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Short Story Examination Day

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In the short story, Examination Day by Henry Sesslar, the government is killing off children that surpass the government intelligence standard. One example of this is how the government gives an intelligence test to children to see who is too smart for the society (Sesslar 1). Children are getting killed for being soft-minded can never be good because it may seem that there is no point in having them. It seems that the government does not want people to be higher than everyone else because they are stuck in the mindset of everyone being alike. Richard, the protagonist in the story, is a twelve-year-old boy that has to take a test according to government standards. He is not really worried when first arriving at the Government Education Building …show more content…

They also have to wear masks because they are too grateful and pretty and other people would feel different from them for all of their perfect qualities (Vonnegut 1). In this story, two parents by the name of George and Hazel have a son named Harrison Bergeron that is taken away for his disruptive behaviors and rebellion against the government (Vonnegut 4). Harrison is later shown on TV when he shows up to the show of ballerinas; claiming that they have a horrible government and that he should rule them all. He is then shot for taking off his handicaps (Vonnegut 6). The saddest part of it all is that George, Harrison’s father doesn’t remember his son’s death because of the government transmitters that make him forget anything that makes him do too much thinking (Vonnegut 5,6). This shows how their society is being brainwashed into thinking that this is the way that everyone should be equal. People were either too afraid or they thought that what the government was right.There is no difference, there is no diversity, and there are no outliers. The author warns the reader that in the story, diversity and uniqueness are canceled out and that everyone is forced to be

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