Harrison Bergeron Analyisis

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Who Decides What Is Equal Anyways? What would happen in a world where “full” equality was achieved? Would it be for worse or for better? In Kurt Vonnegut Jr.’s futuristic dystopia, “Harrison Bergeron,” a future society has finally achieved what it has been asking for all along, equality amongst all. They achieve this equality by using handicaps to set everyone to the same level of abilities, such as beauty, strength, and special abilities. Vonnegut uses “Harrison Bergeron” to teach the lesson that all people are not equal, but rather, everyone has their own strengths and weaknesses to contribute. Vonnegut uses tone, symbolism, and imagery to show the reader how full equality is not only impossible but also that it is an idea that is not worth striving for as it is unnecessary and possibly even harmful to society. In the year 2081, Vonnegut’s story reveals a futuristic dystopia where society has been forced into full “equality” by the government. The citizens are forced to use government assigned handicaps, so that they do not have any special gifts that are beyond the “average person,” which happens to be an absurdly low standard. Vonnegut presents his fictional world to the reader through a third person narrator who is describing the story of George and Hazel Bergeron as they watch TV and talk in their living room. The overall tone of this scene is deadpan and calm while they talk about terrible things like their totalitarianism government and the murder of their son. Using this, Vonnegut achieves the satire feel he was going for in order to show that he is actually making fun of the idea of absolute equality, not pushing for it. While George and Hazel are sitting in their living room talking, Vonnegut presents the reader with a variety of symbols which give “Harrison Bergeron” its true meaning. Harrison Bergeron himself represents the idea of someone being
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