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Literary Analysis Of Harrison Bergeron

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The short story “Harrison Bergeron”, was first published in October 1961 issue of Fantasy and Science Fiction. Some other works Kurt Vonnegut has written are, “Player Piano”, “The Sirens of Titan”, “Mother Night”, and “Cats Cradle” are just a few of the novels Vonnegut has written. Kurt Vonnegut has drawn on facts and incidents in his own life in his writings. Kurt’s short stories range from visions of future societies, that are extensions of modern societies. Many of his writings are ones that are science fiction. His work in science fiction includes technology in the human equation. The short story “Harrison Bergeron”, is about a society where everyone is equal and no one is different than another. But one character, Harrison tries …show more content…

Kurt Vonnegut uses characterization to describe how the characters act in this society. Vonnegut also uses style to show how he uses science fiction and dystopia in “Harrison Bergeron”. The theme demonstrated in “Harrison Bergeron” is equality is not meant to make one person better than another. Kurt Vonnegut in “Harrison Bergeron”, demonstrates that equality based on characteristics is not a good thing for society. Harrison Bergeron is a short story based on the year 2081, where everybody is equal. People who are not equal get handicapped in a way. George and Hazel Bergeron are the parents of Harrison, who was taken away from them when he was fourteen by the Handicapper General. George and Hazel are not even sad that their son was taken away. Hazel has average intelligence so she can only think of things in short bursts. On the other …show more content…

Science fiction is fiction based on imagined future scientific or technological advances and major social or environmental changes, frequently portraying space or time travel and life on other planets. One article stated, “Harrison Bergeron effectively renders Vonnegut’s vision of the unethical, misguided use of scientific and technological developments in the future” (Reed and Grigsby). The authors are explaining the fact that Vonnegut is using scientific and technological developments in the future. They are showing that they are using it for the bad, not for the good of life. Vonnegut states, “They were equal in 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). Vonnegut is showing the idea that there have been major social and environmental changes of the

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