Analysis of Literary Devices in Harrison Bergeron Essay

Harrison Bergeron

In the short story, Harrison Bergeron by Kurt Vonnegut, equality in the distant future is not possible. The theme of the story is suggested through the characters actions and behaviors, and through the authors style of writing.

Because the government wanted to achieve equality between people, they gave handicappers to those who were more intelligent than those who were not born that way to make everyone think and act on the same low level of intelligence. George, while his intelligence was way above normal, had a little mental handicap radio in his ear (Vonnegut 138). Every time George wanted to think, there would be a buzzing noise in his ear that made him less intelligent, and therefore equal to everybody else. Georges wife Hazel was one of the people born less intelligent and therefore she did not need a handicapper. It is all kind of mixed up in my mind said Hazel (Vonnegut 139). Because she was less intelligent, she was never able to think straight and would always forget everything after a while. Nobody would be an exception, not even the announcers. The announcer, like all announcers, had a serious speech impediment (Vonnegut 136). Nobody could ever have proper education because of the lowered thinking. If a buzzer would go off every time they tried to think, then they would not be able to do anything right, even simple things such as reading. If people tired to go against the government, they would be punished, and possibly killed. Due to the low intelligence, nobody could think of overthrowing the system except Harrison, George and Hazels son, who was a genius and resistant to the handicappers. Harrison Bergeron age fourteen 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 136). Because of his high intelligence, he wanted to change the system along with his Ballerina friend, but they were taken down before doing so and killed by the General of handicappers, who was protecting the system against people like Harrison and Ballerina. She fired twice and the emperor and the empress were dead before they hit the ground (Vonnegut 138). Since the government has such a control over people, they make peoples actions and behaviors harmless to the system.

The authors style of writing satirizes the future equality of people. Although the story takes place in the distant future, it does not make sense why equality would be established. His satirical writing makes it obvious that he does not think that equality can be established. The year was 2081 and everyone was finally equal (Vonnegut 133). It would mean that everyone would agree on giving up away their life, which would be unreasonable and not thought through. What would the people gain from that? They would gain nothing because it would be same as throwing away their lives because of new rule while they could live their lives freely without it. It would be a step back; all the technology and studies along with the things people were working on for the past centuries would be thrown away and forgotten. The sarcastic writing show that people would not throw away their lives just to achieve equality because they would not gain anything from it. April, for instance, still drove people crazy by not being spring time (Vonnegut 134). Normal people would look at spring differently than the people with handicappers that could not have such sympathy for spring.

However, by being equality and less intelligent, nobody thinks of spring like that because they are not allowed to think about what real spring is. That is why they do not know that spring should be cheerful and full of life, especially because the nature finally starts to grow. For them, everything is the same because they do not think of the seasons. The fact that the author makes a fourteen year old boy seven feet tall, athletic and a genius that plans to overthrow the government shows that he is making fun of the future equality because it is simply impossible. By giving some people unusual characteristics, he makes his sarcasm obvious.

Throughout the whole story, the characters actions and behaviors, and the authorss wiriting syle satirize the future euality which leads to the thought that it is not possible. The author shows that really well through his satirical point of view and his satirical way of writing. At first, the story may seem confusing, but when read more deeply, the authors opinion about the future equality becomes clear.

Vonnegut, Kurt. Harrison Bergeron. Element of Literature: Third Course. Ed.

Catherine Goodridge. Austin: Holt, Reinhart and Winston, 2000. 133-139