Absolute Equality In Kurt Vonnegut's Harrison Bergeron
The Importance of Absolute Equality in “Harrison Bergeron”
For hundreds of years, humanity has struggled to define equality, as well implement the concept properly into society. Slaves; prisoners of war; and even in today’s society, we still see people of color treated as lesser than their Caucasian counterparts. Interestingly enough, color is never introduced as a problem in Kurt Vonnegut Jr.’s “Harrison Bergeron”. While most people nowadays would agree that the word “equality” refers to equal opportunity, Vonnegut forces this word to the extremes, and warps its meaning into something much more controlling, to the point where it harms society more than inequality ever did. But why would the author do this? What is the point of creating a
…show more content…
As shown by the ballerinas and the television announcer, even people who need to do their jobs well are burdened by these handicaps. Yet Diana seems to be doing her duty quite professionally. The ballerinas were weighed down by sacks of birdshot (Vonnegut 193), and the announcer could not even finish his bulletin because his stuttering was so uncontrolled (195). Based on this pattern, Diana Moon Glampers should not have been as skilled at hunting down Harrison Bergeron as she really was. Could it be possible that government corruption leaks into this dystopian society as well? Jindra states in his article that poor people are put on the backburner in favor of those wealthier in modern society (317). In turn, Vonnegut’s fictional world has put the average citizens down, and kept them down, in order to promote their superior policing techniques. The government and must work as efficiently as possible to implement these handicaps, so why hinder those who protect their country? From this, we can deduce that Glampers is at least above average in intellect, as well as trained in law enforcement tactics. She does have access to a gun, after all (Vonnegut 197). The government would never entrust a firearm to someone entirely average. Despite the need for absolute control, this society needs capable people to help keep the
True Inequality In Kurt Vonnegut's Harrison Bergeron
402 Words | 2 PagesIn the story, Harrison Bergeron by Kurt Vonnegut, the feat of true equality has been obtained, but at a sour expense. The short story details a world where everyone is truly equal, so much to the point that equality has costed everyone their individuality and, in some cases, intelligence. The story takes place with two characters, Hazel and George Bergeron. They are watching ballerinas on television, when the story’s antagonist, Harrison Bergeron enters the scene and breaks his handicaps, being both intelligent and smart. He claims to become the new emperor, and dances with one of the ballerinas.
Equality In Kurt Vonnegut's Harrison Bergeron
986 Words | 4 PagesAshlyn Thompson Eastern Arizona College English 102: Written Communications Mrs. Callie Ruiz 4/18/2023 Total Equality "Equality of opportunity is freedom, but equality of outcome is repression" (Dick Feagler). In this quote, Feagler states that people should have equal access to all opportunities and all things. However, when these opportunity outcomes become equal, people are restrained and unable to reach their full potential. The world wishes for gender, racial equality, and equality of rights. In many cases, these are important, but total equality in our world's mental and physical aspects is impossible.
Examples Of Equality In Fahrenheit 451
949 Words | 4 PagesEquality is a concept that can be described as living in equilibrium, like the biology of the rate at which species are produced, which is at the same rate as species dying. Equilibrium takes adaptation to the environment, and if it is believed that everyone adapts to changes or restrictions, equality will be fair. Ray Bradbury’s “Fahrenheit 451” follows a place of believed equality within people's happiness and comfort, instead of the downsides and bad occurrences of the past, such as wars and tragedies. Similarly, in Kurt Vonnegut’s “Harrison Bergeron'', equality is said to be necessary, as all people should have the same inalienable rights and knowledge of their society. If some were highly intelligent, they would bear heavier burdens, wearing
Utopian Society In Kurt Vonnegut's Harrison Bergeron
330 Words | 2 PagesKurt Vonnegut’s story, “Harrison Bergeron” is about a utopian society that has a government that believes in equality in every concept. Three amendments were created by the government in the year 2081. People in the utopia suffer from the control and absolute power of the government and obey their equality laws by wearing handicaps, when a majority of the people are really not. One lesson this story demonstrates is ‘don’t let anyone overpower you.’
Harrison Bergeron And Anthem: Equality's Equality
636 Words | 3 PagesEquality for All “Equality in pay has improved in the US since 1979 when women earned about 62 percent as much as men. In 2010, American women on average earned 81 percent of what their male counterparts earned” ( Highlights in the US). “Harrison Bergeron” and Anthem both are dystopian societies that tried to create equality, but end up with horrible corruption, no real equality, and incorrect portrayals of equality. In “Harrison Bergeron” the society leaders use handicaps to bring people down to the lowest level or the “average” of their society. There are similar concepts in Anthem, no one can be better than anyone, but they use shame and guilt to keep their people in line.
Utopia In Kurt Vonnegut's Harrison Bergeron
825 Words | 4 PagesVonnegut analyzes forced equality into his theme, in the society that he created, in the not so far years ahead. He creates a world where everybody that is living in it is completely equal. Vonnegut is making equality by shifting beauty, strength, and brains while battling to dealing with gender, religion, and race. He writes this story to interpret the lesson that not everyone is equal, but rather, they all have weaknesses and strengths that makes each individual unique. Further more, “Harrison tore the straps off his handicap harness like wet tissue paper, tore straps guaranteed to support five thousand pounds,” Handicaps were placed on everyone that prevented anyone and everyone from being equal.
The Consequences Of Equality In Anthem And Harrison Bergeron
1100 Words | 5 PagesEquality is what most people strive for in their lives. Like “Goldilocks and the Three Bears” humans are constantly searching for the “just right” idea. However, hopefully we understand that there are flaws in society so it can never be ‘just right’ or completely equal. Both authors of dystopian stories, such as Ayn Rand, author of the novella Anthem, and Kurt Vonnegut, author of the short story“Harrison Bergeron”, display what total equality is and its consequences in a dystopian society. These stories explain thoroughly how the idea of equality is naturally impossible and how corruption will always exist.
Single Paragraph Essay: Harrison Bergeron
208 Words | 1 PagesSingle Paragraph Essay “ Harrison Bergeron ” “ Harrison Bergeron ,” written by Kurt Vonnegut Jr. focuses on equality — physically andmentally — strongly controlled by the government in the year 2081; the beautiful are forced tolook ugly, the physically skilled are required to wear weights. With these handicaps makingeveryone so equal, the world became very different, odd, and average. But the government hasno right or reason to push the whole world to be “…equal every which way.” (203) To suppress someone’s natural looks or physical talents is not only wrong to natural human rights, but it is also illegal, and for very good reason: everyone is different.
Situational Irony In Harrison Bergeron
660 Words | 3 PagesIn the short story, “Harrison Bergeron” Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. relies on the use of irony to indicate where our country will stand once we have gained total equality amongst each other. The theme in “Harrison Bergeron” is that the government cannot enforce equality within the people. The author creates a fictional visualization of the future in the year 2081, where the government controls the people and tortures them in order to maintain “equal opportunity” in their world to prove why it is impossible to achieve absolute equality in the world. Vonnegut dives into a whole other level of uniformity in Harrison Bergeron by focusing on eliminating advantages in appearance, intelligence, strength, and other unique abilities rather than focusing on
People Are Not Truly Equal In Harrison Bergeron
302 Words | 2 PagesIn “Harrison Bergeron”, each person was not truly equal. For example, the ballerinas in the story were prettier than the maximum people, so they were required to wear masks. Hazel, the mother of Harrison, believed that the ballerinas were beautiful since her mask was extremely ugly. Diana Moon Glampers, the Handicap General, forces them to be like the public and will punish anyone who says different. Consequently a few people enjoy being the same, it is not easy, and following the Handicap General’s rules is challenging.
Satire In Harrison Bergeron
589 Words | 3 PagesThe people of the United States fight and strive for an absolute “equal” society, but is it what’s really wanted? “Harrison Bergeron,” a short story written by Kurt Vonnegut, uses satire to describe the deficiency in our idea of a truly “equal” society. Throughout the story, Vonnegut describes the torture and discomfort the government administers among the people, and though they were “equal,” they were not balanced. Vonnegut uses characterization and word choice to warn his readers of the potential drawbacks of a truly “equal” society. He warns normalcy would become the base of thought, and people would become incapable of emotion.
Examples Of Equality In Harrison Bergeron
349 Words | 2 PagesIn “Harrison Bergeron” people aren’t truly equal. In this short story, they took equality to the next level. Most people think that equality is everyone being treated with the same amount of respect. Appearance has nothing to do with equality in today’s society. Although looking the same and having the same level of intelligence may decrease jealousy, people shouldn’t force others to change because of this.
Being Equal Isn T Always Fair In Harrison Bergeron
747 Words | 3 PagesHarrison Bergeron Essay Claim: Being equal isn’t always fair. Intro: What if someone had to wear a handicap? Or what if someone had to be treated exactly like everyone else?
What Is The Cost Of Equality In Harrison Bergeron
519 Words | 3 PagesThe story “Harrison Bergeron” by Kurt Vonnegut is about a couple, Hazel and George Bergeron, in the distant future when all people must be equal. This equality is reached in the form of handicaps. Weights are placed on the strong and athletic people in society, masks are forced upon the beautiful, and loud noises are constantly blasted into the ears of the intelligent to prevent them from thinking. While most equality is often thought of as good, the story shows a much darker side, using the government’s forceful equalization of the people. “Harrison Bergeron” uses multiple perspectives to highlight the costs of equality paralleled in today’s society.
Symbolism In Harrison Bergeron
870 Words | 4 PagesThesis: In Kurt Vonnegut 's story, "Harrison Bergeron," symbolism, tone, and irony reveal the author 's message to the reader which is his perspective on equality. Notably, there are countless symbols in the narrative "Harrison Bergeron" all of which trace back to the theme of the story. The handicaps people are forced to wear are symbols for the control the government has over people. "George was toying with the vague notion that maybe dancers shouldn 't be handicapped.
More about Absolute Equality In Kurt Vonnegut's Harrison Bergeron
True Inequality In Kurt Vonnegut's Harrison Bergeron
402 Words | 2 PagesEquality In Kurt Vonnegut's Harrison Bergeron
986 Words | 4 PagesExamples Of Equality In Fahrenheit 451
949 Words | 4 PagesUtopian Society In Kurt Vonnegut's Harrison Bergeron
330 Words | 2 PagesHarrison Bergeron And Anthem: Equality's Equality
636 Words | 3 PagesUtopia In Kurt Vonnegut's Harrison Bergeron
825 Words | 4 PagesThe Consequences Of Equality In Anthem And Harrison Bergeron
1100 Words | 5 PagesSingle Paragraph Essay: Harrison Bergeron
208 Words | 1 PagesSituational Irony In Harrison Bergeron
660 Words | 3 PagesPeople Are Not Truly Equal In Harrison Bergeron
302 Words | 2 PagesSatire In Harrison Bergeron
589 Words | 3 PagesExamples Of Equality In Harrison Bergeron
349 Words | 2 PagesBeing Equal Isn T Always Fair In Harrison Bergeron
747 Words | 3 PagesWhat Is The Cost Of Equality In Harrison Bergeron
519 Words | 3 PagesSymbolism In Harrison Bergeron
870 Words | 4 Pages