Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.’s “Harrison Bergeron” is set in the future, when Constitutional Amendments have made everyone equal. The people of this time are made equal by devices which bring them down to the normalcy level in the story, which is actually below-average in intelligence, strength, and ability. These people are denied individuality. They are not allowed to reach their full potential. In an attempt to make the world a place rid of inequality and competition, the Handicapper General, who enforces these laws, robs people of their freedom. These laws hinder every person’s ability to live their life to its fullest. Forcing everyone to be equal is unfair.
At the beginning of this short story, the protagonist, Harrison, is in jail because he refuses to obey these laws of equality. It would seem that his parents, George and Hazel Bergeron, would be upset by their son’s behavior; however, they are pretty much forbidden to form an opinion. Every twenty seconds, George is......
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Approximate Word Count: 441
Approximate Pages: 2 (260 words per double-spaced page) |