Inequality In Harrison Bergeron - 794 Words

What would happen to society if all individuals were equal? Not in the sense of equal rights, freedom or benefits, but equal in intelligence levels, beauty and athleticism. Well, In â€Å"Harrison Bergeron† by Kurt Vonnegut Jr., this is how society is run. The gifted, strong and beautiful are handicapped for being one of a kind and made to â€Å"fit in† to society. With society pushing towards equality, this shows the reality of all individuals living the same lives. Vonnegut Jr. uses the Bergeron family show equality is not all it’s hyped up to be. People are unable to be creative, show their true self’s and unable to continue the growth to become a better society. Individual talent and gifts are needed because it maintains our identity, to†¦show more content†¦The spectacles were intended to make him not only half blind, but to give him whanging headaches besides. Scrap metal was hung all over him†¦ Harrison look like a walking junky ard† (197). By this, individualism is being shot down and human beings cannot control their appearance and most of all their lives. Throughout this short story, Vonnegut Jr. shows us not everything is great about â€Å"All men are created equal.† This is shown through the characters on George and Hazel Bergeron who happen to be Harrison’s father and mother. The government also handicaps George Bergeron like his son. As they say, like father, like son. George is intelligently gifted as well as physically and this leads to â€Å"A little mental handicap radio in his ear. He was required to wear it at all times. It was tuned to a government transmitter. Every twenty seconds or so, the transmitter would send out some sort of sharp noise to keep people like George from taking unfair advantage of their brains† (195). This is showing if you have thoughts that are â€Å"too smart† you are being punished for it. With this individuals are being pun ished for having an imagination and thinking outside the box. Not only is this is penalizing the individual, but it is also penalizing society. New developments such as medical equipment, technology and new waysShow MoreRelatedThe Issue Of Inequality In Harrison Bergeron By Kurt Vonnegut1205 Words   |  5 Pagesstill suffers from daily inequalities that leave victims of our system with no possibilities. Maybe nature is survival of the fittest, only letting people with the best qualities and opportunities succeed. To solve the issue of suffering, utilitarians have looked towards complete equality for all. Harrison Bergeron by Kurt Vonnegut illustrates extreme â€Å"equality†, in a sense that makes everybody the same. While in the Incredibles, we examine how we interact with inequalities through a superpowered familyRead MoreEssay on Kurt Vonnegut’s Harrison Bergeron: A Picture of Inequality651 Words   |  3 Pageseverybody was finally equal (208). This in a nutshe ll is the premise of Kurt Vonnegut’s short story Harrison Bergeron. Vonnegut’s title character Harrison Bergeron is a picture perfect human being: very tall, handsome and intelligent. Although our society would deem these desirable attributes, in this story’s 2081 AD setting they are highly objectionable. Kurt Vonnegut uses the character Harrison Bergeron to illustrate the danger of imposing total equality on a diversified population. In Bergeron’sRead MoreHarrison Bergeron, by Kurt Vonnegut Essay1565 Words   |  7 Pages Harrison Bergeron is a story written by Kurt Vonnegut. Vonnegut’s story is a warning to the world about the quest of equality, which is spreading all round in many nations with America on the lead. The story shows the reader how the equality issue can have negative impacts on people’s individuality, and the society. The story revolves around the protagonist, Harrison Bergeron who is an archetypical symbol that represents defiance, and individuality. He is used to represent the people who willRead MoreThe Importance Of Equality In Harrison Bergeron888 Words   |  4 Pagesbeing treated and thought about the same as every person. It also means that you have the same power as everyone. It is impossible for everyone to have the same capabilities, even with devices created to put a limit to your abilities. In â€Å"Harrison Bergeron† Diana Moon Glampers attempted to create equality by making gifted people wear devices called handicaps to stop them from performin g their talent. They didn’t really work because they made some above average people incapable of doing what anRead More`` The Kind Of Nightmarish Dystopia By Harrison Bergeron985 Words   |  4 Pagesyou think of the kind of nightmarish dystopia written about in Harrison Bergeron? As a child, my thoughts regarding equality were simplistic and idealistic. Equal everything sounded amazing! I mean, we all deserve the exact same chance at life, and none of us should struggle, right? Because struggle is bad. That is an example of the naive, black and white, hero and villain mindset that many people have. What if I told you that inequality is not always the villain? If that last sentence made you spitRead MoreEquality And Diversity In Kurt Vonneguts Harrison Bergeron1263 Words   |  6 Pagesequality? Kurt Vonnegut’s â€Å"Harrison Bergeron† answers that question with a solid no, we should not. Through his comical and sarcastic tone, many forms of irony, and absu rd hyperboles, Vonnegut supports his work as a satire that both critically analyses and mocks the idea of total equality; Overall, emphasising the idea that society should strive for equality of justice, liberty, and rights, but not of things like the attributes that make us individuals. In â€Å"Harrison Bergeron,† sarcasm is expressedRead MoreAnalysis Of Kurt Vonnegut s Harrison Bergeron 992 Words   |  4 PagesVonnegut’s story of â€Å"Harrison Bergeron† which is a Utopian society where everyone is equal mentally, socially, and physically? Would we need to interact or come together with others in society? #2 â€Å"Harrison Bergeron†, a short story written by Kurt Vonnegut Jr., Vonnegut makes it well-known to his readers how dangerous it can be to have total equality. Throughout the story, the author uses comedy, sarcasm, and tone. #3 In Kurt Vonnegut Jr.’s short story, â€Å"Harrison Bergeron†, the author argues theRead MoreAnalysis Of The Article Harrison Bergeron 983 Words   |  4 PagesKolawole J. Ojo Professor Carney English 1301 June 14, 2015 Analysis of â€Å"Harrison Bergeron† In his short story â€Å"Harrison Bergeron† Kurt Vonnegut uses hyperbole to show us what happens when people take things too literally. In this case the people were made equal by a government that interpreted â€Å"equality† in a very literal way. As a result, they lost their rights and freedoms. â€Å"Harrison Bergeron† takes place in 2081, when equality has finally been achieved by elimination of the highlyRead MoreHarrison Bergeron1317 Words   |  6 PagesAn impartial society: Utopia or Hell? What would happen to the world if the people were literally equal in every aspect of their lives? In the futuristic short story, â€Å"Harrison Bergeron† by Kurt Vonnegut Jr., the world is finally living up to America’s first amendment of everyone being created equal. In this society, the gifted, strong, and beautiful are required to wear handicaps of earphones, heavy weights, and hideous masks, respectively. Thus, these constraints leave the world equal fromRead MoreUnequality in Harrison Bergeron by Kurt Vonnegut 849 Words   |  4 Pagesphilosopher Aristotle once said, â€Å"The worst form of inequality is to try to make unequal things equal.† Kurt Vonnegut portrays Aristotle’s philosophy brilliantly in his short story â€Å"Harrison Bergeron.† The story depicts the American government in the future mandating physical handicaps in an attem pt to make everyone equal. Vonnegut describes a world where no one is allowed to excel in the areas of intelligence, athletics, or beauty. Yet, the inequalities among the people shine even brighter. Vonnegut