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Kelly Wilson

Mr. Choi

English 9A

30 October 2017

The Irony of Equality

Imagine a world of indoctrination and censorship beyond belief, a world of extreme

propaganda and conformity, imagine equality. Equality will never be achieved without the irony

of inequalities. The satirical short story “Harrison Bergeron,” by Kurt Vonnegut Jr. places a

dictator, Diana Moon Glampers, as the ruler of a dystopian society in 2081. Diana creates

handicaps for the people in her society who are above average. These handicaps are meant to

create equality and peace, however they cause havoc and misery for one person in particular,

Harrison Bergeron. Harrison is stronger, taller, and more intelligent than the average human,

earning him more handicaps than anyone ever. The short story ends when Bergeron and his

empress are shot and killed along with any hope of a free society. Vonnegut uses satire and

symbolism to portray the flaws he sees in today’s society including an earpiece, weights, and

masks. While the earpiece and other handicaps ensure equality, they do so by limiting the

abilities of others.

The dictator Diana Moon Glampers administers and creates handicaps that will ensure

equality. Vonnegut uses the earpiece to demonstrate how technology today is more a distraction

than an object for liberation. The purpose of the earpiece is to scramble the thoughts, or stupefy
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the person reading it, rendering you defenseless, or according to society being average. Hazel,

Harrison's mom, has an average level of intelligence however, George has “[...] intelligence way

above normal, because of this he wears a little mental handicap radio in his ear” (Vonnegut 1).

Anyone with high intelligence is given an earpiece. It makes a loud sound every 22 seconds to

distract whoever is wearing it. Technology has the same effect which is why “students that use

more social media tend to have lower grades”(Are Social Networking Sites Good for our

Society?). Technology serves as a distraction for many people, including students. With social

media apps, music, and other forms of entertainment on portable technology it distracts most

people from important tasks such as school. However everyone does not have access to portable

technology, and that’s where other handicaps come into play.

Some people are born taller than others, more graceful, stronger. Let them bear weights!

Equality is the most important principal in 2081 and the handicapper general does not allow

anyone or anything to disrupt this. So when someone grows taller than the average person, has

more grace or elegance, or can lift heavy objects with ease, the only logical solution is weights.

Harrison Bergeron is seven feet tall gaining him the heaviest handicaps, and as a result he “[...]

looks like a walking junkyard […] Harrison carries three hundred pounds [...]” (Vonnegut 2).

Harrison is being literally suppressed because he is abnormally tall. The government does not

want him to take advantage of his peers. Similarly, North Korean citizens lack most basic needs

such as health care, privacy, and proper . North Korea “normal citizens do not get access to the

‘internet,’” only descendants of their leader are allowed this privilege (North Korea: On the Net

in the World’s Most Secretive Nation). Weights force people to focus on balancing extra

pounds. North Koreans have been forced to focus on surviving due to the lack of necessities.
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The tragic irony however is some people have these basic necessities and spend their “extra”

time over-analyzing their physical appearance.

My lips are too small, my nose is too big, these pants makes me look fat. Beauty plays a

role in the golden age of 2081. Some people are too beautiful. It's unfair. They shall wear ugly

masks to hide their true beauty and take on some the insecurities from their less attractive peers.

When the ballerina is speaking on television infer that she is abnormally beautiful “ [...] because

the mask she wears is hideous… she is the strongest and most graceful of all the dancers [...]”

(Vonnegut 3). No mask, no threatening beauty. Today’s society has decided that being attractive

means looking like one of few beauty epitomises for example, social media superstars. Being

famous because you look a certain way or live a certain lifestyle is not something alien. Seeing

so many people get idolized for simply living life makes most people question things about their

own lifestyle. Some people feel insecure when someone points out that they “[...] look tired

when they are tired…” others can’t stand simple things like a mole.(Dove Real life Beauty

Sketches). Beauty is an essential part of creating an equal society, you don’t want to give anyone

a chance to be jealous. Self-perception is important, so you should see yourself as beautiful and

much more. The way you see yourself should not be based on what society thinks is beautiful

this week. Natural beauty is something everyone is born with, and equality can’t change that.

Overall equality was achieved, although it was done in such a censored society it was still

achieved.

Today equality does not exist and society has room for mistakes. Society is far from

being perfect, and maybe this is a good thing. Through symbolism and satire Vonnegut

symbolizes a couple flaws he sees in today’s society. He uses an earpiece to symbolize the
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negative effects of technology, weights to symbolize how today people are not given the things

they need to focus on thriving rather than surviving, and masks to show that physical

appearances are overvalued. “Harrison Bergeron” is a nightmare, a dystopian society that

attempts equality and fails miserably. Technology can have many positive effects depending on

how it is used, and it doesn't have to decrease productivity. Basic human needs is something that

everyone is entitled to. Everyone is beautiful inside and out and beauty does not have a specific

definition. To think, equality and perfection are things society has been struggling to achieve for

centuries. Imagine today's society, completely censored, indoctrinated, oppressed, and

completely conformed it would be unbearable.

Works Cited

Harrison Bergeron, Kurt Vonnegut Jr. 1961. Print.

Are Social Networking Sites Good for our Society, Procon.org 2012. Publish.

North Korea: On the Net in the World's Most Secretive Nation, Dave Lee 2012. Print

Dove Real Life Beauty Sketches, Dove US 2013. Publish