“Eyes of the Society”

“If we cannot now end our differences, at least we can help make the world safe for diversity” –

John F. Kennedy

The text entitled “Harrison Bergeron” by Kurt Vonnegaut Jr. is about equality that the

society needs for us to have peace and freedom. This work is relatable even it was written in

1961 because people still experience inequality up to the present. The author talks about equality

because it is one of the biggest issues in the society. It tells situations on what would happen in a

society with equality and no discriminations. The author also mentioned that if a person is more

privileged then more severe and heavier punishment will be given to have equality. In the other

hand the author tells that the present time is considered as the dark ages at the story because in

2081 everybody was finally equal. To dig deeper to this work, hiding your own identity is one of

the things that equality will be finally claimed.

The author characterized the equality as the people in the world would not able to show what

they are capable to do. For example, “Hazel had a perfectly average intelligence, which meant

she couldn’t think about anything except in short bursts.” The equality is claimed if everyone

followed world’s definition of equality. That the author only means that if they are less

privileged then they must work hard to have equality. However, in the opposite they must keep

whatever their own identity. The world in the story can be called as “world full of lies”.

The government control the people to have equality and would not let everyone to know what

judgement is. Masks, earphones, body weights, and head gear are the things that protect people

to see, hear feel and recognize. That things is categorized by the author so that the people in the

society would not know discrimination on their surroundings.

 Judgement and discrimination are things that hinders to have equality. That is what

happening to the present world. The author also mentioned discriminations in the story but the

government control it so it will not prevail. For example, ”George and Hazel were watching

television. There were tears on Hazel’s cheeks, but she’d forgotten for the moment what they’re

about and George sees the ballerinas weren’t really very good.” People have already a mindset of

what is good and not pleasing to see. The government neutralizes this kind of thinking. Another

example, “I am the Emperor!” cried Harrison. “Do you hear? I am the Emperor! Everybody must

do what I say at once!” People tend to use their power to show what they are capable of and

abuse the ability of the people who don’t have the power.

Equality can’t be claim easily and it takes time to be claimed. It is not achieved because of

wrong practices for their own freedom. They are using their freedom in judging and

discriminating other people. For example, “Even as I stand here” he hallowed, crippled, hobbled

and sickened- I am the greater ruler than any man who ever lived! Now watch me what I can

become. This means that people tend to think more what they are capable to do. In this situation

they want to have more power than the others and prove their selves. “I shall select my empress.”

People have standards on what they want to be or to have. In this kind of mindset inequality

prevails because of having “standards”.

Equality make people hide and be scared to show who they really are. Equality can be

impossible to achieve but may be accepting our diversity would be the best way to have peace.

With this people can express their own identity with the way they want to do with no
discriminations and judgement. Everyone had their unique characteristics that make people

different with the standard of the other people. As they say “Nobody is perfect” people have their

own weaknesses and that should be accepted by everyone. Taking advantage with what a person

have is one of the reasons that equality is not claimed. Equality does not mean taking standards

but accepting the world’s diversity.