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Actual Accomplishment In Kurt Vonnegut's Harrison Bergeron

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Personal Effort Vs. Actual Accomplishment Have you ever wondered what the world would be like if society viewed people's success differently? For example, "Harrison Bergeron" by Kurt Vonnegut is based on a dystopian society in the year 2081. In this society, everybody was equal in all terms of the word. If anybody was more intelligent, beautiful, or strong than the accepted average, they were required to wear handicaps that limited their strengths. Not only that, but these people were essentially detrimental to society. A society like this rewards personal effort rather than actual accomplishment. People who are controlled by a society like this are not able to express themselves, they are oppressed and are under an incredible amount …show more content…

In Vonnegut's story, he writes "Last of all, he removed her mask. She was blindingly beautiful" (Vonnegut, 4). This quote from the short story shows that after Harrison Bergeron removed her handicaps she was finally able to be herself. The removal of her handicaps represented the weight and oppression being lifted from her shoulders. In this scene, after Harison also removed the handicaps from the musicians, the quality of the music improved drasticly. Then, the ballerina was freed, her and Harrison synchronized with the melody, and performed the most exquisite and graceful dance anybody had ever seen before. Similarly, a society that rewards personal effort over actual accomplishment is not beneficial to its people because it prevents people from expressing themselves. In the short story, Vonnegut writes "'Forget sad things' said George. ' I always do' said Hazel." (Vonnegut, 5). This quote shows that after George and Hazel's son, Harrison Bergeron, was brutally murdered on national television for trying to express his opposition towards society, his parents were not able to mourn him. The woman who gave birth to him was not able to acknowledge that her son was now gone. To summarize, the human emotion and thought processes are irrevocable rights and taking them away is diminishing any normal and healthy growth a person can

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There are many ways an author can convey the message of any story. Elements such as the Plot, Conflict, Character/Characterization, Setting, Symbolism, Narration, and Imagery are used in these ways. For example, in the In the story "Harrison Bergeron", the author Kurt Vonnegut uses the characterization, and the conflict to communicate the message to the reader that Uniformity and strict laws lead to a loss of personal freedom and individuality. Vonnegut uses the element of characterization.

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In the short story “Harrison Bergeron”, George and Hazel Bergeron are talking about reducing their handicaps but think that “if you … just take [it off] when you came home from work … pretty soon [they would] be right back to the dark ages again, with everybody competing against everybody else” (Vonnegut 872). These people, normal citizens in their society, have been so brainwashed by their leaders that they believe competition is a negative and they are happier living with handicaps. They also think it is normal that “[nobody is] smarter than anybody else. Nobody [is] better looking than anyone else. Nobody [is] stronger or quicker than anyone else” (Vonnegut 872).

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This is what happens in Kurt Vonnegut Jrs. dystopian story, “Harrison Bergeron.” The government put handicaps on people so no one is better than each other. There is no more competition. Harrison, the protagonist, is different than everyone else.

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People hear the word "hero" and think of supernatural humans with "out of this world" powers, who overthrow other evil supernatural beings to save the day. The classic icon of a hero is Superman because he is noble, humble, and basically perfect. To become a hero though, one doesn't have to have all these unique qualities. Harrison Bergeron is no superman, and at first he seems like an enraged tyrant looking for power. However in the short story, "Harrison Bergeron", by Kurt Vonnegut, Jr., when Harrison is on stage risking his life to share his voice, he is a hero due to his brave, iconic acts to expose the government's corruption.

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“Harrison Bergeron” Persuasive Essay Assignment You will write a persuasive essay based on our study of Kurt Vonnegut’s dystopian short story, “Harrison Bergeron. I will expect your essay to begin with a well written introduction which includes your thesis statement; it should also include at least two body paragraphs which should each begin with a topic sentence stating the paragraph’s main idea, include five to seven supporting sentences which develop or prove the paragraph’s main idea, and end with a concluding sentence that either wraps up your body paragraph or transitions into the next one. Your essay should end with a thoughtful conclusion which sums up your ideas and restates the point your paper is attempting to prove. Remember: to

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The Mask Behind Equality “Harrison Bergeron”, a short story by Kurt Vonnegut Jr, is about a 14 year old boy named Harrison Bergeron. He lives in the year 2081, where anything and everything is equal. The people who were very intelligent, had to bare handicaps so they did not take advantage of their minds. The handicaps were bags with lead balls worn around the neck, and an earpiece that would send out loud noises to stop all train of thought. Harrison did not like the equality laws, as he wants to be Emperor.

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An Orwellian-esc future is closer than you can imagine. While not literally, it’s exactly what is seen in the 1961 dystopian science-fiction story Harrison Bergeron written by American author Kurt Vonnegut. Giving some background to the story, Vonnegut wrote this story in 1961 an era of post-WW2 and Cold War tension. You can see how the rise of communism and its objective to make all people equal can be exemplified. In Harrison Bergeron we see a government handicapping it’s own citizens in an effort to make everyone equal.

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Giving people limitations in order to make everyone completely equal does not work out, and that is displayed in “Harrison Bergeron” by Kurt Vonnegut. Making people handicapped until they’re at the same level as others is demoting them in a way that shouldn’t happen: “They weren’t really very good- no better than anybody else would have been, anyways” (Vonnegut). Since the ballerinas had handicaps to make them average, nobody knows what would classify as poor dancing versus extraordinary. Everyone has the same skill level and sets, but only because they are being weighed down. Additionally, equality is wonderful when it’s incorporated in the right ways.

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Most authors, when writing futuristic stories, tend to have technological advances like flying cars or robots to add that flare. However, in the story “Harrison Bergeron” by Kurt Vonnegut there is nothing of the sort. In the year 2081, the US government has tried to reach full equality by using handicaps on the gifted. The society’s rules leave more people with pain and anger rather than a sense of total equality with each other. Which leads some readers to wonder what a society where the ungifted were lifted up instead of the gifted put down would be like in comparison with Vonneguts.

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(Vonnegut 6). Connecting back to the characteristic which describes technological control very harshly here in this evidence. There are two ways this relates to the theme. One begging that the others let the government control them so much it resulted in death and them not being able to control themselves. The second is that when the own son of the mother and father dies they forget about the whole thing seconds later which they have no idea but they are letting the government control them without knowing they aren’t able to control

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In “Harrison Bergeron”, each person was not truly equal. For example, the ballerinas in the story were prettier than the maximum people, so they were required to wear masks. Hazel, the mother of Harrison, believed that the ballerinas were beautiful since her mask was extremely ugly. Diana Moon Glampers, the Handicap General, forces them to be like the public and will punish anyone who says different. Consequently a few people enjoy being the same, it is not easy, and following the Handicap General’s rules is challenging.

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799 Words | 4 Pages

In the short story, Examination Day by Henry Sesslar, the government is killing off children that surpass the government intelligence standard. One example of this is how the government gives an intelligence test to children to see who is too smart for the society (Sesslar 1). Children are getting killed for being soft-minded can never be good because it may seem that there is no point in having them. It seems that the government does not want people to be higher than everyone else because they are stuck in the mindset of everyone being alike. Richard, the protagonist in the story, is a twelve-year-old boy that has to take a test according to government standards.

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The people of the United States fight and strive for an absolute “equal” society, but is it what’s really wanted? “Harrison Bergeron,” a short story written by Kurt Vonnegut, uses satire to describe the deficiency in our idea of a truly “equal” society. Throughout the story, Vonnegut describes the torture and discomfort the government administers among the people, and though they were “equal,” they were not balanced. Vonnegut uses characterization and word choice to warn his readers of the potential drawbacks of a truly “equal” society. He warns normalcy would become the base of thought, and people would become incapable of emotion.

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No matter how many handicaps you put on someone they aren’t going to change. It’s kind of like trying to cover up beauty with a mask or make-up. Handicaps have no value in making anyone equal. Although equality is needed, no one in “Harrison Bergeron” is solely based on appearance and how smart you are. Equality is treating everyone one with the same amount of respect so therefore, no one in this short story is

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The short story "Harrison Bergeron" by Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. portrays a future in which humanity is being made equals in all aspects which is ultimately the downfall of society. This beaurocratic dystopia forces society to be all equal through the use of handicaps and masks. The handicaps used are items such as ear pieces and weights. The ear pieces send out noises that will counter creative and academic thinking. The weights are hung around necks to balance the strength when compared to others.

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