Harrison Bergeron is an example of a dystopian society that has gone awry. While the concept of total equality on the surface may seem desirable, the author quickly dispels any potential positive outlook. From the perspective of today's reader, the people in the future appear to be slaves to the government; wearing chains, masks, and headphones to decrease their fundamental abilities. In addition, this savery is emphasised due to amount the main characters watch the television in the story. It would be interesting to ask the author if it inherently provides the sedative effect he describes in the story and if we have progressed towards this reality with the advent of smartphones. Unfortunately, Kurt Vonnegut passed away only months after the original iphone was revealed to the world and it would take years before becoming widely adopted. …show more content…
George for example is sitting with his wife on the couch and is constantly interrupted by screeching in his headphones. He is also required to wear 47 pounds of birdshot at all times to eliminate any possibility of being stronger than someone else. When his wife Hazel attempts to console him through his pain and suggest setting down the weight, George gives some insight into the ramifications of violating the handicap. "Two years in prison and two thousand dollars fine for every ball I took out," said George. "I don't call that a bargain." The only one in this story to go against this By essentially torturing its citizens to make them equal, the government has eliminated life, liberty, and the pursuit of