Harrison Bergeron Essay Theme - 862 Words

Harrison Bergeron Essay The year is 2081, and Harrison Bergeron is a boy living in a society where all the people must be equal. The government is brainwashing everyone to believe that’s true, but Harrison sees what’s really happening. He is one of the smartest people in the society, but thats what gets him into trouble. Because he is so smart the government believes he wants to overthrow them. They take him away from home and put him in jail. The theme I pulled out of this story is one that we hear a lot. People want to be treated equally. But in this story the government forces them to be. They have to wear headbands that control their thoughts and buzz loudly every 20 seconds. Good-looking people have to wear masks to hide their†¦show more content†¦He is also wearing a huge set of earphones, thick glasses, a red rubber nose, and a lot of metal junk. He has seen the TV show with the ballerinas, too, and he is angry. All he wants is to go back to his home and family and live a normal life. He doesn’t want to live with things the way they are. He knows that people are individuals and will risk everything to make them understand. The ballerina warns people that Harrison is dangerous just as people who are still watching TV hear a loud crash and the screech of a door being torn off its hinges. There is no longer a picture, there is a live Harrison Bergeron. The dancers, the announcer, the musicians, and the TV crew are scared. â€Å"I am the emperor!† Harrison shouts. â€Å"Everybody must do what I say!† He says that even with all the handicaps he is the greatest ruler that has ever lived, and just watch what he can become. He removes the weights and the disguise and throws them down. â€Å"I shall now select my Empress!† he shouts again, and says that the first woman who stands up will claim her mate and her throne. Slowly, one of the dancers gets up. Harrison gently removes her mask and her weights. She is beautiful. He calls for music, and the musicians go back to their seats, remove their weights and disguises, and begin to play. Harrison and his empress feel happy and free. They twirl around and begin to rise up toward the ceiling. They kiss the ceiling, and then they kiss eachShow MoreRelatedHarrison Bergeron Theme Essay852 Words   |  4 PagesKurt Vonnegut’s unique story â€Å"Harrison Bergeron,† displays a theme which is a warning about the dangers of equality, which is equality is a hindrance to an individual’s success and society’s success, but this hindrance is ironically, unequal. In the story, Harrison and his bride are arrested for their unwillingness and inability to stay within the bounds of equality enforced by the Handicapper General. Equality hinders the success of an individual like the weights hinder the beauty and grace of theRead MoreThe Subject Of `` Harrison Bergeron By Kurt Vonnegut1507 Words   |  7 PagesThe subject of â€Å"Harrison Bergeron† by Kurt Vonnegut is equality. The theme of this short story is that society should make an effort to value individuality and fairness, in which everyone receives what they need to prosper, instead of universal equality. The forms used to elevate this subject and theme are point of view, syntax, characterization, irony, and humor. The point of view in â€Å"Harrison Bergeron† is third person with limited insight. 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When Harrison Bergeron breaks the chains of government oppression, he dies for his failed cause. He dies because he chooses not to conform to the rest of his oppressive society. His parents, George andRead MoreEssay on Between Harrison Bergeron and aP1076 Words   |  5 PagesTim Kenda English 102 Short Story Essay 2/28/10 Heroism Through Choice When people think of heroes, they often think of muscle bound men in spandex with unrealistic powers of flight, strength, or x-ray vision. But in real life, heroes are often determined based on the smallest of situations and their outcomes. In both of the stories I have chosen (AP and Harrison Bergeron), the main characters are classified as heroes because of their willingness to defy the authoritive forces aroundRead MoreTotalitarianism in Orwells Mind Essay1053 Words   |  5 Pagestheir leader. They rule the farm with an iron fist, utilizing the fact that the other farm animals are far less intelligent than them. â€Å"Harrison Bergeron†, a short story created by author Kurt Vonnegut, is about the United States in the 2080s, where people are equal due to devices that handicap their strengths. The dynamic, god-like character, Harrison Bergeron, is able to break free from his handicaps, but in the end is killed by an executive within the US Government. The authors of th ese novelsRead MoreA Dystopia Is Not A Contemporary Idea2159 Words   |  9 Pagessociety which usually has the intent to make equality an opportunity for all. 1984 and â€Å"Harrison Bergeron† are two examples of dystopia literature. In each, technological advances and psychological stimuli is designed to overwhelm an individuals thought. Based upon these pieces of literature, is it possible for a utopia exist? For clarification purposes, there are some definitions to keep in mind when reading this essay. The dictionary defines a utopia as an imagined place or state of things in whichRead MoreDystopia Essay: 1984 and Harrison Bergeron1818 Words   |  8 PagesYear 11, English Extension Essay ( 2 CORE texts and 1 RELATED text) What ideas do you see linking the texts you have studied through your exploration of Utopias and Dystopias. The novels Utopia by Thomas More and 1984 by George Orwell and short story Harrison Bergeron by Kurt Vonnegut explore the Utopic and Dystopic genre through the structure and regulations of their societies. In Utopia, More provides us with a contemporary understanding of society and human nature, with an indepth study ofRead MoreIf We Must Die By Claude Mckay1161 Words   |  5 Pagessomething truly means to one’s self like in the 3 text, â€Å"I have a dream,† by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr (published; 8/28/1963, genre; narrative and argumentative), â€Å"If we must die,† by Claude Mckay (published; 1919, genre; narrative and lyric), â€Å"Harrison Bergeron,† by Kurt Vonnegut Jr. (published; October 1961, genre; satirical dystopian science-fiction short story). In all 3 texts the authors are giving their touch on equality. Equality can convey being treated the same when a colored and a white man/woman