Literary Analysis - Harrison Bergeron
Literary Analysis: Harrison Bergeron
Kurt Vonnegut Junior’s passage “Harrison and Bergeron” is a brief story written in 1961. It is about Harrison Bergeron, an inmate who is forced to diminish his abilities because they are more enhanced than everyone else’s. When Harrison tries to rebel against the laws of the land, he is shot and killed. “Harrison Bergeron” is similar to “1984”, a book written in 1948 by George Orwell. In “1984” every single leader of society is overthrown by Big Brother and everyone has to conform to the same rules or he or she will be killed, or taken out of society. “Harrison Bergeron” and “1984” have many similarities that give an insight to what is to come in the near future for society.
“Harrison Bergeron” describes the year as being, “2081 and everyone was finally equal.” “Nobody was smarter” “better looking”, “stronger or quicker, than anybody else” (216). This suggests that society has dramatically changed since the time the story was written, 120 years ago. George Orwell had this same insight in “1984”, which was set thirty-six years ahead of its time. Vonnegut and Orwell obviously see something that everyone else does not. They see that one day, one day soon, society will be forced to conform to rules that will make everyone equal in every way possible.
Vonnegut gives a dialogue of George and Hazel, Harrison’s parents, which gives the reason of why no one can rebel.
“If there was some way we could make a little hole in the bottom of the bag, and just take out a few of them balls. Just a few”, said Hazel.
Two years in prison and two thousand dollars fine for every ball I took out,” said George. “I don’t call that a bargain.”
“If you could just take a few out when you come home from work,” said Hazel. “I mean—you don’t compete with anybody around here. You just set around.”
If I tried to get away with it,” said George, “then other people’d get away with
Kurt Vonnegut Junior’s passage “Harrison and Bergeron” is a brief story written in 1961. It is about Harrison Bergeron, an inmate who is forced to diminish his abilities because they are more enhanced than everyone else’s. When Harrison tries to rebel against the laws of the land, he is shot and killed. “Harrison Bergeron” is similar to “1984”, a book written in 1948 by George Orwell. In “1984” every single leader of society is overthrown by Big Brother and everyone has to conform to the same rules or he or she will be killed, or taken out of society. “Harrison Bergeron” and “1984” have many similarities that give an insight to what is to come in the near future for society.
“Harrison Bergeron” describes the year as being, “2081 and everyone was finally equal.” “Nobody was smarter” “better looking”, “stronger or quicker, than anybody else” (216). This suggests that society has dramatically changed since the time the story was written, 120 years ago. George Orwell had this same insight in “1984”, which was set thirty-six years ahead of its time. Vonnegut and Orwell obviously see something that everyone else does not. They see that one day, one day soon, society will be forced to conform to rules that will make everyone equal in every way possible.
Vonnegut gives a dialogue of George and Hazel, Harrison’s parents, which gives the reason of why no one can rebel.
“If there was some way we could make a little hole in the bottom of the bag, and just take out a few of them balls. Just a few”, said Hazel.
Two years in prison and two thousand dollars fine for every ball I took out,” said George. “I don’t call that a bargain.”
“If you could just take a few out when you come home from work,” said Hazel. “I mean—you don’t compete with anybody around here. You just set around.”
If I tried to get away with it,” said George, “then other people’d get away with