Book Report On Harrison Bergeron
Equality Isn’t as Easy as an Open Book
Do you ever wonder whether people are truly equal? In the world of the short story “Harrison Bergeron” written by Kurt Vonnegut, everyone is “equal” in terms of strength, wisdom, and beauty. No one is stronger, smarter, or prettier than each other. Everyone supposedly is virtually the same because of the new laws and handicaps implemented in 2081. However, not everyone is truly equal in this story.
One reason for this is that all the handicapped people aren’t on the same level as the average people. Instead, they have been degraded to below average. An example of this would be the ballerinas. During one of the scenes, two of the dancers had fallen down because of a small radio transmitter that had been implanted into their ears. This earpiece was supposed to only impair deep thoughts, but it had been too strong for most of the handicapped. This, as said before, was able to knock down two ballerinas, meaning that it could also do physical damage as well, and not only mentally. In addition, people with only mental handicaps are also extra handicapped because of the transmitter’s extremely loud noises. This proves that people aren’t truly equal in “Harrison Bergeron” due to the fact that the now …show more content…
handicapped are the “average” ones.
Another reason that people aren’t truly equal is that the H-G or Handicap General doesn’t seem to have any handicaps at all. Instead, Diana Moon Glampers gives other
people handicaps and abuses her power. An example of this would be when she had commanded all the people in the studio to put back on their handicaps. If she was able to command that many people, she must have abused her powers like this more than once. This tells me that she isn’t guiding the people into a better future, but turning them into slaves for her to use. And because she doesn’t have any handicaps on herself, the world isn’t truly equal because she is still smarter and stronger than anyone else without them (handicaps).
However, some still believe that the handicaps don’t actually harm the people.
They say the handicaps only restrict them when they are thinking too hard, too strong, or look pretty. They also say that if the people don’t try to be too smart, strong, or pretty, they will be rid of their handicaps. However, how can the people as humans not think deeply into things? If they can’t think deeply, they won’t be able to decide or compare what is better for them. In addition, humans get stronger naturally, so the people may be able to outgrow the handicaps. This means that it is not their choice to grow and get stronger, but they still get punished because of it. However, people still believe that the world of “Harrison Bergeron” is still
equal.
Others state that the people need someone to guide them so that know what they are doing. They say that without the Handicap General, the people that had handicaps wouldn’t know what to do, now that they have been degraded. However, this doesn’t change the fact that the world isn’t truly equal unless she herself is lowered down.
Despite the fact that it will be more chaotic, the world would finally be equal if Diana Moon Glampers handicapped herself and her authority.
Based on the facts that the handicaps were over-the-top and the H-G was a tyrant, people weren’t truly equal in “Harrison Bergeron”. People that had the handicaps were put down to below-average levels of intelligence and strength. This made them even weaker than the “average” people that didn’t have the handicaps. In addition, the H-G ruled the people with a whip-like authority. Forcing people to do tasks that would be too much for them and not giving herself any handicaps, despite the fact that she is clearly smarter and stronger than anyone else. This shows us that we as human beings should allow people to be themselves and let equality happen on its own. If we force equality upon people, there is a big chance that the events that happened in “Harrison Bergeron” could also happen to us.
Do you ever wonder whether people are truly equal? In the world of the short story “Harrison Bergeron” written by Kurt Vonnegut, everyone is “equal” in terms of strength, wisdom, and beauty. No one is stronger, smarter, or prettier than each other. Everyone supposedly is virtually the same because of the new laws and handicaps implemented in 2081. However, not everyone is truly equal in this story.
One reason for this is that all the handicapped people aren’t on the same level as the average people. Instead, they have been degraded to below average. An example of this would be the ballerinas. During one of the scenes, two of the dancers had fallen down because of a small radio transmitter that had been implanted into their ears. This earpiece was supposed to only impair deep thoughts, but it had been too strong for most of the handicapped. This, as said before, was able to knock down two ballerinas, meaning that it could also do physical damage as well, and not only mentally. In addition, people with only mental handicaps are also extra handicapped because of the transmitter’s extremely loud noises. This proves that people aren’t truly equal in “Harrison Bergeron” due to the fact that the now …show more content…
handicapped are the “average” ones.
Another reason that people aren’t truly equal is that the H-G or Handicap General doesn’t seem to have any handicaps at all. Instead, Diana Moon Glampers gives other
people handicaps and abuses her power. An example of this would be when she had commanded all the people in the studio to put back on their handicaps. If she was able to command that many people, she must have abused her powers like this more than once. This tells me that she isn’t guiding the people into a better future, but turning them into slaves for her to use. And because she doesn’t have any handicaps on herself, the world isn’t truly equal because she is still smarter and stronger than anyone else without them (handicaps).
However, some still believe that the handicaps don’t actually harm the people.
They say the handicaps only restrict them when they are thinking too hard, too strong, or look pretty. They also say that if the people don’t try to be too smart, strong, or pretty, they will be rid of their handicaps. However, how can the people as humans not think deeply into things? If they can’t think deeply, they won’t be able to decide or compare what is better for them. In addition, humans get stronger naturally, so the people may be able to outgrow the handicaps. This means that it is not their choice to grow and get stronger, but they still get punished because of it. However, people still believe that the world of “Harrison Bergeron” is still
equal.
Others state that the people need someone to guide them so that know what they are doing. They say that without the Handicap General, the people that had handicaps wouldn’t know what to do, now that they have been degraded. However, this doesn’t change the fact that the world isn’t truly equal unless she herself is lowered down.
Despite the fact that it will be more chaotic, the world would finally be equal if Diana Moon Glampers handicapped herself and her authority.
Based on the facts that the handicaps were over-the-top and the H-G was a tyrant, people weren’t truly equal in “Harrison Bergeron”. People that had the handicaps were put down to below-average levels of intelligence and strength. This made them even weaker than the “average” people that didn’t have the handicaps. In addition, the H-G ruled the people with a whip-like authority. Forcing people to do tasks that would be too much for them and not giving herself any handicaps, despite the fact that she is clearly smarter and stronger than anyone else. This shows us that we as human beings should allow people to be themselves and let equality happen on its own. If we force equality upon people, there is a big chance that the events that happened in “Harrison Bergeron” could also happen to us.