Handicap Each to His Ability - 1129 Words

Kurt Vonnegut paints a picture of American society 120 years past 1961. Society has made a gradual change, but it is a drastic one nonetheless. After nearly two hundred amendments to the constitution, everyone is supposed to be equal in every way. â€Å"Nobody was smarter than anybody else. Nobody was better looking than anybody else. Nobody was stronger or quicker than anybody else.† (232 Vonnegut). In this landscape Vonnegut shows that people will never be completely equal, and trying to force equality through controlling individuals will only create a new class system. In the sixties, as today, equality was a frequent topic of debate. The Civil Rights movement was rapidly gaining support, as was equal pay for women, protections of voting†¦show more content†¦The cunning part is how the mask naturally will cause unhandicapped people to either fear her or be repulsed by her. In effect, dehumanizing the one being oppressed. Additionally, they show a ruthless efficienc y in enforcing the handicap laws. When Glampers kills Harrison and his ballerina, it is done with cameras rolling. The television remains on until after the musicians resume wearing their handicaps. Her message could not be more clear; the penalty for open defiance is death. Hazel and the announcer represent the two classes who believe themselves to be benefiting from this quasi-utopian society. The announcer shows no apparent awareness of the burden forced equality has put on others. Hazel, however, briefly does when she sees Harrison killed. â€Å"Hazel’s feelings ought to be a continued, placid satisfaction that all is well. But deep within her the sympathetic individual cannot be stifled† (Mowery). Fortunately, for the H-G men she is of average intelligence and quickly forgets. The average intelligence class is aware, George shows this when he thinks to himself, â€Å"[the ballerinas] weren’t very good-no better than anybody else would have been†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Vonnegut 232). He knows society has stagnated, but he lacks the will to do anything about it. he has accept his handicaps, they are just a part of him. Harrison is the opposite, maybe his youth is the reason, but he cannot withstand the torture of being limited and vilified. He has a natural hunger to reach his fullShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of The Book Harrison Bergeron By Kurt Vonnegut859 Words   |  4 Pageschoice to appear on that broadcast and speak against the handicaps before getting shot by the Handicapper General. This story shows that individuality makes perfect equality an impossibility, because human nature can t be suppressed. George Bergeron made a comment stating that â€Å"...maybe dancers shouldn’t be handicapped† (Vonnegut 1388). He may not have got very far with the idea because of the handicap that scattered his thoughts because of his unface intelligence. This does shows that he does notRead MoreEssay On Harrison Bergeron710 Words   |  3 Pagesgorgeous has to wear handicaps to hide their unique abilities. Another reason is that some people are either respected or disrespected because of their special talents. Thirdly, some people in the story does not need to follow the law, even if they are a citizen of the United States, which means that everyone does not have equal rights. Primarily, everyone in the story that are naturally born with above average abilities have to cover it up with things called handicaps. Handicaps are specialized itemsRead MoreAnalysis Of Kurt Vonnegut Jr. s Harrison Bergeron1500 Words   |  6 Pages the response frequently varies in unpredictability. As the common disposition of mankind, we do not always make good decisions. Our judgement is driven by emotions and passions, and also by self-biased expressions such as overconfidence in our abilities. More often than not, we are influenced by the actions of others, as we make choices in an effort to satisfy others and ourselves. Kurt Vonnegut Jr.’s â€Å"Harrison Bergeron† offers a dark insight into an idealistic utopia, and the consequences of aRead MoreAnalysis Of The Book Harrison Bergeron 1081 Words   |  5 Pagesthe level of the less fortunate or incapable. Harrison constantly outgrows his tremendous handicaps faster than the government can create them and plan s to overthrow the handicap government and society with his genius. The reader learns that there is a constant struggle with the people in the society who are smarter being able to think on their own for a short while to only come and find themselves lost, since their handicaps have kicked in and made their thought process vanish. The reader also realizesRead MoreEquality Is Not Ideal In Harrison Bergeron, By Kurt Vonnegut1004 Words   |  5 Pagesquicker than anybody else†(Vonnegut 1). Everyone seems to have equal looks and abilities but to make this happen; they have to limit people so they can be equal to other people. People with natural beauty, gifted intelligence, or high strength have to use handicaps so they can be average like anyone else. They give people mental radios, masks, and sashweights so no one will get jealous. Because of these visible handicaps, people can tell who is stronger, prettier, and smarter. In the story, they describeRead MoreCan An Equal Society Truly Exist?1082 Words   |  5 Pagesthe level of the less fortunate or incapable. Harrison constantly outgrows his tremendous handicaps faster than the government can create them and plans to overthrow the handicap government and society with his genius. The reader learns that there is a constant struggle with the people in the society who are smarter being able to think on there own for a short while to only come and find themselves lost, since their handicaps have kicked in and made their thought process vanish. The reader also realizesRead More Mainstreaming Should be the Parents Decision Essay984 Words   |  4 PagesIntegrating children with handicaps into regular classrooms (also known as mainstreaming) has been a huge issue in education systems recently. The goal of mainstreaming is providing the most appropriate and beneficial education to a child in the least restrictive setting and so the question of where the children with handicaps benefit the most is the questi on that is the hardest to answer. In the 1960s there was no question. No one even thought about taking a child with a handicap out of special educationRead More`` Harrison Bergeron `` By Kurt Vonnegut Jr.1184 Words   |  5 Pagesany attempt to craft a utopia through government enforcement will end in only brutality and absurdity. Vonnegut s dystopian story shows how corruption results from striving to achieve the ideal society as his characters are forced to wear handicaps that limit their citizen rights and their ability to disapprove of government actions. Therefore, Vonnegut’s short story, â€Å"Harrison Bergeron,† proves that pure equality is not attainable nor should it be through its portrayal of the unrealistic and illogicalRead MoreWe Are Not Our Own1208 Words   |  5 PagesJr. he describes how the world would be enforced by the system of our government. This system the government imposes how to rule the minds of each civilian by diminishing their intelle ctual brains with handicap devices. The government wants everyone to be equal to each other and if one was more intelligent than the others they had to be labeled with a handicap device. If one is really smart it is considered a crime and maybe be locked away from the world and society. This kind of intelligent is tooRead MoreDefinition Of Handicap In Harrison Bergeron, By Kurt Vonnegut1052 Words   |  5 PagesEach individual in the world has their own lexicon, likewise, people have their own definition of the word handicap. While the dictionary may say that handicap means â€Å"a circumstance that makes progress or success difficult,† others may think that it is a way to ensure equality. Both, Harrison Bergeron and Maysoon Zayid, revolve around being a handicap. Whereas one person takes on handicaps due to the law, and the other struggle to overcome them. Vonnegut and Maysoon both use language to express