Harlan Ellison's 'Said The Ticktockman'

The People’s Champion Harlan Ellison’s “‘Repent, Harlequin!’ Said the Ticktockman” incorporates, and perfectly balances, a goofy silliness and foreboding seriousness. Ellison’s story invites readers to reflect upon their own values, and whether or not they are meaningful. The society within the story has many parallels with the reader’s, and encompasses many of the same beliefs and values. It is easy to recognize and associate with Harlequin because he commits childish, and funny actions. These behaviors are distinct because Harlequin’s nonchalance is something the reader finds humorous and desirable. Readers associate with the story characters in this sense because both groups view Harlequin’s actions as erroneous, yet, satisfying. Through
He sits atop the roof and challenges the members of society to think about their actions and why they allow themselves to be machines. In an effort to stop Harlequin, Master Timekeeper, himself, who symbolizes the importance of time, was the source of turbulence within the schedule, something that this society reveres. Eventually, and after considerable effort by the Ticktockman and assistants, Harlequin is captured and forced to conform to the ideals of society. Directly after this scene, as it seems that everything is settled and Harlequin lost the battle, the story concludes with the Ticktockman being confronted for being late, and retreating into his office making the sound “mrmee, mrmee, mrmee, mrmee. (Ellison 382).” One can make the conjecture that the Ticktockman “malfunctioned,” in a sense, because he’s been impacted by Harlequin’s revolutionary actions. The use of onomatopoeia at the very end of the story after it seems that the Ticktockman has defeated Harlequin and forced him to conform, shows how significant Harlequin’s actions are because they still affect him. Readers can see Harlequin’s actions as defeating this nonsensical notion that time should be cherished above other things; this is displayed by the nonsensical sound the Ticktockman makes after everything is said and
Ellison exploits this moment of realization by the reader and follows up the scheduling scenarios with playful rhythmic language. The use of small words makes the story seem childish, thus making it easy for the reader to disregard the deeper meaning of the passage. “And so it goes. And so it goes. And so it goes. And so it goes goes goes goes goes tick tock tick tock tick tock and one day we no longer let time serve us, we serve time, and we are slaves of the schedule, worshippers of the sun’s passing, bound into a life predicated on restrictions because the system will not function if we don’t keep the schedule tight (Ellison).” This passage holds immensely significant content that relates to the personal life of the reader. The reader can analyze the congruity of this society’s values with their own and determine the actual worth of time versus the worth that society places on it. It is easier, instead, to ignore the deeper ramifications, sink into the repetitious cadence of words, and feel as though this is merely a children’s book. This allows the reader to digress back into childhood, the silliness and playful undertone makes Harlequin’s actions comprehensible and even gratifying, in a society that so obviously parallels their