Unwind - Conner

Connor

In my society, the fear of being unwound is constantly hanging over our heads. We never know if the mistake we just made will be the one that sends our parents over the edge. We never know when or if our days are numbered. You’d think that would cause us all to behave like angels, right? No. You stoop to the level people expect of you and in the world I live in, people expect the worst. I know I can be more than I am but everyone around me holds me back with their unfair and asinine accusations. Though in a different way, Harrison Bergeron and I are both young men held back by our society. Harrison wanted to change his world and I just want to survive in mine. Total opposites it seems, but we were both filled with resentment that we had our opportunities taken away. We both know what it’s like to want to change the cruelty of our society. I was angry that so little was expected of me and rebellious because of that. No one saw potential in me. According to them, the only things I was good for were my body parts and organs. I tested my limits with my parents. I wanted to see how far I could push them before they snapped. But now I realize it was more than that. I wanted to see if our government was so controlling and manipulative that they could brainwash my once-loving parents to unwind me. Government won in the end. It was too scheming, and my parents were too easily swayed. The Unwind Order was signed. Harrison was brilliant, good-looking, strong, and graceful, with potential that was seen as a threat, not a blessing. After being taken from his home and incarcerated for years, he felt it was time to fight back. He was smart enough to know that his society was not perfect in any way. He wanted to set his world free and shatter the barriers for intelligence, beauty, and strength. He died trying. I respect him for that. After everything I’ve been through, I’m not giving up now. For the first time in my life, I see my potential. I’ve started