Harrison Bergeron by Kurt Vonnegut

In the quest for true equality, people gave up their rights in favor of eliminating all competition, drive, and desire: the very things that inspire innovation and creativity. The people in charge are the only ones who are allowed to think, and that power has grave consequences for Harrison Bergeron, a 14-year-old boy who is already 7 feet tall and virtually uncontrollable. The story explores important themes, such as what total equality at the cost of individuality could look like, and the dangers of losing free thought to a tyrannical government. The dystopian world Vonnegut paints is frighteningly dull, and frighteningly realistic.

Plot Diagram

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Characters

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Themes, Symbols, and Motifs

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Elements of Dystiopia

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Visual Vocabulary

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Essential Questions for “Harrison Bergeron”

1. What does true equality mean?
2. How can society both ensure equality and protect individuality?
3. What is a dystopia? What can we learn from dystopian literature?
4. What happens when people are forced to conform?
5. Why is individuality so important?
6. How are emotions an essential piece of our humanity?
7. What is free thought, and why is it important?

What is a Dystopia?

The word “utopia” was coined by Sir Thomas More for his book about an ideally organized society. It is from the Greek topos meaning “place”. The prefix is intentionally ambiguous; in Greek, the prefix ou- means “not”, while the prefix eu- means “good”. So a u-topia could either be a “good-place”, or a “not-place”, an imaginary place.

One of the oldest recorded and most widely-known utopias is the Garden of Eden. A utopia is a perfect society, where everything is ideally organized, and residents go about their lives happily.

A dystopia, on the other hand, is the complete opposite of a utopia, using the prefix dys-, from the Greek for “bad”. It is a flawed society, dys-functional and undesirable. In literature, these two terms often coincide. Many dystopias look idyllic to begin with, but over the course of the story reveal their true nature, which is typically sinister and flawed.

Check out our article on Dystopian Literature and the six common dystopian elements you and your students can track throughout the story!

Handicap vs. Handicapped

An important distinction to note before beginning “Harrison Bergeron” is that the handicaps given to the characters are not the same as being handicapped. The word “handicapped” that students will be most familiar with is similar in a way, because each indicates an obstacle that alters the abilities of the person affected. The handicaps given to characters in the story are meant to hinder them in some way in order to make them equal to others. Some of the handicaps they are assigned include:

• Spectacles to lessen eyesight
• Weighted bags of birdshot to slow down or hinder stronger, more agile people
• Hideous masks to disguise physical beauty; the more hideous the mask, the more beautiful the face
• Mental handicap radios that emit piercing noises to interrupt intelligence, lessening the wearer’s ability to think coherently or deeply about a topic
• Television announcers are plagued by speech impediments, so no one announcer is more fluent or better than anyone else
• Voices must be neutral, emitting no quality or tone better or worse than anyone else’s
• Music must be superficial, cheap, and false; no musician may play better or worse than anyone else
• A red rubber ball worn on the end of the nose to offset good looks
• Black caps to cover even white teeth

Frequently Asked Questions about Harrison Bergeron by Kurt Vonnegut

What is the main message of 'Harrison Bergeron' by Kurt Vonnegut?

The main message of 'Harrison Bergeron' is a warning about the dangers of enforced equality through government control, highlighting how suppressing individuality and free thought can lead to a loss of creativity and personal freedom.

How can teachers quickly introduce the concept of dystopia using 'Harrison Bergeron'?

Teachers can introduce dystopia by explaining how 'Harrison Bergeron' depicts a flawed society where extreme measures are taken to ensure equality, using examples from the story such as handicaps and limited freedoms to spark discussion and critical thinking.

What are some easy classroom activities for teaching 'Harrison Bergeron'?

Easy activities include analyzing character handicaps, debating the pros and cons of equality vs. individuality, creating storyboards of dystopian elements, and discussing essential questions about freedom and conformity.

What is the difference between 'handicap' and 'handicapped' in the context of the story?

In the story, 'handicap' refers to artificial limitations imposed to make everyone equal, while 'handicapped' typically means having a physical or mental disability. Vonnegut uses handicaps as metaphors for forced conformity, not actual disabilities.

Why is individuality important in 'Harrison Bergeron' and how can students explore this theme?

Individuality is crucial in 'Harrison Bergeron' as it represents personal freedom and creativity. Students can explore this theme by discussing how characters are affected by losing their unique traits and analyzing the consequences of a society where everyone is forced to be the same.