After reading Kurt Vonnegut's "Harrison Bergeron" I felt pessimistic, but yet a little intrigued by this story. It all takes place in the year 2081, and everything is different, everyone is equal. This part I found most interesting. I understand the point behind equality for every individual, however I find that it's absurd to believe that each individual will actually receive the fair treatment. How could that even happen? The story actually had a group called the Handicapper General that oversaw the "equality" for each person. So is this group not equal? It seems that way to me. In order to achieve any type of equality then everyone must undergo the same situations and be treated with the same attitudes. Despite the idea of having everyone become equal and eliminate any feuds or conflicts, it was clear that doing so made an even more complicating experience for many people. The quote that moved me was, "And then, neutraling gravity with love and pure will, they remained suspended in air inches below the ceiling, and they kissed each other for a long, long time. It was then that Diana Moon Glampers, the Handicapper General, came into the studio with a double-barreled ten-gauge shotgun. She fired twice, and the Emperor and the Empress were dead before they hit the floor", (Vonnegut). It gave me one short moment in the story to feel joy for someone. Even though Harrison and his Empress were shot, I found it intriguing that they were able to enjoy a last moment of happiness without the chaos of all the "equality" issues. I really enjoyed this story and am glad to have read it.
NOTE: No page number because I am still without books...terribly sad.
When the two were suspended in air and then shot down, I thought this was to symbolize how when someone is very happy in love or successful at something, that people tend to put them down out of jelousy. Why can't people be happy for what someone else has accomplished? There is no such thing as equality. Everyone needs to work at what is important to them.
ReplyDeleteI found this story to be one of the more interesting ones that we have had to read. Morbid yes but definitely interesting. It is hard to believe how everyone could be treated equally and why anyone would want that.
ReplyDeleteHi, Amber. I like this story, too. I think it illustrates the consequences of bringing people down to ensure equality. I guess the goal would be to bring everyone up or to value the various talents we have rather than trying to create equality by erasing talents. Nancy
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