Harrison+Bergeron


 * Harrison Bergeron – Response Questions**

Those in authority have given handicaps on those who are smarter, better looking, physically strong, and skilled using machines and objects such as mental handicap radios and lead balls.
 * 1) What has guaranteed equality in the story?**

Harrison is 14 years old.
 * 2) How old is Harrison?**

Harrison was shot by the Handicapper General because he was not using handicaps, and also trying to influence others to get rid of their handicaps. He did this on television, so everybody saw, but even his parents couldn't remember the event for more than a minute since they witnessed it.
 * 3) What has happened to Harrison and why?**

George has to wear a small mental handicap radio in his ear that emits random noises whenever he has a smart thought. When he begins to think of something smart, a noise scatters his thoughts.
 * 4) How has the government made George and Hazel equal? What does George have to wear? And what does this do?**

She said she would have make the noises only chimes on Sundays in honor of religion.
 * 5) What does Hazel say she would do if she were Handicap General?**

Diana Moon Glampers.
 * 6) What is the name of the Handicap General?**

Two years in prison and a $2000 fine for every ball taken out.
 * 7) What is the consequence for taking lessening the weight of the handicap bag?**

He thinks that if people started not obeying the law, then everybody would start competing with everybody else, society would start falling apart, and they would be in the Dark Ages again. He also doesn't want want to spend two years in jail and have a $2000 fine.
 * 8) What reason does George give for not trying to cheat?**

**·** **Because of this reason, what can we infer about George’s opinion of the current laws?** We can infer that George agrees with the laws, but doesn't necessarily like them.

It was unclear because the TV reporter had a serious speech impediment so that his speech isn't superior to everybody else. He couldn't talk clearly, and had to have a ballerina read for him.
 * 9) Why wasn’t the news bulletin clear at first to George and Hazel and other viewers?**

She apologized because she had a beautiful voice that would make everybody envious. After this, she used a non-competitive voice.
 * 10) Why did the ballerina apologize about her voice?**

The news was about Harrison Bergeron, and how he was a danger people. He is good looking, physically strong and very smart.
 * 11) What is the news bulletin?**

He has to wear giant earphones instead of a small earpiece, and he has to wear thick spectacles, a red clown nose, shave his eyebrows, and cover his white teeth. He also wears large pieces of scrap metal. This makes him physically incapable, unattractive, and stupid.
 * 12) Describe Harrison Bergeron with all of his handicaps?**

He declares that he is the Emperor, and that everybody do what he says.
 * 13) What does Harrison declare on television?**

Harrison is shot by the Handicapper General with a double-barreled ten-gauge shotgun. The author describes how Harrison and the ballerina are dead before they hit the ground. George and Hazel watch this, but they forget about it right after they see it.
 * 14) What happens to Harrison? Be specific.**

The story suggests that humans are selfish, because competition is a natural thing. Living in the way where everybody is equal will end in disaster. Parents will be stupid, and in turn their kids will be stupid. Eventually, most technology will be lost, and people will not be able to use any remaining technology. This story is ironic because it takes a pretty clever person in order to enforce the law and make sure everything runs smoothly.
 * 15) What does this story suggest about human nature?

**

**Short Stories - Literary Devices** Title: __Harrison Berger__ __on__ __by Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.__ Third person
 * Point of View:**

**Protagonist: Harrison Bergeron **

Static Round
 * What type of character is the Protagonist?**

Handicapper General
 * Antagonist:**

The story takes place in the future, in year 2081.
 * Setting:**

**Type of Conflict:** Man vs Man Man vs Society

**Describe the main conflict:** Man vs Society

**Describe the Climax of the Story:** The climax is when Harrison Bergeron breaks into the television studio, and begins dancing with the ballerina.

**How does the Protagonist change over the course of the story?** The protagonist doesn't change much, because the story is short and the protagonist only appears for a very short period. Harrison's opinions of the society are the same, but in the beginning of the story, he is locked in jail. Afterwards he is able to break out and strips himself of his handicaps.

**Describe the relationship between the title and the theme.** The title is the name of the protagonist. In the story, Harrison Bergeron tries to go against society, but is shot. This illustrates the theme, and how humans tend to be selfish, and do drastic things to get what they want.

**How does the main conflict help to illustrate the theme?** The conflict between man and society shows how humans don't going against a large group even if what they are doing is completely wrong. It takes an individual to make people aware, and make it happen.

**How does the climax help to illustrate the theme?** The climax shows how stubborn people can be. The handicapper general uses her own intelligence to stifle others'.

**Give examples of each of the following literary terms in the story (use quotes):** "His thoughts fled in panic, like bandits from a burglar alarm." "...Harrison looked like a walking junkyard. "
 * Simile:**

**Metaphor: ** "They kissed it." "The rest of Harrison's appearance was Halloween and hardware."  **Personification: **  "There was the shriek of a door being torn from its hinges." **Symbol: **  Harrison Bergeron - Symbolizes what humans should be like. **Foreshadowing (give both elements): ** **Foreshadow:** "There were tears on Hazel's cheeks, but she'd forgotten for the moment what they were about." - foreshadows how Hazel and George forget their own son's death a few minutes after watching it on TV. **Irony:** "She must have been extraordinarily beautiful, because the mask she wore was hideous."
 * Flashback:**

**Imagery:** "Harrison tore the straps of his handicap harness like wet tissue paper, tore straps guaranteed to support five thousand pounds."

**Describe the relationships between the class theme and the story. The story illustrates qualities of humans such as selfishness, and stupidity. To make all people equal, talent and uniqueness is taken away. The story shows how selfishness can lead to drastic changes and terrible situations where human intelligence is prohibited, and uniqueness is impossible. **