Harrison Bergeron: Difference between revisions

In 2081, nobody is allowed to be smarter than anybody else, and people who are smarter or more beautiful have to wear handicaps, like face masks or radios that buzz in their ears. These laws are strictly enforced by the Handicapper General, Diana Moon Glampers. Harrison Bergeron has exceptional abilities, so was taken away From his parents George and Hazel when he was only 14. . . . Harrison escapes and invades the television studio in an attempt to overthrow the government. He then takes off his handicaps along with a ballerina's handicap and calls himself the Emperor and her the empress. As they kiss, Diana Moon Glampers kills them both.

George Bergeron is Harrison Bergeron's father and Hazel Bergeron's husband. Despite his strength and "far above normal" IQ, George's abilities are limited by state-imposed mental and physical handicaps, making him equal to everyone else.

Hazel Bergeron is Harrison Bergeron's mother and George Bergeron's wife. Unlike her husband and son, Hazel is described as having "perfectly average" strength and intelligence, she can't think about anything except in brief spurts, hence she has neither mental or physical handicaps. 

The Ballerina is one of the dancers in George and Hazel Bergeron's televised dance performance, which they watch for the duration of the story. She is beautiful and talented, so wears extreme handicaps like weights and an ugly mask. When Harrison Bergeron storms onto the stage and orders, "Let the first woman who dares rise to her feet claim her mate and her throne,"{{sfn|Vonnegut|2002|p=138}} she rises to her feet and joins him. Harrison takes away all of her handicaps, revealing her "blindingly attractive" beauty, and the two of them dance together brilliantly. Diana Moon Glampers shoots and kills Harrison and the Empress after the dance.

She is the United States' Handicapper General. She is in charge of controlling the minds and bodies of all Americans in order to ensure that everyone is treated equally. She is the one who shot and killed both Harrison and the Ballerina on live television in order to silence their opposition and convey a message to all residents that individualism and skill will not be allowed. 

From the start, it is evident that equality is a major theme. The equality represented in the satire isn't what most people think of when they say they desire equality. The intelligent have their thoughts disrupted by jolting sounds, musicians have an unstated handicap that limits their abilities, and the beautiful wear horrible masks.{{sfn|Hattenhauer|1998|p=387}}  

A major theme presented in the story is the pessimism of technology. Vonnegut's depiction of science fiction correlating to equality is the absurdity of humanity.{{sfn|Klinkowitz|1973|p=147}} The fusion of technology and humanity in this world hinders the capabilities of human variance, causing the destruction of the universe.{{sfn|Klinkowitz|1973|p=148}}

“Harrison Bergeron” was first published in ''The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction'', then later republished in Vonnegut’s ''Welcome to the Monkey House'' collection in 1968.

Vonnegut named the story after the protagonist Harrison Bergeron, a all-American boy who tries to stage a revolt and change the society.{{sfn|Votteler|1991|p=427}}

“Harrison Bergeron” earned Vonnegut the 39th Prometheus award on August 19, 2019 during the 77th World Science Fiction Convention in Dublin, Ireland.{{sfn|Library|2019}}

{{Reflist|15em}}

 

{{Refbegin}}

* {{cite web |url=https://www.enotes.com/topics/harrison-bergeron |title=Harrison Bergeron |author=<!--none stated--> |date={{date|n.d.}} |website=eNotes |publisher= |access-date=2021-10-13 }}

{{Refend}}