Harrison Bergeron

Words: 659
Pages: 3

In the short story, “Harrison Bergeron”, by Kurt Vonnegut, the year is 2081, and the government has made everyone the same. Everyone is finally equal, there are absolutely no differences between one another. Everyone was equal every which way possible, there was no one that was smarter, stronger, faster, or better looking. If anyone were to be advantageous in any of these traits, the government would give them a handicap to make sure they stay even with the public. This was due to the 211th, 212th, and 213th Amendments in the Constitution. This type of government seems to limit the rights of everyone in this dystopian world, especially the three main characters of this short story, George, Harrison Bergeron, and a ballerina.
George is a handicapped citizen in this
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The text says, “She must have been extraordinarily beautiful because the mask she wore was hideous” (Vonnegut 3). The government makes sure that everyone is equal, not only by physical and mental traits, but also by phenotypes. Therefore, the government makes sure everyone who is better-looking than anyone else, must wear a mask. The ballerina also wears bags with weight, to prevent her from her physical strength. “For her handicap bags were as big as those worn by two hundred-pound men”(Vonnegut 3). This quote explains how the handicap bags can get very heavy compared to the strength of the average human. Perhaps, the bags could be just as heavy as the citizens who in very well shape or those who work out often. This type of government limits the freedom of the three main characters of the short story, “Harrison Bergeron” by Kurt Vonnegut. The government is highly oppressive and takes away freedoms by mental strength, physical strength, and physical appearance. If this story were to become a reality, the scenes in the story could also happen in the real