Symbolism In Harrison Bergeron

Imagine a society in which everyone is equal, sounds perfect right? You would be wrong in this case of forced equality. In Kurt Vonnegut's short story "Harrison Bergeron," Harrison is a one in a million intellectual who is taken away by the government at the age of fourteen. Typically, those with knowledge are handicapped to become average. He eventually becomes incarcerated on "suspicion of plotting to overthrow the government" (Vonnegut 3). Unfortunately, he uses his power of knowledge not to free the society, but to attempt to take it over. Through the symbolism and portrayal of characters in "Harrison Bergeron," the story suggests that the government is suppressing further advancement of society. The television is used as a tool to

He is intelligent but has characteristics of Hazel, he is content with life: "George weighed the bag with his hands. ‘I don't mind it,' I don't notice it anymore. It's just a part of me" (Vonnegut 2). He is a strict rule follower, which is indicative of knowledge, but he doesn't want more; which indicates a lack of free will, "If I tried to get away with it, then other people'd get away with it and pretty soon we'd be right back to the dark ages again, with everybody competing against everybody else. You wouldn't like that, would you?" (2). He shows the same signs of brainwashing that Hazel does; both become preoccupied with other things despite their son being killed right in front of their

He is taken away by the government at the age of fourteen. However, he proves to be the most important character. He realizes that his intelligence is power and eventually attempts to overthrow the government. Unfortunately, he does it for the wrong reasons, as he proclaims that he is the "Emperor," "Harrison wishes to use his superiority to rule society, not to help free individuals to be who they are intended to be" (Stuckey 87). The Bergeron family reveals the fact that the government has succeeded in brainwashing the entire society. It can be assumed that Harrison watched television growing up. He recognizes the power of it and instead of breaking into a government building, he breaks into a television studio where he eventually is put down. He is the one character who has a chance of freeing the society, but the government brainwash has already taken control of him. He realizes the power of the television and uses it to get his message across, rather than attacking the government from its