Kimberly Vain Larry Neuburger ENG 102-104 13 September 2012 Response Essay Lost Individualism Kurt Vonneguts Harrison

Bergeron describes an overpowering future where Constitutional Amendments make everyone equal. However people are made equal by utilizing devices which make everyone equal in intelligence, strength, and ability.The author describes this era by saying, They were equal every which way. Nobody was smarter than anybody else. Nobody was better looking than anybody else (293). Vonnegut explains Georges intelligence is above normal requiring him to wear a little mental handicap radio in his ear (294), and Ever twenty seconds or so, the transmitter would send out some sharp noise to keep people like George from taking unfair advantage of their brains (294). Vonnegut continues ballerinas were burdened with sash weights and bags of birdshot, and their faces were masked, so that no one, seeing a free and graceful gesture or a pretty face (294). Harrison is very intelligent and so strong he wore a tremendous pair of earphones, and spectacles with thick wavy lens. The spectacles were intended to make him not only half blind, but give him whanging headaches besides (296). Strong individuals wore scrap metal, and Harrison looked like a walking junkyard (296). The general has control of what handicap people need or what kind of mask the person should wear. 208 words

Vonnegut Jr., Kurt. "Harrison Bergeron." Power of Language Language of Power. Second Custom Edition for Oazarks Technical College ed. Boston: Pearson Learning Solutions, 2011. 293-299. Print.