Equality and Manipulation: Theme in “Harrison Bergeron” The dystopian story, “Harrison Bergeron,” by Kurt Vonnegut Jr., is set in 2081 America, where three amendments to the Constitution make everyone equal in every way. No one is smarter, stronger, or better looking than anyone else. Some people are perfectly average and don’t need handicaps, like Hazel. On the other hand, her husband, George, has to wear a mental and physical handicap. Everyone is required, by law, to be equal. However, their son, Harrison, is so far from average and so powerful, that they have to lock him up in prison. Harrison wants to overthrow the government. He realized that this “equality” was taking away everyone’s individuality and it wasn’t really equality anymore. A lesson that shines through this story is that equality can only go so far …show more content…
George was toying with the vague notion that maybe dancers shouldn’t be handicapped. But he didn’t get very far with it before another noise in his ear radio scattered his thoughts. George winced. So did two out of the eight ballerinas.” This quote definitely shows the manipulative part of the equality. Maybe it is not equality if a ballerina cannot even dance because of the handicaps. Maybe it is not equality if a man cannot even think about the ballerinas dancing. Today, ballerinas and other people with special talents are celebrated and watched for pleasure. No one can celebrate ballerinas if they aren’t able to dance. Being able to dance, makes a ballerina, a ballerina. If they cannot move gracefully because of their handicaps, a part of themselves will disappear. This manipulation is taking the individuality away from