Harrison Bergeron - 806 Words

Harrison Bergeron: Negotiation of Identity In a world with no individuality, is it possible for humanity to progress? In the short story, â€Å"Harrison Bergeron,† the author, Kurt Vonnegut, presents the idea of a conformed society in which everyone is totally equal; if one is superior to another, then they must wear a certain handicap to supress their talent. However, the flaw in this type of society is the loss of one’s identity and freedom. A conformed society technically wouldn’t be very equal because the government would still have power over the citizens and this could lead to a possibility of a dictatorship. Also, there wouldn’t be any innovation within a conformed society because everyone would be equal and competition wouldn’t exist†¦show more content†¦Also, the author exemplifies the rules being created which are supposedly meant to help the people, but instead they are oppressing their freedom and individuality. Kurt Vonnegut develops an idea that a conformed society can’t be equal and the total equality would produce a society with no individuality as well as no innovation therefore humanity would not be able to progress. The fault in Harrison Bergeron’s society is an absence of individualism and a freedom because everyone would have the same identity; this conquers one’s freedom because they must wear handicaps against their will. Also, the government in the Harrison Bergeron is sort of like a dictatorship because they have a huge advantage over everyone else and they command others into doing what they think is ‘right.’ The uneven levels of power within the society create an unequal system and that contradicts the idea of a totally equal world. Humanity would not be able to progress without individuality because in a world with everyone being equal, physically and mentally, there wouldn’t be any improvement or breakthroughs that could advance theSh ow MoreRelatedharrison bergeron952 Words   |  4 Pagesï » ¿ An Equal Society with a Strong Government In 2081, all of society is forced to be equal. In Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.’s short story, Harrison Bergeron, everyone is assigned â€Å"handicaps† that make them equal to everyone else. These handicaps included wearing weights around the neck, wearing a mask to cover beauty, and having a device in the ear so thinking could not be overdone. â€Å"Nobody was smarter than anyone else; nobody was better looking than anyone else; nobody was stronger or quicker than anyoneRead MoreHarrison Bergeron1095 Words   |  5 Pagesâ€Å"Harrison Bergeron† by Kurt Vonnegut Jr. â€Å"Harrison Bergeron† by Kurt Vonnegut Jr. is a story literally exaggerated to its limit by showing, in the near future, what it means to be equal in every way by having people not being able to show any form of intelligence or creativity whatsoever. When Harrison Bergeron breaks the chains of government oppression, he dies for his failed cause. He dies because he chooses not to conform to the rest of his oppressive society. His parents, George andRead MoreHarrison Bergeron1317 Words   |  6 PagesAn impartial society: Utopia or Hell? 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The quest for egalitarianism is faulty; people who are born giftedRead MoreHarrison Bergeron2717 Words   |  11 Pages According to Vonnegut, so did the U.S. government, in the year 2081. In the outrageous short story of Harrison Bergeron, many historic achievements and ideas, like the Manifesto, can closely parallel with that of the future outlook described by Vonnegut. Vonnegut shows the ridiculousness of the outcome of this, at the time, pop ular ideology with satire and exaggerations. Harrison Bergeron opens with a paragraph that immediately gives a background setting to the story as a whole. The time of 2081Read MoreEssay on Harrison Bergeron682 Words   |  3 PagesHarrison Bergeron, projected on a stage representing the conformity of a society with a system of Government based on equality for the weak, which are monitored and controlled by a dictatorial Government. This story is a literary sample that gives us a system of Government, where the law was created with the intention of limiting the individuals and turning them into beings with actuation equality, controlling them through the transmitters or obstacles in their body for that people couldRead MoreHarrison Bergeron Essay992 Words   |  4 PagesHarrison Bergeron Imagine a world where an oppressive government captures what many call diversity. Where ugly is known as beauty and intelligence is insignificant. â€Å"They werent only equal before God and the law. They were equal every which way. Nobody was smarter than anybody else. Nobody was better looking than anybody else. Nobody was stronger or quicker than anybody else.† (Vonnegut) This is the future that Harrison experiences, in the short story â€Å"Harrison Bergeron,† by Kurt Vonnegut. ItRead MoreEssay On Harrison Bergeron710 Words   |  3 PagesDo you think society would improve if everyone was equal? Even though people may argue with me, I say that everyone isn’t truly equal in the story, Harrison Bergeron. I say this due to how people that are naturally born with above average intelligence, strength, and looks gorgeous has to wear handicaps to hide their unique abilities. Another reason is that some people are either respected or disrespected because of their special talents. Thirdly, some people in the story does not need to follow theRead MoreThe Lottery and Harrison Bergeron1100 Words   |  5 Pages The Lottery and Harrison Bergeron People with power in society often have the ability to influence the practice of certain traditions. These traditions can affect what a citizen is entitled to do. In todays day and age, life without basic freedoms and rights sounds unthinkable. However, in Shirley Jacksons â€Å"The Lottery† and Kurt Vonneguts â€Å"Harrison Bergeron† this is the reality. Old Man Warner and the Handicapper General show that people in positions of authority encourage outdated traditionsRead MoreAnalysis Of George Bergeron s Harrison Bergeron 1558 Words   |  7 PagesThe title character, Harrison Bergeron, wants to defy the government system and dare to be different. The society he lives in wants everyone to be equal in every way—â€Å"nobody was smarter [or better looking or stronger or quicker] than anybody else† (Vonnegut 226). George Bergeron had an intelligence [†¦] way above normal† (Vonnegut 226) and thus had a â€Å"transmitter [that] would send out some sharp noise† (Vonnegut 227) about every twenty seconds. George Bergeron is very superior in every way, â€Å"[wearing]