Irony In Kurt Vonnegut's Harrison Bergeron

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In “Harrison Bergeron,” Kurt Vonnegut uses irony to explore the idea of total equality not being achievable. Towards the beginning of the story the handicap in George’s head blasts a sound. The conversation between George and Hazel that follows has Hazel saying “‘I’d think it would be real interesting, hearing all the different sounds’ said Hazel, a little envious. ‘All the things they think up.’” The fact that Hazel is envious of George having a mental handicap is ironic because wanting a handicap would seem unusual and the use of irony in the sentence shows that true equality is not achievable because the people without the handicaps are jealous of the people with the handicaps. After looking at George, Hazel tells him that after work he
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