[Short Story] Captive Freedom in "Harrison Bergeron"

    In ”Harrison Bergeron”, Kurt Vonnegut Jr. explores the theme of forced equality in American society. Vonnegut creates a world in which all living people are equal in all ways at future day. All that equality was due to the Amendments to the Constitution. People are told they are made equal by handicapping devices which bring them down to the normalcy level in the story, which is actually below-average in intelligence, strength, and ability. These devices include weights to stunt speed and strength; masks, red rubber clown noses, or thick glasses to hide good looks and to make seeing difficult; and radio transmitters implanted in the ears of intelligent people, which emit a variety of sharp noises every 20 seconds to prevent sustained thought. Society is trying to stop them from thinking. The stated intent is so that nobody will have an advantage over anybody else.

     In this case Handicapped is setting someone at some sort of disadvantage for the benefit of someone else: society is maintained as equal because Handicappers see to it that disadvantage is distributed where needed to maintain an equality in all areas. The Handicapper General is the one who makes sure that everyone in the society is equal by placing handicaps on those that are superior in any way. The Handicapper General is the one who reduces the entire society to the level of its least competent to ensure that no one is at a disadvantage. Diana Moon Glampers is not handicapped like everyone else. As the handicap general her job is to make sure people follow the rules. In order to do so she needs to be superior to everyone else. She can't be dumb, or forget her thoughts every several seconds. She has a key if not the most important job in the entire future society.

    Vonnegut, the author, is showing us what happens in a society where competition is no longer allowed because the government has decided what is normal and what isn't. Anyone who is considered to be above normal, like Harrison and his father, is handicapped. No one who is less than normal should ever feel bad about him/herself. Society has become one of mediocrity, keeping everyone as close to the same both physically and mentally. Hazel, Harrison's mother, illustrates those in society who are below average, and she doesn't have to wear any handicaps. Harrison is, of course, the superman of society, both physically and mentally. He cannot be allowed to live once he tries to overthrow the government's control. If ever a handicap law is broken, the Handicapper General, who wears no handicaps and carries a shotgun, hunts down the guilty party and kills him. This corrupt equality by Vonnegut is created on an attribute basis and can only be carried out through force.

    Vonnegut also shows the effect of the broadcast media on society. The Handicapper General uses radio signals to punish those who think the wrong thoughts or say the wrong things. He depicts television as having a numbing effect on people, to the point that they are desensitized by what they see. Hazel can't even remember that her son has been killed right in front of her.

    With the handicaps that prevent anyone from being equal, no competition is allowed. Without competition, there can be no improvement in any area of life. All progress that requires thought will be stopped, and all critical thinking will end. The economy will eventually crash because of lack of improvement. Vonnegut’s form of equality will never work in any way, because it demoralizes the human race and stops all creativity.

    Equality in “Harrison Bergeron” is morally wrong. It ignores the teachings of God. God teaches us to be happy with what He has given us. He tells us to use what He has blessed us with to help others. Mr. Bergeron is blessed with intelligence, and the Handicapper General forces him to wear a headset to keep him from using his intelligence to overcome others that are not as smart as him. The handicaps are holding back the potential that God has given to a man or woman. Vonnegut shows how Harrison’s potential is held back when he writes, “He flung away his rubber-ball nose, revealed a man that would have awed Thor, the god of thunder,”. Harrison Bergeron has to wear extremely heavy weights, large glasses, and an earpiece because he is smart, strong, and he has good eyesight. The gifts God gives to Harrison are taken away from him by Vonnegut. These all contradict the word of God, and, therefore are morally wrong. 

    “America and other countries need equality in many aspects of life such as race, religion and sex in order to live in peace and harmony but not for individual attributes like beauty, intelligence, and strength. It is when one group of people believes that they are higher and better than another group when violence begins”. Kurt Vonnegut writes this story to help us realize that equality is meant to make no man or woman better than another man or woman. The major theme in “Harrison Bergeron” is that equality is for rights and not for attributes like beauty, strength, and intelligence.