Madeline Tate Mr.

Neuburger ENG 102-102 20 June 2012 Response Paper Harrison Bergeron Kurt Vonnegut Most commonly accepted is equality amongst all people. However, equality taken to an extreme can be problematic. Kurt Vonneguts Harrison Bergeron describes the extent a futuristic government goes when trying to make all people equal in every way and Vonnegut takes equality to its greatest extent. This futuristic government goes to the extreme of putting handicaps on individuals who have more intelligence than others. With electronic radio systems hooked to members of this futuristic society, the government sends sound waves through the radio devices as a distraction to the person. George Bergeron forgets about the loss of his son Harrison as a result of distractions he receives from an electronic radio. In fact, the extent the government is willing to go to is explained when Vonnegut states, They were not only equal before god and the law. They were equal in every which way (par 1). The cost of the handicaps limits the capabilities of intelligent people preventing them from doing great things. In Georges life, creativity and intelligence is restricted as he learns to live with the handicaps. He explains, I dont mind it. I dont even notice it anymore its just part of me (par 4). Word Count: 198 Eighner, Lars. "Harrison Bergeron." Power of Language/Language of Power A Collection of Readings. Second Custom Edition for Ozarks Technical Community College ed. Boston: Pearson Learning Solutions, 2011. 293-99. Print.