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Irony In Kurt Vonnegut's Harrison Bergeron

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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. An example of these handicaps is George’s ear piece, a radio that transmits an interval of loud noises that prevents him from “taking unfair advantages of his brain”. The government believes this is a solution to abolish all discriminations brought upon citizens for lack of a certain attribute. …show more content…

For example Hazel and George’s fourteen year old son (Harrison) being arrested, yet they show no sorrow or even have any recollection of this event. Harrison Bergeron is depicted and referred to as a “superhuman” by explaining how he “tore the straps of his handicap harness like wet tissue paper”. By saying things like “wet tissue paper” and “Snapped like celery” Vonnegut emphasis his power and masculinity. However, despite the immense strength Harrison now possess his first choice action is to dance a ballet. Furthermore, Bergeron is shot and killed during this dance. This ending is ironic as most heroes receive a happy ending, not an execution within minutes of their escape. Also the results of this are ironic because no one, not even his parents, received or understood Harrison’s message due to the handicap system. Quite frankly his parents have no remembrance of his death or

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After he is brutally shot on live TV, the reactions of his audience varies to show what each creator thought the effects of his actions should be. In the short story, it seems that after his sudden death the antagonist quickly regains control over the world and life returns to it’s monotonous routine. Harrison’s father George tells his mother to “‘forget sad things’” (Pg 6, “Harrison Bergeron”), and suddenly their dialogue returns to the same style and content as the beginning of the story, as though nothing has changed. The author write’s the slightly insane, impossible action’s of Harrison only to contrast with the drab, restricting lifestyle in the setting.

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The people of the United States fight and strive for an absolute “equal” society, but is it what’s really wanted? “Harrison Bergeron,” a short story written by Kurt Vonnegut, uses satire to describe the deficiency in our idea of a truly “equal” society. Throughout the story, Vonnegut describes the torture and discomfort the government administers among the people, and though they were “equal,” they were not balanced. Vonnegut uses characterization and word choice to warn his readers of the potential drawbacks of a truly “equal” society. He warns normalcy would become the base of thought, and people would become incapable of emotion.

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In his short story Harrison Bergeron, Kurt Vonnegut uses an astounding amount of powerful imagery and diction to create the perfect scenes of the dystopian reality he creates. Throughout his use of imagery, Vonnegut creates scenes palpably imagined by readers. He uses underlying humor to lighten scenes of the morbid and macabre nature of the future where being different can be a death sentence. The future that is created in totality by Vonnegut is a dire scene created to be filled with a pastiche of people strung with handicaps to make them to be exactly the same as the “perfectly average citizen.” Vonnegut’s tone throughout is both dreary towards the bizarre and twisted dystopia that makes everyone equal, but is also somewhat insulting to those who do not bear handicaps due to being lacking both mentally and physically.

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