Preview

What Is Vonnegut's Idea Of Socialism In Harrison Bergeron

Satisfactory Essays
Open Document
Open Document
364 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
What Is Vonnegut's Idea Of Socialism In Harrison Bergeron
How would you feel if your country moved into being an all Utopian Society? In “Harrison Bergeron”, Kurt Vonnegut Jr. portrays his idea of a modern America if equality was to be enforced in every way. After adding amendments 211, 212 and 213 to the constitution, the people will realize how damaging equality can be when interpreted to a literal sense. America 2081, citizens are deliberately being forced to be equal in every aspect. Vonnegut directs this envision of a short story to the egalitarians who believed all should be equal. He creates this image of an idealistic future to show the theory of socialism is actually destructive and foolish. The concept of everyone being placed on the same status level and having all physical attributes
Continue Reading
View Writing Issues

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    Equality In Kurt Vonnegut's Harrison Bergeron
    • 800 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Equality In Kurt Vonnegut's Harrison Bergeron

    Vonnegut is attempting to illustrate that equality if taken to an extreme point, can no longer benefit society, but destroy it. Harrison Bergeron lives in a “truly equal” society that puts…

    • 800 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Better Essays

    Fahrenheit 451: A Comparative Analysis
    • 1881 Words
    • 8 Pages

    Fahrenheit 451: A Comparative Analysis

    Although many may strive to develop a utopian society, this ideal is only an unattainable dream that can never become reality; a wish that can never be brought to life. As many aim for this unrealistic ideal, many utopian societies first appear as is; a perfect society with a flawless government and harmonious people- at least on the surface. But when we are provided with a closer look at this supposed utopian society, it is revealed that, at some point in time, this society slowly began to spiral downwards. It would soon develop into a dystopian society where social values and standards have become greatly distorted and skewed. When applying the themes in this book to our current society, comparisons can be drawn in areas such as technology, social interactions and education in both societies.…

    • 1881 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Better Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Uniformity In Fahrenheit 451
    • 422 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Uniformity In Fahrenheit 451

    People often think about the ways that society and technology will change in the future. The government may become overrun with complaints concerning equality by means of intelligence, strength, or looks. In comparison to Fahrenheit 451, the ways in which equality are dealt with in Harrison Bergeron seem totally extreme and inhumane, yet they are not complete different approaches to uniformity attempts. Technology is, of course, expected to advance in the future; however, in HB the development seems the same as it is in today’s culture. In F451, the knowledge of technology and entertainments portrays to have sky-rocketed.…

    • 422 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Irony In Kurt Vonnegut's Harrison Bergeron
    • 124 Words
    • 1 Page

    Irony In Kurt Vonnegut's Harrison Bergeron

    Aristotle once said “The worst form of inequality is to try to make unequal things equal.” It is hard to try to picture a world where every human being is completely equal. A world where that every human being is forced by any means to has equal wealth, equal intelligence and equal physical beauty. Kurt Vonnegut’s Jr. wrote about such a world in his 1961 short story “Harrison Bergeron”. Vonnegut makes a good use of irony to show how creating absolute equality would require an absurdly oppressive society. Vonnegut uses the characterization of the Bergeron family members, Harrison, Hazel, and George to demonstrate how absolute equality destroys Individuality and also to show the two-facedness of that idealistic society and the danger of total…

    • 124 Words
    • 1 Page
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Harrison Bergeron: A Tough Period Of The Cold War
    • 317 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Harrison Bergeron: A Tough Period Of The Cold War

    The Cold War was a tough period in American History. Families constantly living in fear over what might happen next. Kurt Vonnegut lived through out the time period of the Cold War. In that time he wrote many pieces of work, one of which is “Harrison Bergeron.” This short story takes place in America 2081, where everyone is “equal.” Vonnegut relates his work back to the Cold War and the threat of Communism by using the symbolism of handicaps and total government control.…

    • 317 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    How Can Government Control In Harrison Bergeron
    • 253 Words
    • 2 Pages

    How Can Government Control In Harrison Bergeron

    In “Harrison Bergeron,” author Kurt Vonnegut Jr. illustrates government control with the characters of George, Hazel Harrison Bergeron, and the society that they live in. Vonnegut Jr. directs his writing to society and people in general who want to achieve total equality, as well as those who put faith into the government when it comes to resolving serious issues. To inform his audience of the dangerous consequences that come with wanting to achieve total equality, Vonnegut Jr. presents imagery, setting, and monotone, and educates the audience on how this also leads to an over-controlled society with no motivation, joy, love, or care.…

    • 253 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Kurt Vonnegut's Harrison Bergeron
    • 516 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Kurt Vonnegut's Harrison Bergeron

    "Harrison Bergeron" is a dystopian science fiction short story written by Kurt Vonnegut and first published in 1961. It deals with egalitarianism. The theme is set by the first line: "The year was 2081, and everyone was finally equal." Originally published in The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction (October 1961), the story is available in the author's collection, Welcome to the Monkey House.…

    • 516 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Conformity In Kurt Vonnegut's Harrison Bergeron
    • 267 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Conformity In Kurt Vonnegut's Harrison Bergeron

    In short story “Harrison Bergeron” Kurt Vonnegut uses symbols and hyperbole to show how conformity isn’t better. Their society's solution to equality is to change the people who have unique attributes and make them the same as the average person. Vonnegut uses the handicaps to show how equality isn’t better and how their government fails to make everyone equal. They try to force individuals to change so they are conforming and no one will compete against each other. If you are above average you have a handicap, so it is obvious you are superior in some way. Vonnegut shows the characters are aware of this when George thinks “the ballerina… must have been extraordinarily beautiful, because the mask she wore was hideous”(Vonnegut, Kurt “Harrison…

    • 267 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Change Over Time In Thomas Paine's 'Brave New World'
    • 628 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Change Over Time In Thomas Paine's 'Brave New World'

    Change over time is inevitable. Thomas Paine’s comments may reflect on American ideals in the seventeen hundreds, however, the character of today’s society, especially American political culture, has drastically improved. The perfection that is American society can only be surpassed by works of fiction, such as the utopian Brave New World invented by Aldous Huxley. American tolerance of foreign peoples and ideologies proves itself often, and nothing threatens the rights of the individual today.…

    • 628 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Dystopian Society In Harrison Bergeron
    • 201 Words
    • 1 Page

    Dystopian Society In Harrison Bergeron

    Control is a major theme in the dystopian narrative “Harrison Bergeron”, which is mostly shown through the government and humanity. George (and all of the other intelligent human beings) are mandated to wear handicaps by the government. These consist of a radio in George’s ear that make deafening noises. This stops him from taking unfair advantage of his brain. People are also weighed down with sash weights, bags of birdshot, and junk metal. If they take these objects off they are fined and sent to prison. When Hazel suggests that George take off his weights for a while he objects because his thoughts are that if they don’t follow the rules society will fall back into the Dark Ages however they are already in a dystopian society. Consequently,…

    • 201 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Harrison Bergeron: A Dystopian Society
    • 530 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Harrison Bergeron: A Dystopian Society

    In the book, Harrison Bergeron by Kurt Vonnegut, Jr., the main character, Harrison is forced to submit to a controlling governmental system or fight for his beliefs. Harrison believes that he should be free to be his own person, rather than be controlled by an over powerful government. His parents, on the other hand, thinks that a controlling government is the right way to live. They believe if the government does not have control, then the society would go back to the dark ages which is a time where everyone was competing for everything and there was no social control. In Harrison Bergeron, the government controls every aspect of people’s lives. Harrison and the people can’t be who they want to be in life because of the government. The structure of this government resembles more of a dystopian society rather than a utopian society.…

    • 530 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Irony In Harrison Bergeron
    • 828 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Irony In Harrison Bergeron

    A society of perfectly equal individuals may sound like a world worth living in to some. However, “Harrison Bergeron” by Kurt Vonnegut disproves this idea. In the story, the government attempts to create a population of completely equal beings. In order to create this society, those who are born smarter, stronger, or prettier are required to wear handicaps of some sort to compensate for their upperhand in life. Vonnegut uses multiple literary devices to portray the theme of this story. The irony, symbolism, and resolution utilized in “Harrison Bergeron” work together to prove that total equality is not attainable, nor is it worth striving to achieve.…

    • 828 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Dystopia In Harrison Bergeron
    • 131 Words
    • 1 Page

    Dystopia In Harrison Bergeron

    Harrison Bergeron is about a world that tries to be utopian society, but really is a dystopian society. The only people known in the short story are people from america. The u.s government is attempting to make the world perfect, by making everyone equal at everything. In order to do this they make people wear handicaps. The handicaps make smarter,stronger,better looking people the same as everyone else. They do this by putting sashweights and bags of birdshot on the stronger people to weigh them down. They put thick spectacles on people so they are made half blind. They also put mental handicaps on the smarter people so when they think for themselves, there is a loud sound that goes off in their ear so they forget what they were thinking…

    • 131 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Harrison Bergeron
    • 884 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Harrison Bergeron

    “All men are created equal” these are the words of Thomas Jefferson. Jefferson believed we should live in a world like this, but are we meant to live in a society where everyone is equal and normal? The ideas of egalitarianism can be dangerous if they are interpreted too literally. The agonizing and frustrating normal world in which “Harrison Bergeron” by Kurt Vonnegut Jr. shows a civilization in which being normal is the only life style that people can live. Beauty is not beauty in this story; in fact it is the complete opposite. Can someone reach their full potential without feeling good about themselves? Is it possible to live life in a world like this? Potential, freedom, and beauty are all abominations in the society of “Harrison Bergeron” by Kurt Vonnegut Jr., but they are all but abolished in this generation of “normal people” where being unique is deemed as illegal. No one is better, everyone is worse. But in a world where the extraordinary is outlawed, only the outlaws are extraordinary.…

    • 884 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Harrison Bergeron
    • 618 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Harrison Bergeron

    Dreaming a perfect society seemed unrealistic. When I was young, I dream my perfect society as a place with my family, toys, food, and happiness, really as a child I don't think deeply about human rights, money, and shelter. At that time my perfect life was simple and easy. Happiness was my definition for a perfect society. In the story “Harrison Bergeron” the definition of a perfect society was robot because in my opinion their goal was trying to make everyone the same, not equal but same, like a robot. When the story start off with “The year was 2081, and everybody was finally equal," sounded good and nice because as a reader I automatically think the equal as human rights equality, but then the following sentence became a little weird. “They weren't only equal before God and the law. They were equal in every which way." It sounded WRONG! Being “equal in every which way” isn’t what I am thinking of as a human. Having to be equal on every side of us is a terrifying idea. Because what I imagined was a world with one color, colorless. As a person who loves art, just by thinking about the idea of having everything the same way was not cool. Children loses the fun in their childhood because everything has to be in a certain order, it looks like that they still have freedom, but really their brain is being controlled they cannot express their idea or opinion freely because their idea might be considered as better than the other kids. The story, “Harrison Bergeron” had a perfect society that in my opinion totally defeat the purpose of a perfect or equal society that most people dream of. The government did not consider the emotional and creative part of people. They shape people into a strict, hard receptacle that turn people dull. For this reason they created a boring place to be in, losing the fun and meaning to live, when “nobody was…

    • 618 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More

Related Topics