences of taking something out of the handicaps. “Two years in

    prison and two thousands dollars fine for every ball I took out” (line 83). Those are

    consequences that the General made so that everyone will follow the law and everyone will

    not get back to dark age again. The dark age is referred to the age that everyone was

    competing to each other which everyone hates it. But those are just some small consequences

    compared to what Harrison did. He took all of his handicaps off. So that led to this scene,

    “She fired twice, and the Emperor and the Empress were dead before they hit the floor”(line

    226). This referred to the situation the general fired both Harrison and another dancer. She
    did like that because she wanted to show to everyone that if you do not follow the law, you

    will end up like them. She did like that because she wanted to control everyone easily.

    Handicaps are devices that government use to equalize people so that she will gain

    power and control everyone easily.

    - “This year was 2081, and everybody was finally equal”(line 1). This refers to a

    society where everyone is equal in every aspect. There was no smarter or stronger

    people.

    - “And george, while his intelligence was way above normal, had a little mental

    handicap radio in his ear”(line 17-18). George is smarter than others so he is

    handicapped by the General. This happens to everyone that has higher intelligence

    than others.

    Actions of government that she wants everyone and the society to see are shown in

    TV.

    - “That must be Harrison!”(line 158). George said this after he saw Harrison in the TV.

    It is a scene before Harrison stood up on the stage.

    - “Something real sad on television”(line 239). This was said by Hazel, she said it after

    she saw Harrison shot by the General.

    Society where government tries to gain power by making everyone equal in every

    aspect; abilities, intelligences or even appearances is shown in this story.

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