Dystopian literature is a rapidly growing sub-genre of popular fiction. Authors often use dystopias to convey a message about the world we live in today. Dystopias are extremely flawed societies. In this genre, unlike otherliterature genres, the setting is often a fallen society, usually occurring after a large scale war or other horrific event, that caused chaos in the former world. In many stories, this chaos gives rise to a totalitarian government that assumes absolute control. The flaws in this sort of a dystopia are center around oppression and restrictions on freedom by central authorities.
Students can track elements of the dystopian society of “Harrison Bergeron” as they read. Have students track the six common elements of a dystopia, and then depict these elements in a storyboard along with a supporting quote.
| Element | Example from Text |
|---|---|
| The people are restricted from independent thought and action. | Example: “He tried to think a little about the ballerinas… George was toying with the vague notion that maybe dancers shouldn’t be handicapped. But he didn’t get very far with it before another noise in his ear radio scattered his thoughts.” |
| The government in control is often oppressive. | Example: “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 Empress were dead before they hit the floor. Diana Moon Glampers loaded the gun again. She aimed it at the musicians and told them they had ten seconds to get their handicaps back on.” |
| The setting is often futuristic, or in a fictional universe. | Example: “The year was 2081, and everybody was finally equal.” |
| Contains elements of conformity, or extreme equality. | Example: “They weren’t only equal before God and the law. They were equal every which way. Nobody was smarter than anybody else. Nobody was better looking than anybody else. Nobody was stronger or quicker than anybody else.” |
| The government portrays their society as a utopia. | Example: “‘ If I tried to get away with it,’ said George, ‘then other people’d get away with it – and pretty soon we’d be right back to the dark ages again, with everybody competing against everybody else. You wouldn’t like that, would you?’” |
| The protagonist wishes to restore the people to conventional life. | Example: While Harrison is not the protagonist, he does attempt to buck the system by breaking out of prison, declaring himself better than others by making himself an “Emperor”, forcing the musicians to play improved music, and showing the viewers how to dance unencumbered by governmental handicaps. “Not only were the laws of the land abandoned, but the law of gravity and the laws of motion as well.” |
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Student Instructions
Create a storyboard that shows the six elements of a dystopia in "Harrison Bergeron".
Encourage students to share their storyboard findings during a class or small group discussion. This helps students deepen their understanding by explaining their choices and considering different interpretations from classmates.
Divide students into small groups and assign each group a specific dystopian element to analyze. This allows students to focus deeply on one aspect and then teach it to their peers, fostering collaboration and ownership of learning.
Provide a template or graphic organizer to help students organize their thoughts as they identify text evidence, summarize, and illustrate each dystopian element. This supports students who may need additional structure for complex tasks.
Ask students to identify parallels between the dystopian elements in "Harrison Bergeron" and issues in today’s world. This activity builds critical thinking and shows the relevance of literature to students’ lives.
Challenge students to write a short scene or create a visual art piece imagining a new law or event in the "Harrison Bergeron" world. This encourages creativity and helps students internalize the characteristics of dystopian societies.
Harrison Bergeron features six major dystopian elements: loss of independent thought, oppressive government control, a futuristic setting, enforced conformity and extreme equality, the illusion of a utopia, and a protagonist who challenges the system. These elements highlight the dangers of forced equality and authoritarian rule.
To teach dystopian themes in 'Harrison Bergeron', have students identify and illustrate examples of dystopian elements from the text using a storyboard. Encourage discussion about how these elements reflect real-world issues and ask students to connect the story to contemporary society.
A dystopia is a society marked by oppression, loss of freedom, and control, often presented as a warning; a utopia is an idealized perfect society. In 'Harrison Bergeron', the government pretends the society is a utopia, but it functions as a true dystopia.
'Harrison Bergeron' is considered dystopian because it depicts a society where absolute equality is enforced through oppressive laws and loss of individuality, showcasing the negative consequences of extreme government control.
An example of government oppression in 'Harrison Bergeron' is when the Handicapper General, Diana Moon Glampers, uses violence to enforce conformity and punish rebellion, as seen when she shoots Harrison and the Empress on live TV.