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Kurt Vonnegut Conformity In Society

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Conformity is something that humans have been doing for a long time. Such conformity has lead to negative outcomes. This idea is explored through “Harrison Bergeron” by Kurt Vonnegut and “The Unknown Citizen” by W.H. Auden. In these two texts conformity eliminates individuality and causes the society to be weakened. In “Harrison Bergeron” by Kurt Vonnegut conformity is present in society and individuality is eliminated throughout society which weakens society. First Vonnegut proves the citizens are conforming by saying “They were equal in every which way” (text 1). This shows that conformity exist in the society. By everyone conforming to each other it forces them to be equal to one another. The only way the behavior of the citizens is accepted …show more content…

First, the government is memorializing a citizen, but this citizen has no identity. The speaker of the poem proves that conformity exist by saying “That, in the modern sense of an old-fashioned word, he was a saint” (text 2). The diction W.H. Auden used in this part of the poem helps the reader understand how this citizen was perfect in the eyes of the government. Auden said that the citizen was a “saint”. A saint is usually someone who is a good example for others to follow. By the government saying this citizen was a saint it implies that the other citizens in the society should follow after him. This shows conformity because the citizens are following after each other. The citizens in the society are conforming to the unknown citizen that the government is speaking so highly of. Second, the poem shows the loss of individuality in the citizens. The speaker says “He worked in a factory and never got fired” (text 2). This shows that the unknown citizen was average. Never getting fired isn’t an accomplishment that should be memorialized, but the government wants other citizens to be as average as the unknowncitizen. This eliminates individuality because the other citizens will follow after this example and soon they will all be average. The citizens can’t be unique if they are all indirectly told to become average. Lastly, the poem shows that the society is weakened. The

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A multitude of books in all generations, from Anthem by Ayn Rand to Divergent by Veronica Roth, often revolve around one simple topic: the power of being different from everyone else. In Fahrenheit 451, by Ray Bradbury, the reader is introduced to Guy Montag, who ostensibly is conformed to his indoctrinating society, but inwardly knows something is missing from the society. However, Montag’s meeting of one person—one “different” person—leads him to truly discover the aspect of life that society has tried to hide and destroy from the population; the spread of creative ideas. Fahrenheit 451 elucidates how the mindless pull of sameness can degrade a society, and how one individual who can escape complete conformity to a mind-numbing

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Merriam-Webster defines conformity as, “action in accordance with some specified standard or authority” (Merriam-Webster). With this definition in mind, one may discover that it is quite easy to conform into a society ridden with cliques of people and individuals that have similar interest as oneself. Although it may be easier to conform, conformity prevents the surrounding society from growth, inevitably making the society and its people horrendously boring and incapable of being a working individual in the stated society. Kurt Vonnegut Jr.’s “Harrison Bergeron”, “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been” written by Joyce Carol Oates, and “Musée des Beaux Arts” by W.H. Auden all vaguely discuss the necessity of individualism, understanding

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His sarcasm and mockery tone are evident through his use of words which is shown throughout the poem. This poem starts off with the narrator being patriotic and well in love with their country, America. However, as the poem continues the views of the narrator begin to change into a more sarcastic tone. This sarcasm is portraying the American people as citizens who are ignoring many negative aspects of

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In “Soldiers home” by Ernest Hemingway, there also appears to be differing presentations of conformity. In this short story, the main character Krebs, a soldier returning home from World War Two, has a difficult time adjusting himself back to his life in Oklahoma. He no longer fits in to the society that he left behind. Still trying to cope with the experiences of the war, Krebs wishes not to speak about it at first. After a while, he finally realizes he must be talked about sooner or later.

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