Repent Harlequin Essay
“’Repent, Harlequin!’ Said the Ticktockman” illustrates a futuristic society governed by time. In 2389, when the story takes place, man has become so obsessed with punctuality, that if one does not posses this quality, he can be punished by death. Those who become heroes and strive to save the world from destruction by the clock become enemies because they are non-conformists.
This is the case for Everett C. Marm, or better known as the Harlequin, who tries in vain to transform the unacceptability of the regulations. There are many ways in which people respond to society, some follow without question and others do what they feel is right, despite the consequences. The reader sees that many in society have transformed into followers of the status quo.
Ellison used imagery to display the Harlequin’s rebellion as well as the societies actions and thoughts. In illustrating the robot-like lives of his society, Ellison wrote, “He could hear the metronomic, left-right-left of the 2:47 shift, entering the Timkin roller-bearing plant in their sneakers… he heard the right-left-right of the 5:00 AM formation, going home.” (396) This quote shows the punctuality of the people, as well as the organization of the strict society they live. The shift was not 2:45, but rather exactly 2:47, not sooner or later. In addition, the workers that were arriving took steps “left-right-left” whereas the ones going home walked “right-left-right.” This allegorizes exactly how over-organized society was. There was so much control over the people that they no longer did what they wanted to, or what they felt was right. They automatically did what law said to, forgetting their own feelings and opinions on whether or not the laws were morally correct.
When Marshall Delahauty had received his “turn-off message,” he tried to escape. As he ran away, “his heart stopped, and the blood dried up on its way to his brain, and he was dead that’s all.” (401) This shows the reader the extreme control
This is the case for Everett C. Marm, or better known as the Harlequin, who tries in vain to transform the unacceptability of the regulations. There are many ways in which people respond to society, some follow without question and others do what they feel is right, despite the consequences. The reader sees that many in society have transformed into followers of the status quo.
Ellison used imagery to display the Harlequin’s rebellion as well as the societies actions and thoughts. In illustrating the robot-like lives of his society, Ellison wrote, “He could hear the metronomic, left-right-left of the 2:47 shift, entering the Timkin roller-bearing plant in their sneakers… he heard the right-left-right of the 5:00 AM formation, going home.” (396) This quote shows the punctuality of the people, as well as the organization of the strict society they live. The shift was not 2:45, but rather exactly 2:47, not sooner or later. In addition, the workers that were arriving took steps “left-right-left” whereas the ones going home walked “right-left-right.” This allegorizes exactly how over-organized society was. There was so much control over the people that they no longer did what they wanted to, or what they felt was right. They automatically did what law said to, forgetting their own feelings and opinions on whether or not the laws were morally correct.
When Marshall Delahauty had received his “turn-off message,” he tried to escape. As he ran away, “his heart stopped, and the blood dried up on its way to his brain, and he was dead that’s all.” (401) This shows the reader the extreme control