Essay on Harrison Bergeron

     They were sitting in the living room, staring at the television, the pains of the community gear bugging them as usual. The earpiece in George’s head kept buzzing and beeping. The gear on both of their shoulders was almost too much to bear as well. The community had tried to create laws to make everyone equal in this short story, called “Harrison Bergeron”, by Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. The laws had completely changed the world of living. Suddenly, the TV switched to breaking news. Their couple’s son, Harrison, came on. He had broken in to the news studio and was protesting against the laws. Then, the tragedy occurred. It’s too bad that George’s earpiece caused him to forget, before he even knew it happened. Poor Harrison should have gotten more people to team up with him on the protest in the studio. The laws of the community should be changed. There are many problems that do not get resolved in this tragedy.                       

      This story could be classified in the mode of literature as a tragedy. It begins with the family being in conflict with the world. They have many strange laws in the community, and they are greatly enforced with threats of punishment. The laws are both physically and mentally painful, like having to wear an earpiece if you are elderly. There is a tragic flaw, which is the family realizing that their son, Harrison, is endangering himself on television. The tragic fall is that they soon forget about it, and they don’t have a single clue what happens to Harrison. He ends up dying after being shot, and so they are at a loss.                       

     To begin with, George takes the loss well. There is simply nothing that he can do to know about it, because the earpiece changes his thoughts almost immediately. He doesn’t seem to complain very much about the weird laws, but you can tell that they stress him out. An example is when Hazel tells him to lay down and rest his handicap bag. He said, “I don’t mind it. I don’t notice it any more. It’s just a part of me” (Kennedy and Gioia). George tries to be strong and deal with what he has.                                           

     This story is a science fiction because it takes place in the future. The world hopefully won’t turn out like this in the future. They have all different kinds of peculiar laws. The community wants everyone to be very equal in just about every way. They make everyone wear handicap bags with things in them that weigh the people down, so that everyone will weigh the same. They make the people that are over average in intelligence wear buzzers in their ears, so that they don’t “Take advantage of their brains” (Kennedy and Gioia). This community has many unusual rules, all because of the Handicapper General, Diana Moon Glampers.       

       George and Hazel seem to get along well, although the death of their son is devastating. They take it hard, although it is too bad that George’s buzzer goes off. He barely even knows that his son is gone. The laws are mean, cruel, and overwelming. The government should back off on the laws and trying to make everyone equal. The world would be a whole lot better off if they allowed more diversity. It is also possible that the community is doing the right thing. Maybe it shouldn’t be any different. What do you think should happen?