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Harrison Bergeron Analysis

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“Government 's first duty is to protect the people, not run their lives”. The short story Harrison Bergeron is written by Kurt Vonnegut. It is the year 2081; because of the new Amendments to the constitution everyone is now equal. One day, Harrison Bergeron is taken away from his parents’ home, George and Hazel. They are both unaware of what is happening because George is required to wear a radio in his ear that makes it so he cannot comprehend what is happening around him, the reason he must wear this is because he is smart. Hazel is not allowed to because of her lack of intelligence. They are watching TV, and George notices that they are not allowed to show their full potential because of the masks and weights they have to wear. George starts to think of his son, but is stopped because of the radio Hazel encourages him to lay down on his “handicap bed” that has weights attached to him. Harrison is now on screen, it shows him being good looking, strong, and intelligent. He rips off all his handicap items and asks a ballerina to join him. The handicapper Diana Moon Glampers comes in and kills him with a shotgun because of him being “better”. “Harrison Bergeron” relates to the lives the North Korean civilians must endure because in their way of living they are not allowed to be higher up whatsoever. North Korea is a dictatorship country where the civilians are treated like peasants and the higher ups (government rulers & military) are treated like kings. The civilians are not

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