Harrison Bergeron Essay

Could you imagine a world so equal there were still restrictions? In the story “Harrison Bergeron” by Kurt Vonnegut it was the year 2081 so in the future from then. This story was written in 1961. In this short story, the government technologically tried to make everyone equal. That includes looks, intelligence, ability, to do certain things, etc. In this story there were three main characters that had a big effect on the dystopian world, George, Hazel, and Harrison. George was the husband of Hazel and the father of Harrison, George was very restricted with things he did, for example he had to wear a radio transmitter because his intelligence was above average and 47 pounds of weight around his neck. Hazel was the husband of George and the

“Instead of a little ear radio for a metal handicap, he wore a tremendous pair of earphones, and spectacles with whanging headaches besides” (Vonnegut 4).The whole story is explaining how technology is controlling the people living in the dystopian world under the government. This is so by making people consternated if not worn or controlled. Technological control is being shown in this evidence by explaining what Harrison had to wear and the result of this technology was whanging headaches. Equally important, “and the Emperor and the Empress were dead before they hit the floor. ‘I forgot,' she said. Something real sad on television. “What was it?’ he said. ‘It's all kind of mixed up in my mind,’ said Hazel. ‘Forget sad things,’ said George”’ (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