Satire In Kurt Vonnegut's Harrison Bergeron

Kurt Vonnegut’s “Harrison Bergeron” was first published in The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction in 1961. It is often taken at face value as a cautionary tale of the dangers of forcing equality on society. Equality is essentially achieved by government issued handicaps, which hinder people’s talents, as imposed by the amendments of the American Constitution. The protagonist, Harrison Bergeron, rejects these handicaps. He declares himself Emperor and orders others to follow him. The Handicapper General, Diana Moon Glampers, shoots down Harrison and warns the others “they [have] ten seconds to get their handicaps back on” (Vonnegut 230). Though the plot of the story is thin, it satirically debates what types of equality are best for the

Though Vonnegut has to hide his true feelings behind satire for the majority of “Harrison Bergeron,” we may get an indication of his true intent in George’s statement “pretty soon we’d be right back to the dark ages again”(Vonnegut 228) if handicaps were eliminated. Hattenhauer points out that Vonnegut’s non-fiction stories are consistently leftist (387). Vonnegut dedicated his book, Hocus Pocus, to Eugene Debs, and used Debs’ quote, “While there is a lower class I am in it” (Hattenhauer 387). Debs’ quote is evident as to where Vonnegut’s views lie. “Vonnegut is considered to be a liberal thinker, not consistent with libertarian and conservative views” (Stuckey 85). In a private correspondence to Hattenhauer, Vonneut shared with him that his “sympathy for ‘Losers’ influenced the writing of ‘Harrison Bergeron’”(388). Moore and Ferrara cite “Harrison Bergeron” as supporting Robert Nozick’s view “Whoever makes something, having bought or contracted for all other held resources used in the process…is in entitled to it” (30). However, Nozick’s “’every man for himself’ attitude is inconsistent with Vonnegut’s other statements” (Stuckey 86). In fact, Vonnegut in a commencement speech at Bennington College said, “I suggest that you work for a socialist form of government…It isn’t moonbeams to talk of modest plenty for all. They have

Those viewing him as such “overlook the fact the he is a would-be dictator” (391). He declares on the government-controlled television, “I am the Emperor! Do you hear me? I am the Emperor! Everybody must do as I say at once!” (Vonnegut 229). Harrison is not promoting freedom for anyone but himself and a handful of elites in his revolution. One of his first acts as Emperor he proclaims he will construct a new noble class, “I’ll make you barons and dukes and earls” (229) and he also lays claim to a partner by stating, “I shall now select my Empress!” (229). In any given society how many barons and dukes would there be compared to the number of serfs? Not many, so the majority of people are going to end up reduced to the lowest class by his revolution. Second, his selection of an empress does not require her consent, merely his selection. It is significant that Harrison’s language references medieval monarchy and that his father, George, warns Hazel that removing the handicaps would return us “to the dark ages” (228). This juxtaposition of terminology, the reference to the dark ages, Harrison restoring monarchy, may be the first indication to the story that Vonnegut may not be so imposed to the handicaps after