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Cassie Mitchell

Tallardy

English 121 exam revision

31 January 2017

Harrison Bergerons Representation for Society

Kurt Vonnegut displays a message which shows people are unable to be unequivocally

equal even with the progression of laws and morals. He conveyed his message in Harrison

Bergeron through physical alterations, unintelligent statements and rebellious actions.

Throughout the six pages, Kurt Vonnegut channels realistic issues within a single family.

Before the climax of the story, a ballerina on camera had to apologize at once for her

voice, which was a very unfair voice for a woman to use (Vonnegut 3). The narrator explains

how pleasant and atypical assets were frowned upon in the year of 2081. Since her voice was a

warm, luminous, timeless melody, the ballerina had to alter her natural voice to sound like a

grackle squawk (Vonnegut 3). The innate human in this story was not just for voice, people

were burdened with sashweights and bags of birdshot, and their faces were masked (Vonnegut

1). If anyone was stronger or more beautiful, it was unexpectable. When Harrison Bergeron

appeared on television, the narrator described this character's appearance, stating Instead of a

little ear radio for a mental handicap, he wore a tremendous pair of earphones, and spectacles

with thick wavy lenses (Vonnegut 4). As portrayed, being different under any circumstance is

viewed as unfair, unequal and unacceptable.

Due to the physical adjustments, the characters said some unintelligent statements. When

watching television, the wife said, "'That was a real pretty dance, that dance they just did"'

(Vonnegut 1). While the husband replied with "'Huh"' (Vonnegut 1). The husband George is
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smarter than others which requires him to wear an ear radio which disperses a horrible loud noise

to interrupt thinking. Although George is smart, the buzzer in his ear makes him seem dull or

equal to his society in this case. Towards the closing of the story, Georges wife Hazel was crying

and he asked why. Hazel forgot but knew the event was tragic. George told her to "'Forget sad

things"' and she responded "'I always do"' (Vonnegut 6). Their son had just died on television

although society would never remember because of the governments brainwashing. This

dialogue convinces the reader to believe this was not the first time something unsettling occurred

in front of a large crowd. On a more comical, satirical level, Hazel said, Gee- I could tell that

one was a doozy"' which George responded with "'You can say that again"' and Hazel actually

repeated herself (Vonnegut 6). This dialogue is humorous but displays how wired and literal the

human race has become in 2081. The conversation between the character also demonstrates how

they are unequal because George used a figure of speech and Hazel did not realize the potential

sarcasm in her husbands voice.

In a dystopian genre, someone is bound to go against the majority. In the beginning of the

story, Hazel recommended George should remove some weight from his canvas bag. If he

wanted comfort he would have Two years in prison and two thousand dollars fine for every ball

[he] took out (Vonnegut 1). Even the common people saw something wrong with their societal

system. When the ballerina on the television announced Harrison Bergeron escaped, people were

alarmed. He entered the studio and thrust his thumbs under the bar of the padlock that secured

his head harness...smashed his headphones and spectacles against the wall (Vonnegut 5). A

fourteen-year-old genius acted out against the government because he realized their wrong

doings and the issues with their society. The characters are unequal in this moment when the
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studio personnel are cowering and the rebel is thriving. This is an important movie because it

creates a distinction between the majority and the minority.

Kurt Vonnegut wrote this story as a response to Cold War propaganda. People are not equal and

he realized this fact. In order to establish peace, which seemed like a goal in 2081, the

community needs harmony and happiness. Humans do not have to look and feel the same in

order to prevent conflict. Equality is life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness as said by thomas

Jefferson. Equality is not fixing appearances to feel uncomfortable and feel as if it is hard to

think and lash out. Vonnegut envisioned a world where equality was taken in a literal sense yet

no one was equal if they took off their armor or kept it on.
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Vonnegut, Kurt. Harrison Bergeron. New York: Mercury, 1961. Print.