By: Rachael Carmichael
Image via medium.com
Kurt Vonnegut Jr. was onto something when he wrote the fictional dystopia, Harrison Bergeron, disguised as a utopian society set in the United States in 2081. In this short story, everyone is finally “equal” due to the creation of the 211th, 212th, and 213th Amendments of the Constitution. The government-mandated equality is purportedly essential for the success of the community; however, when freedom and individuality are taken away from the citizens, it becomes a dystopia.
The story begins in the living room of Harrison’s parents, Hazel and George Bergeron. This is where we first learn how equality is enforced in this society. George, like many others, is burdened with handicaps: one in the form of a small radio in his ear that gives off loud noises to prevent him from thinking, as well as a forty-seven-pound bag of birdshot, the smallest shotgun ammunition, that hangs around his neck. Hazel is an “average” person in this society who does not require any handicaps, while George has two in order to be considered equal to her.
This widespread phenomenon of handicapping has become the norm in this dystopian society, and no one is able to question these laws, except for one: Harrison Bergeron. The idea of no one being better than another person is a common theme in the making of a utopia, but equality is not always achievable. When handicaps are forced upon people, that takes away their individuality. For example, George is an intelligent man, but he is unable to think deeply about anything due to the loud noise of his handicap. This is to put him and his wife on the same skill level.
Harrison, who is 14 years old, is able to defy these laws, and handicaps, by constantly breaking his restraints and escaping from jail. Harrison’s ability to take off his handicaps seems superhuman. He bares extreme versions of the handicaps, such as: large headphones, heavy scrap metal, and large spectacles that make him half blind. These limitations serve both to limit his extraordinary potential and to punish Harrison for not complying with the rules of the United States Handicapper General, the law enforcer. Since his parents, and the community at large, won’t be able to think deeply about what he is doing or even remember this event, he is a fleeting symbol of hope for them. He shows readers that, even if efforts seem futile, by continuously resisting harmful laws there’s hope for a better society, and that people should not give up fighting for a better life. Compared to others in this community, Harrison has the strength and courage to do what no other person will do – going against the government by taking off his handicaps.
The consequences of his actions are isolation and having more intense handicaps forced upon him. Harrison is the only one who knowingly suffers in this utopia since he can see the oppression. This is evident when Harrison breaks into a televised ballet performance that his parents happen to be watching at home. Compared to everyone else, he is the only one wearing extensive handicaps. The idea of a society being a utopia blinds people from seeing their unique abilities and characteristics.
The televised ballet establishes a distance between dancers and audience; no one attends the live performance. The ballerinas also are not able to perform to their full potential due to the weights they’re being forced to carry around. This hinders their creativity for this art form, but the viewers don’t know this since everyone is used to watching the dancers with their weights, unable to dance to the best of their abilities. Nor would they be allowed to think too deeply about the mediocre performance because of their own handicaps. When Harrison takes off his handicaps, as well as the lead ballerina’s, it is to show her and the rest of the audience what is being taken away from them, individuality.
Harrison and the ballerina’s dance is a symbol for the potential freedom that citizens can have, but their deaths at the hands of the handicapper general reveal the hold that the government has over the society and their ability to strip their citizens of their freedom and individuality. This highlights how this dystopia is disguised as a utopia, because the desire for equality seems good for people like Hazel and George, but for people like Harrison and the ballerina, having their individuality stripped from them shows the pitfalls of this social oppression.
In our modern society, everyone has unique characteristics, whether they are strong, beautiful, or smart just like the characters in Harrison Bergeron. However, unlike our society, this dystopia is built on the foundation of not letting people be strong, beautiful, smart, and anything else that makes them unique. The lack of freedom the citizens have is evident when they are too scared to follow Harrison’s example of taking off the handicaps. They know the punishments that will be given to them if they defy the rules, which is why they only watch as Harrison tries to convince them to take off their handicaps as well.
This short story is a lesson for societies who want total equality at the cost of sacrificing individual rights. Harrison Bergeron’s society is built on the inequality between individuals, ultimately making them “equal” with their peers, and forever less than the government officials. Instead of equality being essential for success, embracing people’s individual abilities can create a more prosperous utopia.
References:
The Mission. “What Happens When Everyone Is Finally ‘Equal’ – The Mission – Medium.” Medium.com, Medium, 4 Oct. 2017, medium.com/the-mission/what-happens-when-everyone-is-finally-equal-3827f134150a.
Vonnegut, Kurt. Harrison Bergeron. The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction , 1961.
Show slide 13. Introduce the author, Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.
Distribute copies of the short story handout, "Harrison Bergeron," and highlighters for students.
Show slide 14. Have students listen to a portion of the audio version of "Harrison Bergeron." The audio version takes 15:38 minutes. About 5-7 minutes into the reading (choose an appropriate stopping place), stop and discuss the current constitutional amendments in relation to the amendments mentioned in the story.
Ask students to discuss the following:
Define "amendment" based on their prior knowledge.
Recall the number of amendments we currently have to the constitution.
Recall any of the amendments to the constitution from the previous activity.
The definition of an amendment is a change, addition, or rephrasing of something, most often with the intention of improvement. An example of an amendment are the changes made to the U.S. Constitution. The act of changing for the better; improvement. //www.yourdictionary.com/amendment
Show slide 15 with the list of the 27 amendments to the Constitution and brief explanations for each. Ask students the following discussion questions:
Which amendment do you think improved society most? Why?
Based on the first paragraph of the story, how many amendments had been added to the constitution from the present to 2081, the date of the story?
This would be a time to include math in the lesson by having students answer this ratio question: Between 1776-1961, 185 years, only 23 amendments were ratified. However, based on the information provided in the story, in the next 120 years, 1961-2081, 190 amendments were added. What is the ratio of years to amendments in the first 185 years versus the next 120 years? Allow time for students to discuss the implications this would have on the United States if we actually added that many amendments to the Constitution.
Show slide 16. Introduce the instructional strategy, Why-Lighting. Have students highlight instances of unfairness and violations of rights reflected in the print copy of the story. Ask them to write in the margins of the handout what rights are being taken away and why this is unfair.
Return to slide 14 and continue to play the audio for your students as they follow along with the rest of the story. Remind students that "fairness" is defined as treating people according to their needs free from self-interest, prejudice, or favoritism.
On finishing the story, have a class discussion on the issues of unfairness that are displayed in the story.
Were the amendments good for the people?
What basic human rights were being violated to create a "truly equal" society?
You might choose to have an Exit Ticket at the end of this portion of the lesson asking the students their opinion of the society of Harrison Bergeron. Do they think that it is the right way to live with the handicaps imposed by the Handicapper General, so everyone is the "same"?
This Launchpad, adapted from //www.WhatSoProudlyWeHail.org, provides background materials and discussion questions to enhance your reading and understanding of Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.’s 1961 short story “Harrison Bergeron.” After reading the story, you can click on the videos to hear editors Amy A. Kass, Leon R. Kass, and Diana Schaub converse with guest host James W. Ceaser (University of Virginia) about the story. These videos are meant to raise additional questions and enhance discussion, not replace it. Kurt Vonnegut’s story paints a picture of a society that few of us would gladly embrace, even those of us who care deeply about social equality. It thus invites us to think about the society presented; its rebellious genius, Harrison Bergeron; as well as Vonnegut’s purpose. Describe Vonnegut’s America. Are there positive aspects of this society? What is lacking?
Thinking about the Text
The Society
The above video includes a panel discussion of Vonnegut's America and the question: "Are there positive aspects of this society?"Harrison Bergeron, the Character
The video of the panel discussion continues with examination of the question "What do you make of Harrison Bergeron himself?"“Harrison Bergeron,” the Story
The third part of the Vonnegut panel discussion explores the question "What do you think is being satirized in this story?
Thinking with the Text
Vonnegut’s satire invites us to think, first and foremost, about the implications of the pursuit of equality in relation to the American creed. But the way of life he depicts also invites us to think anew about the meaning and importance of the “American Dream,” and about whether technology helps or hinders the American character and our prospects for happiness.
Equality and the American Creed
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What is the American ideal of equality as conceived in both the Declaration of Independence, Declaration of Rights and Sentiments, and the Gettysburg Address? Do the two documents differ in how they describe equality? What does it mean when we say that “all men are created equal” or that they are all “endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights”?
- Is the society described in the story a fulfillment of the American principle or ideal of equality or a perversion of that principle or ideal?
- Is the possession of a right to pursue happiness hollow if we lack the ability to exercise it?
- Why do Americans love equality? Should we? Can the desire for it ever be satisfied?
- What do we owe those of our fellow citizens who are worse off through no fault of their own?
- Is it true that a society riven by inequality—based especially on the inequality of talents—cannot retain the attachment of all of its citizens?
Base your responses to the next two questions on the segment of the video that examines the question: Is the society described a fulfillment of the American ideal of equality or a perversion of it?
- If the two ideals—human excellence and equality—are in conflict, which one should we hold more dear? Must one be pursued at the expense of the other? Are there some areas in life in which we wish for equality more than human excellence and others we don’t?
- In what way(s) or under what circumstances might the love of equality be compatible with competition? With the pursuit of excellence?
The above video clip explores the question: Is the love of equality compatible with competition or the pursuit of human excellence?
The American Dream
- The tagline for the 1995 movie version of Harrison Bergeron was: “All men are not created equal. It is the purpose of Government to make them so.” Under such a view, what happens to the “American Dream”—that anyone can rise and prosper as a result of hard work and the application of his or her God-given talents?
- What happens to the American Dream if it should turn out that God-given talents are profoundly unequal in their allotment?
- Is the American Dream fair or just?
- Which should society reward and respect most: personal effort or actual accomplishment?
Technology and the American Character
The next question explored by the panel is "Would you object if society sought equality not by handicapping the gifted but by lifting up the not-gifted?"
- Would you object if society sought equality not by handicapping the gifted as in the story, but by lifting up the not-gifted, say through genetic engineering or biotechnological enhancement?
- In May 1961, about five months prior to the appearance of Vonnegut’s “Harrison Bergeron,” Newton Minow, then chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, gave a memorable speech titled “Television and the Public Interest,” which challenged his audience as follows:
"I invite each of you to sit down in front of your television set when your station goes on the air and stay there, for a day, without a book, without a magazine, without a newspaper, without a profit and loss sheet or rating book to distract you. Keep your eyes glued to that set until the station signs off. I can assure you that what you will observe is a vast wasteland.
You will see a procession of game shows, formula comedies about totally unbelievable families, blood and thunder, mayhem, violence, sadism, murder . . . and cartoons. And endlessly commercials—many screaming, cajoling, and offending. And most of all boredom. True, you’ll see a few things you will enjoy. But they will be very, very, very few. And if you think I exaggerate, I only ask you to try it."
- Since 1961, TV has grown in leaps and bounds, making Americans even more addicted to it than George and Hazel and their society were. But has it remained the “vast wasteland” that Vonnegut parodied and of which Minow spoke?
- Do technologies such as the smart phone, social media, or artificial intelligence improve the American character or our prospects for happiness?