Essay On Harrison Bergeron

Kurt Vonnegut Jr’s short story, “Harrison Bergeron, “ and Denzel Curry’s song, “Walkin, “ reveal that corruption rooted in society forces us to act against our will as a means of self-preservation. Both of these examples show the limitations of a corrupt government, and how we humans have to react to keep up.

The way our system works “handicaps” our ability to perform in our daily lives, as shown by Harrison Bergeron’s handicaps due to his intellectual and physical superiority. In a society where physical and mental ability is looked down upon and judged, they handicap those that have too much power in the community. They feared his power and how he would use it, so they limited his power so much that he looks like “a walking junkyard, “ (Vonnegut

The difference in their treatment by the government is immense, as Harrison was essentially strapped down all the time, while the government's agents were able to roam freely and execute their daily activities with no restrictions at all. Likewise, in Denzel’s song “Walkin, “ he relays the idea of our problems being a direct result of the corruption in the government, in that he “sees the way people get treated, it’s problematic, “ (Curry 11), because they have no control over how they’re treated, they’re “ready to save themselves for failure, it’s systematic.” (Curry 12). The use of the language in the words “systematic” and “problematic” tell us that these social issues are rooted in our system and that our system is

On most occasions, these reactions go against our beliefs, and we would not do it without some form of desperation. This is displayed in Harrison Bergeron’s reaction to his arrest, in which he broke out and tried to break the chain of corruption, and show everyone that they do not have to live with this restriction, as “it became obvious their intention to kiss the ceiling, “ (Vonnegut Jr 6). Harrison was trying to display his freedom through art, something that most, if not all people can relate to. He wanted to show people that handicaps are oppressive and unnecessary for a successful society. By displaying this weightlessness and freedom, people can visualize the possibilities of what could be when their handicaps are off. This action was taken at his own risk, and his leap for freedom and a supportive society outweighed the risk. Denzel’s “Walkin” displays the same idea, in that people will do anything if they are desperate enough. He’s had first-hand experience and seen his friends and family go through the same problems because there was “no option for [his] partners/So they resort to scams and robbin'” (Curry 38-39). His friends were pushed into this situation by the system that the world is built around, and they are doing what they have to in order to stay ahead of the game. He relates their desperation and lack of options directly to their impulsive