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Who Is Harrison Bergeron

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Imagine you live in a world where you are punished for being ever so slightly better than average, and anyone who wants to compete with their fellow citizens are handicapped in some way so that no one is superior. What would you do? Would you follow along like a helpless sheep, unable to speak your opinion? Would happiness and joy fill your mind because you’re afraid that everyone would shun you due to your incompetence, or would you fight for your right to be a unique individual who has their own strengths and weaknesses. In the story, “Harrison Bergeron” by Kurt Vonnegut, jr., the main character, Harrison, did just that, he fought a corrupt government and tried to release the people from their torturous bonds. Though Vonnegut describes Harrison as a true adonis, Harrison's ignorance shows just as easily. The fact that he thinks that he could rule an …show more content…

It would take a lot of bravery or stupidity to go on national television and announce himself the new ruler of the country, but Harrison did it to try to restore humanity. “ ‘ Even as I stand here’ he bellowed, ‘ crippled, hobbled, sickened-I am a greater ruler than any man who has ever lived! Now watch me become what I can become!’ ” The reasons why he did this are clear; benefit the civilians, restore a natural society, and give the people the right to be individual. “Harrison Bergeron” is a perfect example of a dystopian society where the idea of equality is taken too far to create an exemplary civilization. The struggles of Harrison Bergeron to create a new country were in vain due to his ignorance, overconfidence, his untimely death, and the fact that Harrison's plights fell on deaf ears due to the mental handicaps that restricted the countries brain power. Vonnegut's reason for writing this short story was to make society look back on itself and think about what equality truly

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