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Dystopian Themes In Kurt Vonnegut's Harrison Bergeron

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“We cannot succeed when half of us are held back.” ( Malala) For some, equality means that everyone has the same rights and everything is fair, but that is not always the case. Megan B. Wyatt explains in her article, “Harrison Bergeron an Analysis and discussion on dystopian themes and American Trends” that the U.S. is on the road to a dystopian world. Wyatt declares that Kurt Vonnegut’s short story “Harrison Bergeron” is leading readers to believe that dystopia is possible in the modern world, and the loss of freedom, civil rights, and equality that is forced upon us, should be more noticeable
One topic that Megan B. Wyatt discusses in her article is that the lack of freedom. Freedom is one of the most highly valued American ideals, and while it isn’t as obvious, our freedom is being taken away consciously. She uses an example in her article as well. Megan B. Wyatt states that there are smoking ordinances executed in public areas. Even though these ordinances might benefit the non-smokers, they are restricting another group’s rights. It’s a legal action that can be performed in a public place, and their rights are being stripped away. Megan B. Wyatt also …show more content…

Wyatt asserts that in a dystopian world, like Harrison Bergeron, we put limits on how much power someone can have, and how we purloin someone’s strengths. For example, the president of the country can have so much power. Also, there are the three branches of government to check and balance each other to make sure no one has too much power. In the story, Harrison Bergeron, the strong people ( whether their strength is mental, physical,or mental) were stripped of their natural abilities to prevent the weak from getting hurt. The pretty dancers are also forced to hide their faces to prevent others from having low self-esteem, but it’s taking away their strength and appreciation for beauty. Even if we put limits on how much control or strength someone has, everyone should be able to show their real

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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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“Harrison Bergeron” a magnificent story by Kurt Vonnegut Jr. Harrison Bergeron world aren’t like he want it to be. His world is very strict on things that they cannot do. Even though the Untied States Handicapper General does not want people that disobey’s their rules or really smart people that can try to overthrow the government. Therefore Harrison’s Bergeron world is Dystopia.

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In the story Harrison Bergeron, Kurt Vonnegut explores the idea of total equality. His use of irony which is present for the duration of the entire story reveals the concept that equality may not be as good as it seems. The unpredictable ending, surprising situations, and shocking character reactions all serve as illustrations to help convey Vonnegut’s theme.     The society Vonnegut creates is ironic because it is based off the United States-- a place which values freedom-- but in the pursuit of equality, citizens lose their freedom to be themselves. Through the creation of the handicap system above average citizens are required to wear physical and mental handicaps in order to maintain a fair playing field for all.

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A dystopian society is an imaginative society in which the citizens live a dehumanized, fearful life. A similar conflict is found in the stories of Harrison Bergeron, Examination day, and Shades. Dystopian stories relate to each other by having the protagonist's rights taken because something is forbidden. Harrison from the story “Harrison Bergeron" by Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. is denied his freedom, and individuality.

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“Harrison Bergeron” is a short fiction written by Kurt Vonnegut, the story is set in the year 2081, and it talks about a futuristic society where all people are equal. No one is smarter, beautiful or stronger than the other, and if someone happens to be better than the others they find themselves compelled by The United States Handicapper General to wear what they call “handicaps” in order to bring down their abilities to the most basic levels as the others. Throughout the story, Vonnegut expresses a strong and vigorous political and social criticism of some historical events in the US during 1960s such as the Cold War and Communism, television and American Culture and Civil Rights Movement. “Harrison Bergeron” was published in 1961 during that time several events were happening around the world in general and in the US in specific which was engaged in a series of political and economic crisis with the communist Soviet Union know as The

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One common afternoon in the year of 2081, when everyone was equal, Hazel and George Bergeron were in their lovely living room watching television. Suddenly, a news reporter with a severe speech impediment came on. After trying many times to say, “Good morning ladies and gentlemen,” he handed it off to a ballerina who read, “Harrison Bergeron, age 14, has just escaped from jail, where he was held on suspicion of plotting to overthrow the government. He is a genius and an athlete, is under-handicapped, and should be regarded as extremely dangerous.” However, in this short story “Harrison Bergeron”, Kurt Vonnegut uses irony, shift and mood, and allusion to illustrated haw society would be if everyone was under the law of equality.

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Equality is a great idea that we should strive for and achieve; however, being made equal physically and mentally by the government could be very unfair. People should still have characteristics that make us different. One can be diverse but still equal to his neighbor. Kurt Vonnegut Jr.’s use of point of view, conflict, and imagery in his short story “Harrison Bergeron,” illustrates how difficult living in a world where everyone is the same would be.

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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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Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. published Harrison Bergeron in the year 1961. Vonnegut has many other pieces of work such as, The Saturday Evening Post, Collier’s, and Cosmopolitan. Throughout his work a theme appears in his writing. Vonnegut focuses on social issues he criticizes during his life span. One specific theme he goes into is wealth.

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The short story “Harrison Bergeron” by author Kurt Vonnegut Jr. typifies the characteristics commonly associated with dystopian literature. In the exposition of the story, Vonnegut creates an “imaginative universe” (ReadWriteThink 1). First, the reader is introduced to a governmental agent known as the “United States Handicapper General” (Vonnegut 1) and the how there have been the “211th, 212th and 213th Amendments to the Constitution” (1). Since a “Handicapper General” (1) is a fictitious governmental position and the number amendments to the Constitutions makes it a document that readers are no longer familiar with, these attributes distance the world of the story from that of the reader’s. While the reader is introduced to the supporting

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The story “Harrison Bergeron” by Kurt Vonnegut is about a couple, Hazel and George Bergeron, in the distant future when all people must be equal. This equality is reached in the form of handicaps. Weights are placed on the strong and athletic people in society, masks are forced upon the beautiful, and loud noises are constantly blasted into the ears of the intelligent to prevent them from thinking. While most equality is often thought of as good, the story shows a much darker side, using the government’s forceful equalization of the people. “Harrison Bergeron” uses multiple perspectives to highlight the costs of equality paralleled in today’s society.

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This short story is mainly about equality for everyone and it’s a Utopian society that becomes a Dystopian society. A Utopian society is, “an imagined community or society that possesses highly desirable or nearly perfect qualities for its citizens”(“Utopia”). On the other hand, a Dystopian society is, “an imaginary society that is as dehumanizing and as unpleasant as possible”(Dystopian). The setting of “Harrison Bergeron”

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The real meaning of the ballerina: Harrison Bergeron The ballerinas in the television a mystery in itself. “Harrison Bergeron” written by Kurt Vonnegut, Jr, in 1961. The short story is about a new society far into the future, were people are now equal in every which way. But some people that cannot suppress there mental capability they are punish by the government, and make them feel like the people around them. One man single handily tries to fight against the system, but he meant a terrible end (Vonnegut, Jr.).

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. Falling into the category of dystopian, “Harrison Bergeron” displays many different aspects that call forth this classification. Typically displaying characteristics such as an unnaturally dark setting, an uneasy and often oppressive atmosphere, and usually rebellion, dystopian literature portrays some of the worst possible scenarios for the future, should we continue to follow whatever path the author sees the world on. Within the story, an unsettling atmosphere that is both dark and oppressed is portrayed throughout the exposition. Descriptions of the setting and how equal the people were in that society, especially pertaining to the handicaps help tremendously in creating this form of atmosphere.

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In Vonnegut’s futuristic view of America, equality is a controlled value that the “…agents of the United States Handicapper General” (1) enforces. This story contains extreme exaggeration of characters and the storyline itself to portray a futuristic world in which equality is broadened so much to the point where everyone is impaired. Vonnegut uses a vast amount of satire to highlight the issue that too much of a “good thing” such as equality may lead to bad things such as oppression and an actual loss of freedom. Vonnegut consistently uses the tool of exaggeration to get his point across. One example of his use of exaggeration is his description of the character Harrison Bergeron who is described as “…a genius and an athlete, [who] is under-handicapped, and [someone who] should be regarded as extremely dangerous.”

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