Harrison Bergeron Kurt Vonnegut

Harrison Bergeron A satirical science fiction tale about the dark side of an ideal, utopian American society. Based off an egalitarian system: people should be equal in every way. America as an Utopian Society

Equality is a principal enshrined in America’s Declaration of Independence in the phrase “All men are created equal.” BUT Vonnegut suggests that if this phrase is taken too literal, it can have dangerous consequences. A literal interpretation would include: everyone is equal in their appearance, behavior and appearance. Wealth and power should be distributed equally, Class hierarchies should not exist. America as an Utopian Society

Vonnegut suggests that this principal is foolish: Wealth and power cannot be distributed equally: he literally handicaps the best and brightest citizens to equalize everyone. This form of equality is not an ideal to be strived for. The citizens are tortured: 1. The beautiful must wear hideous masks or disfigure themselves, 2. The intelligent must listen to terrible noises to stop them from thinking, 3. The graceful and strong must wear weights around their necks.

America as an Utopian Society Citizens begin to dumb themselves down to hide their special attributes. Two reasons why they do this: 1.Internalized the governments goals 2.Many fear the government if they rebel. The outcomes: 1.America becomes a land of cowed, slow and stupid people. 2.Government murders the gifted. 3.Loss of freedom and individual achievement.

Humor in Harrison Bergeron Vonnegut uses DARK HUMOR to reveal satirical commentary on our society: 1.The Ballerinas are weighed down and masked to hide their beauty: equalize themselves to those who are watching them. They are not more beautiful and eloquent than any other person. 2. The ballerinas voice that is disguised to sound like a ‘grackle squawk’: Her beautiful voice is made to sound terrible to equalize the speech impediment of the announcer.

Humor in Harrison Bergeron 3. The use of dark irony: Hazel (a sweet but deeply stupid woman) is similar to Diana Moon Glampers, the Handicapper General of the U.S: Deeply upsetting that the country is being run by imbeciles.

The Television as a Motif Used to enforce terror, rules, the law and power. Dangerous men on the loose are projected onto the television to broadcast warnings about them. The live execution is a way for the government to show what will happen if they disobey the law.

The symbolism of Harrison Bergeron 1.Represents defiance and individuality that still exists in some Americans. 2.Does not have the cowardice and passivity as the other characters. 3. When he pulls off his restraints, it symbolizes those who still feel that beneath their restraints, they are powerful and beautiful. 4.He does get murdered in cold blood by Diana moon Glampers: represents that IF a defiant spirit that still exists in 2081, its days are numbered.