Figurative Language In Kurt Vonnegut's Harrison Bergeron

“Harrison Bergeron” is set in the year 2081 where everyone is equal. Nobody is prettier than anybody else. Nobody is stronger or smarter than anybody else. The author, Kurt Vonnegut satirizes the story by using writing techniques. Vonnegut uses satirization in the story to teach and tell the reader that extreme equality is bad. In “Harrison Bergeron”, Vonnegut uses characterization, symbolism, and figurative language to satirize extreme equality in society. In “Harrison Bergeron,” the author satirizes extreme equality in society by using characterization. Vonnegut teaches the readers by showing them what the future could be like if equality is taken too literally. The government imposed handicaps that make the people in Vonnegut’s story all equal. He uses the character, Harrison

Another example of figurative language the author uses is satire. The government enforces the laws so everyone is equality. They make sure there is no uprising similar to the incident that harrison attempted. They use amendments, as it states in the story , “All this equality is due to the 212th, 212th, and 213th Amendments to the Constitution, and to the unceasing vigilance of agents of the United States Handicapper General(1). The reader can tell this statement is sarcastic because America does not have nearly that many amendments, and the phase “unceasing vigilance” has an underlying sarcastic tone. When one considers characterization, symbolism and figurative language, it is clear that Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. uses satire in the story. He is satirizing the collective notion that all people must be equal. “Harrison Bergeron” offers vigorous political and social criticisms of both American in general and the America of the 1960s since it is written during that time. Vonnegut suggests that the ideals of egalitarianism, which holds that people should be equal in every way, are dangerous if taken too