Equality in Harrison Bergeron Essay Example

Harrison Bergeron is a futuristic short story by Kurt Vonnegut. The short story's setting is in 2081, in a world where everyone is supposed to be equal. The characters are husband and wife, George and Hazel, the son, Harrison Bergeron, and the ballerinas of the television program. The story revolves around the characters and their conversations about equality. The way the government attained equality by restricting those who were better, and the individuals that rebelled were disciplined. Through the short story,  the readers realize that equality is not absolute.

Subsequently, an example of the government's equality is provided through  George Bergeron. For instance,  the narrator explains George's handicap by saying, "Every twenty seconds or so, the transmitter would send out some sharp noise to keep people like George from taking unfair advantage of their brains" (Vonnegut 1). The quote shows that handicaps are painful to the individuals that use them and that everyone isn't truly equal. Earlier in the paragraph, it stated, "Hazel had a perfectly average intelligence, which meant she couldn’t think about anything except in short bursts" (Vonnegut 1). Since Hazel doesn't have a transmitter in her making noise like her husband's, they are not considered equal. Handicaps are not just for the mind but also for the body. For example, the ballerina's performance described by George's memory states, "They were burdened with sashweights and bags of birdshot, and their faces were masked, so that no one, seeing a free and graceful gesture or a pretty face, would feel like something the cat drug in" (Vonnegut 1). The weights prevent the ballerinas from dancing too gracefully or moving in a way that would inflict envy. George also has bags wrapped around him, weighing him down like the ballerinas. The government limits the movements and the thought process of the people in the name of equality, although they are truly equal.

Body 2: (talk about Harrison, the ballerinas, the musicians, and the handicap general’s actions)

As a result of the government limiting the people's thoughts and actions, some individuals retaliate against the law. For instance, according to the news broadcast, " ‘Harrison Bergeron, age fourteen,’ she said in a grackle squawk, ‘has just escaped from jail, where he was held on suspicion of plotting to overthrow the government. He is a genius and an athlete, is under– handicapped, and should be regarded as extremely dangerous’ " (Vonnegut 3). Harrison is the son of Hazel and George and is resisting the government. Harrison's way of rebelling against the government is obtuse and may cause others to view him as tyrannic. For instance, " 'I am the Emperor!' cried Harrison. 'Do you hear? I am the Emperor! Everybody must do what I say at once!' He stamped his foot and the studio shook" (Vonnegut 4). Yelling, "I'm Emperor" won't exactly solve anything, and instead, the individual screaming, or in this case, Harrison, will be viewed by others with repulsion. Harrison continues to make the situation worse by saying, " 'I shall now select my Empress!' he said, looking down on the cowering people. 'Let the first woman who dares rise to her feet claim her mate and her throne!' A moment passed, and then a ballerina arose, swaying like a willow" (Vonnegut 4). By calling out to someone, he is placing that person in danger. They paraded around the stage, and then they fell to the ground when the Handicapper General shot them both. The handicaps that limit a person can make an individual sound absurd, and even if they retaliate, they will get eradicated.

Equality can not be implied towards humans. After all, no one has the same thumbprint. The government can't change how someone thinks or is perceived, but they can only deal with the consequences. Kurt Vonnegut's short story reminds others that equality can't be achieved, after all, humans are not math equations.