Skip to main content

How does the society in Kurt Vonnegut's "Harrison Bergeron" compare to modern society?

Whenever you read speculative fiction, it's important to look at the story's themes and see how they are related to our world. Although Kurt Vonnegut's "Harrison Bergeron" was written about 50 years ago, many of the themes in the story are relevant today.


Perhaps the idea from "Harrison Bergeron" that is most relevant today is the idea of equality. In the story, society has chosen to blind itself to the fact that certain individuals have...

Whenever you read speculative fiction, it's important to look at the story's themes and see how they are related to our world. Although Kurt Vonnegut's "Harrison Bergeron" was written about 50 years ago, many of the themes in the story are relevant today.


Perhaps the idea from "Harrison Bergeron" that is most relevant today is the idea of equality. In the story, society has chosen to blind itself to the fact that certain individuals have greater athletic, intellectual, and aesthetic abilities than others. In order to make this law, the government passed several amendments. The story makes it clear that most in the society agree with the laws. At one point in "Harrison Bergeron," Hazel Bergeron tells her husband, George, that he should make his handicap a little bit lighter to ease his burden. George snaps back, "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."


The idea George states is very evident in our world today. Whether we're looking at participation trophies for youth sports or letter grades in school, we are conditioned to believe anyone who makes us feel as though we are not special is a problem. Additionally, instead of praising extraordinary talent, we often feel the need to tear it down, with the exception of sports. As a teacher, I often see students who expect the highest grade for the least amount of work possible. All of these ideas are reflected in "Harrison Bergeron."


Now, some have used "Harrison Bergeron" to promote an agenda of anti-affirmative action, anti-civil rights, and anti-equal opportunity policies. I don't think this is Vonnegut's purpose in writing this story, though. I believe Vonnegut is clearly suggesting that we as a society are afraid of the exceptional and that we make ourselves feel better when there is no one who is exceptional.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

What is the meaning of "juggling fiends" in Macbeth?

Macbeth is beginning to realize that the three witches have been deceiving him since he first encountered them. Like jugglers, they have kept changing their forecasts in order create confusion. This is particularly apparent when the Second Apparition they raise in Act IV,   Scene 1 tells him that no man of woman born can overcome him in hand-to-hand battle--and then Macbeth finds himself confronted by the one man he has been avoiding out of a... Macbeth is beginning to realize that the three witches have been deceiving him since he first encountered them. Like jugglers, they have kept changing their forecasts in order create confusion. This is particularly apparent when the Second Apparition they raise in Act IV,   Scene 1 tells him that no man of woman born can overcome him in hand-to-hand battle--and then Macbeth finds himself confronted by the one man he has been avoiding out of a sense of guilt, and that man tells him: Despair thy charm. And let the angel whom thou still hast serve...
Post a Comment
Read more

What are some tensions between men and women in Shakespeare's Julius Caesar?

Julius Caesar is a largely male-driven play. Calpurnia and Portia are the two main female characters, and they are both wives of major characters. Calpurnia is Julius Caesar’s wife. She makes public appearances with him, but there may be some awkwardness between them because of her inability to have children. He publicly tells Antony to touch Calpurnia to cure her of barrenness when he runs the Lupercal, a “holy race” and fertility festival. Calpurnia has... Julius Caesar is a largely male-driven play. Calpurnia and Portia are the two main female characters, and they are both wives of major characters. Calpurnia is Julius Caesar’s wife. She makes public appearances with him, but there may be some awkwardness between them because of her inability to have children. He publicly tells Antony to touch Calpurnia to cure her of barrenness when he runs the Lupercal, a “holy race” and fertility festival. Calpurnia has nightmares about Caesar’s death. She claims that she is not naturally super...
Post a Comment
Read more

What is the probability that a cross between parents who are both homozygous recessive for trait will have offspring that are homozygous recessive...

In the question, both parents are homozygous recessive for a trait. Therefore, the only genes present in each parent's genotype would be two copies of the recessive gene.  If these parents decide to have offspring, 100% of their children will inherit two recessive alleles and will express the recessive trait. An example of this can be demonstrated with the sickle cell anemia allele. If both parents have sickle cell anemia, then all of their offspring... In the question, both parents are homozygous recessive for a trait. Therefore, the only genes present in each parent's genotype would be two copies of the recessive gene.  If these parents decide to have offspring, 100% of their children will inherit two recessive alleles and will express the recessive trait. An example of this can be demonstrated with the sickle cell anemia allele. If both parents have sickle cell anemia, then all of their offspring will have the disease phenotype. The disease phenotype of sickle cell anemia re...
Post a Comment
Read more