...Equality Everywhere Imagine two societies where in one, the manes of all people are normal and in another, they aren’t. Now, imagine how they would both focus on the term “equality”. Harrison Bergeron is about a dystopian society and a lone man who questions society. Anthem is about an anti-dystopian society and has a lone man who also questions society. Both Harrison Bergeron and Anthem have societies focused on equality, but a big difference between the two are the character names. The names of each character differs as to what the audience is reading. In Harrison Bergeron, the names are specifically stated and are normal, unlike in Anthem. Everywhere in the book can be proof of this, for example, George, Hazel, and Harrison Bergeron have...
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...“Harrison Bergeron” and Anthem- Similarities and Differences Two societies where everyone is finally equal. Sounds like the perfect utopia, right? These two societies were created in Kurt Vonnegut’s “Harrison Bergeron” and in Ayn Rand’s Anthem. “Harrison Bergeron” takes place in a very strict and controlling society, while Anthem takes place in a collective society. Both stories take place in the future, after the society we know today has fallen. These societies are similar in that they both go to great lengths to make everyone equal. However, they are different because of how they are controlled. “Harrison Bergeron” and Anthem are similar because they both strive for unrealistic equality. In the very first paragraph of “Harrison Bergeron,”...
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...“Harrison Bergeron” Kurt Vonnegut was born in Indianapolis, Indiana in 1922, and ten years later The Great Depression began. In this time, Vonnegut had to adapt to living in impoverished conditions because of his father’s lack of financial means. The Great Depression was a crucial period in his childhood development; Vonnegut’s literary pieces are a reflection of what he observed the world to be through his own life experiences. The majority of his works are science fiction used to “[help] lend form to the presentation of this world view without imposing a falsifying causality upon it (Reed),” as Peter Reed mentioned in an autobiography about Kurt Vonnegut. Vonnegut believed that science fiction offers a perception into an everyday society, rather than escaping it. The extraordinary events he experienced throughout his life served as motivation and influenced him to write stories about the world; as a result, Vonnegut showed an immense appreciation about life in his literary pieces. Kurt Vonnegut continued to pursue his goal of demonstrating to the world how wonderful life is through creations in the graphic arts. In 1950, Vonnegut published his first short story, “Report on the Barnhouse Effect” followed by “The Sirens of Titan” (1959), “Cat’s Cradle” (1963), “Slaughterhouse-Five” (1969), and “Breakfast of Champions” (1973). The society in which Kurt Vonnegut was a part of highly valued the ideal of equality; the short story “Harrison Bergeron” was written to foreshadow the...
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...his inference alive in “Harrison Bergeron.” The story is a reflection of the United States in 2081, and it’s new government where everyone is physically and mentally identical, except for Harrison Bergeron. The conflict in “Harrison Bergeron” was Harrison Bergeron expressing his individuality versus accepting the rules of equality that the government has imposed. Vonnegut portrayed the government as a “big brother” to the nation. The government controlled everything by making everyone “the same.” They used media to control citizens’ minds and to frighten them from doing things--pretty much how the government does things today. However, not everyone agreed to how the government controlled things, causing a disruption in the society. Vonnegut’s message is that equality is impossible to achieve, and that it’s not worth risking your life for. The government was portrayed as the “big brother” of the United States because they controlled all actions. They did so by equalizing everyone...
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...Equality, according to Dictionary.com, is the state of being equal, especially in status, rights, and opportunities; this is what societies think is the most vital part to having a great society. The societies in Anthem and "Harrison Bergeron" thought the same way as well, but later realized that it only led to their demise. Both Ayn Rand's novella, Anthem, and Kurt Vonnegut's story, "Harrison Bergeron," focus on the theme of equality, and it is apparent that the theme reveals that being different is wrong, that people are naturally different but are forced to be equal, and that equality is a barrier from individuality, which both suggests that everyone is naturally different; therefore, making the reader know that they should embrace rather than fear their differences among others....
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...Literary Analysis of “Harrison Bergeron” by Kurt Vonnegut The story “Harrison Bergeron” by Kurt Vonnegut takes place in the year 2081 and everyone is “equal”. George and Hazel live in this society, and their 14 year old son Harrison Bergeron has just been taken away for suspicion of plotting against the government. In this society, people who are talented are given handicaps: devices which suppress their talent. George has an above average intelligence, so he wears a mental handi cap to scatter his thoughts and he also wears weights. His wife Hazel has a perfectly average intelligence and can only think in short bursts. In the beginning of the story, they are watching ballerinas on television when an announcer comes on. Although he tries very hard, can not talk so a ballerina takes over for him. She announces that Harrison Bergeron, 14 years old and 7 feet tall, has just escaped from jail and overcome his handicaps: he is a genius, an athlete, and incredibly dangerous. Shortly after she finishes speaking, Harrison bursts into the studio and announces that he is now the Emperor and the first ballerina to rise will be his Empress. One ballerina rises and becomes the empress; Harrison rips off her handicaps and does the same to the musicians. He tells them to play music and he and the ballerina dance. They neutralize gravity and kiss the ceiling. Then Diana Moon Glampers, the handicapper...
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...Equality is an idea that is good in theory. It makes people feel good to think that everyone is on the same level and no person is better than them. That idea, that no one can be better than another person, has flaws. There will always be someone that is just a little bit better than someone at something and that, sometimes, can make people scared. So, while people preach the idea that complete equality is best for everyone and no one person should be better than another; Kurt Vonnegut shows that complete equality can mean more than just equal pay and equal rights he shows that every person being equal on every level is not a good thing. In the short story, “Harrison Bergeron”, Vonnegut creates a theme portraying the message that for all to...
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...Kurt Vonnegut's 1961 short story Harrison Bergeron takes place in the dystopian future of 2081. The 211th, 212th, and 213th Amendments to the United States Constitution make every American totally equal, with no differences in intelligence, attractiveness, strength, or speed. Americans live in a world where “Nobody was smarter than anybody else. Nobody was better looking than anybody else. Nobody was stronger or quicker than anybody else.” These laws are enforced by a particularly Orwellian-sounding officer called the Handicapper General. Harrison Bergeron, the fourteen-year-old titular character, is taken away from his parents. Due to their average intelligence, his parents, George and Hazel, are not fully aware of the tragic events. (In 2081,...
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...Equality Equality is something doesn’t come easy. It can have different meanings to different people. In “Harrison Bergeron” (Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.), “I Have a Dream” (Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.), and “If We Must Die” (Claude McKay) equality is the missing piece of the puzzle. These three writing pieces show different ways that equality can affect and change a person’s life. It shows that without equality big disasters in society may happen. To start off, in “I Have a Dream” Martin Luther King Jr. delivered a heartwarming speech that convinced many people across the United States to fight for equal rights. Some of the rights that African American people were fighting for where for example the right for freedom and justice. Although they were fighting for equal rights they were also fighting for a change in people’s hearts towards African American people. This is stated in speech when Martin Luther King Jr. states “…where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.” Martin Luther King Jr. is trying to tell us that even...
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...A Reflection on Harrison Bergeron by Kurt Vonnegut Introduction Kurt Vonnegut Jr.’s short story, Harrison Bergeron, is about control. The setting is based in future America, where everyone is forced to be equal. Harrison, the main character, breaks the law as the country watches on TV. The story begins by mentioning Amendments 211 through 213, making the reader aware of limitations that could potentially be placed on their freedom. In this story of perception, government agents are the deciding factor of a person’s fate and they ensure that laws are enforced. Beautiful people must wear hideous masks to make them equal to the ugly, the brilliant wear ear devices that alter their thought process and make recollection near impossible and the strong wear weighted bags to make them equal to those who are weak (Vonnegut, 1961). Forced equality is questioned by the handicapped and the outcome is a controlled society. Harrison is used to represent the people who will protest against such laws and encourage others to support his cause. The central idea is that the government could never make a perfect world by enforcing total equality but they can place limitations on people. Discussion Vonnegut uses a satirical and humorous tone while presenting a serious topic to critique America in the 1960’s, both politically and socially. The political system in the story is egalitarianism; this is the belief that all people should be treated equally in every...
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...Kurt Vonnegut’s short story “Harrison Bergeron” is based on equality. The story was written in 1961 but was based in the year of 2081. Equality is forced through amendments in the constitution, which states no one can be smarter than anyone else, no one can be stronger than anyone else, and no one can be better looking than anyone else. The story begins in the living room of the Bergeron’s, Hazel and George. George possesses an intelligence higher than the average person, so he is forced to have a handicap in his ear that scatters his thoughts every twenty seconds. George is also very strong, so he is forced to wear a forty-seven-pound bag of bird shot that consist of lead balls. His wife, Hazel, has an average intelligence in their society; however, in our generation she would be considered mentally slow. Diana Moon Glampers, also known as the United States Handicapper General, has placed their son Harrison Bergeron in jail for refusing to follow the equality laws. Harrison is a very strong, intellectual man and doesn’t believe in total equality. He escapes from prison, breaks into a ballet concert and manages to get on live television. Harrison rips off his restraints...
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...The society that portrays in Kurt Vonnegan’s “Harrison Bergeron” is both a utopia and a dystopia. “Harrison Bergeron” is a utopia and dystopia because all the characters are equal, but it seems asperous and impetuous kkby having handicaps to force equality. Diana Moon Glampers also kills two people, which is not perfect. What makes it a utopia is that they are all equal, so no such thing as bullying. The handicaps make it harmful to the people who have to wear them, but for the people who don’t have to wear believe that the handicaps are just to help them. “All this equality was due to...amendments to the constitution,”(page 69), meaning they thought it would help since it was in the constitution. “Every twenty seconds or so, the transmitter...
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...The Hunger Games, the narrator does not feel like the setting is dystopian. In the future United States, people cannot say anything they want. If they speak out, they are killed. "Harrison Bergeron" is also dystopian and is a society where everyone must be equal. While reading the story, readers find out that equality in fact is not always right if used...
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...The story “Harrison Bergeron” is about a boy that has supreme talent and is jailed and taken away from his parents. One day Hazel and George Bergeron sit and watch tv. They are watching a performance of ballerinas. The ballerinas littered with handicaps to hide their talent and beauty. All of a sudden the tv program is interrupted by a new bulletin. The news bulletin proclaims that Harrison Bergeron has escaped out of prison and should be considered extremely dangerous. Right then Harrison busts in the studio and appears on stage. He declares to everyone “ I am the emperor, and i will be the greatest of all time” . He then asks for someone to some forward and be his empress. A beautiful ballerina steps forward and takes off her handicaps to join him. They fly up into the air sharing a kiss. Suddenly Diana Moon Glampers rushes into the room with a...
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...Observation: In his story “Harrison Bergeron,” Kurt Vonnegut sets the stage in the United States in the year 2081 where equality is forced on humanity through inhumane control over people’s lives. In the name of social equality, the government forces people to wear handicaps that remove any unique personal attributes that might give people “unfair advantage” over others (Vonnegut 605). For example, George Bergeron, who possessed a higher intelligence level than his wife, Hazel, needs to wear a mental handicap radio which transmits a sharp noise signal to his ear to disrupt his train of thought every twenty seconds (Vonnegut 605). Since everyone possesses the same abilities and no unique characteristics or talents, no one can experience true appreciation for their own gifts or those of others. When George Bergeron watches the ballerina performance on tv, he remarks with disinterestedness that the ballerinas “weren’t really very good---no better than anybody else would have been” (Vonnegut 605). The more...
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