After Reading "Harrison Bergeron," Answer The Following Ques ✓ Solved

After reading "Harrison Bergeron", answer the following questions.

After reading "Harrison Bergeron", answer the following questions. Use complete sentences and specific evidence from the text to support your claims. Make sure you also indicate the page number when you are pulling evidence from the story.

1. Describe Vonnegut’s America. Are there positive aspects of this society? What is lacking?

2. In May 1961, about five months prior to the appearance of Vonnegut’s “Harrison Bergeron”, Newton Minow, then chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, gave a memorable speech titled “Television and the Public Interest”, which challenged his audience as follows: “I invite each of you to sit down in front of your television set when your station goes on the air and stay there, for a day, without a book, without a magazine, without a newspaper, without a profit and loss sheet or rating book to distract you. Keep your eyes glued to that set until the station signs off. I can assure you that what you will observe is a vast wasteland. You will see a procession of game shows, formula comedies about totally unbelievable families, blood and thunder, mayhem, violence, sadism, murder . . . and cartoons. And endlessly commercials—many screaming, cajoling, and offending. And most of all boredom. True, you’ll see a few things you will enjoy. But they will be very, very, very few. And if you think I exaggerate, I only ask you to try it.” Since 1961, TV has grown in leaps and bounds, making Americans even more addicted to it than George and Hazel and their society were. But has it remained the “vast wasteland” that Vonnegut parodied and of which Minow spoke? Do other technologies like the Internet, Twitter, or instant messaging improve the American character? Our prospects for happiness? If so, how? If not, why?

3. What “handicaps” have been assigned to Hazel Bergeron? What “handicaps” have been assigned to her husband, George? Explain the purpose for each. How do you think this society evolved? What conditions and/or attitudes would have to be in place or prevalent to produce this kind of society – this kind of thinking?

4. Are people equal in 2081? Explain.

Paper For Above Instructions

Kurt Vonnegut's "Harrison Bergeron" presents a dystopian America where the concept of absolute equality has led to the imposition of handicaps on individuals to suppress their natural abilities. Set in 2081, Vonnegut's America is characterized by extreme measures taken to ensure that no one excels beyond others, portraying a society where mediocrity is enforced by law. The government's oppressive strategies reflect a misguided attempt to promote equality, resulting in a culture devoid of true freedom and individuality.

One of the positive aspects of this society might be the attempt to create an inclusive environment where everyone is treated the same. However, the drawbacks far outweigh these minimal benefits. Personal talents, creativity, and intelligence are stifled by physical and mental handicaps, rendering individuals incapable of achieving their true potential. For instance, George Bergeron is forced to wear a mental handicap radio that disrupts his thoughts, while his wife Hazel, who has no handicaps assigned by the government due to her lack of intelligence, embodies the state’s definition of equality. This desperate conformity blurs the lines of human achievement and capabilities (Vonnegut, p. 2).

In examining Newton Minow's 1961 speech titled “Television and the Public Interest,” one can see parallels between the consumer culture of the early 1960s and the technologically crippled society of "Harrison Bergeron." Minow described American television as a “vast wasteland,” a sentiment that resonates with Vonnegut's portrayal of pervasive dullness and mediocrity. Today's television and digital media landscape has evolved significantly; however, it often perpetuates similar issues. Despite the advancement of technology, reality TV, sensationalism, and superficial content can lead to a deterioration of critical thought, much like the enforced handicaps in Vonnegut's narrative. The Internet, while providing more access to information, has also contributed to the formation of echo chambers, leading to a more fragmented society rather than one that fosters true equality or happiness (Carr, 2010).

The "handicaps" assigned to George and Hazel Bergeron are indicative of the societal values that prioritize enforced equality over individual strengths. George’s intelligence is suppressed through a radio in his ear that interrupts his thoughts to prevent him from reflecting too deeply, reflecting a fear of intellectualism. In contrast, Hazel's lack of handicaps symbolizes society's acceptance of mediocrity; she does not require any interference as she is naturally unintelligent. This dynamic illustrates how society evolved from valuing individual contributions to imposing a standardized way of life devoid of personal distinctions (Vonnegut, p. 4).

The conditions facilitating such a society likely include a collective fear of individual merit and a desire for comfort to the detriment of personal ambition. The extremes of competition, where one person's success is viewed as a threat to another’s self-worth, challenge the cultural fabric. The narrative suggests that this type of thinking stems from a distorted view of equality, misguided by the belief that eliminating any form of competition will result in a utopian society (Schwartz, 2017).

Despite the societal constructions in place for so-called equality, it raises the question of whether true equality is ever achievable if it is predicated on suppression. In 2081, individuals are not truly equal; rather, they exist under oppressive rules that distort their potential and realities. As a result, individuals are homogenized into a society that thrives on passivity and discourages exceptionalism (Vonnegut, p. 7).

In conclusion, "Harrison Bergeron" serves as a critique of extreme equality and the aversion to individual differences. Vonnegut's vision presents a future that mirrors contemporary societal concerns regarding media influence, technological dependency, and the erosion of intellectualism. The novel remains relevant in discussions surrounding the implications of enforced equality through extreme measures and the consequences of sacrificing individuality for perceived fairness.

References

• Vonnegut, Kurt. "Harrison Bergeron." In Sequential Stories: A Collection of Short Fiction.
• Carr, Nicholas. The Shallows: What the Internet Is Doing to Our Brains. W. W. Norton & Company, 2010.
• Schwartz, Barry. "The Paradox of Choice." HarperCollins Publishers, 2017.
• Minow, Newton. "Television and the Public Interest." Speech, 1961.
• Postman, Neil. Amusing Ourselves to Death: Public Discourse in the Age of Show Business. Penguin Books, 1985.
• Baudrillard, Jean. Simulacra and Simulation. University of Michigan Press, 1994.
• McLuhan, Marshall. Understanding Media: The Extensions of Man. MIT Press, 1994.
• Orwell, George. 1984. Harcourt, 1949.
• Huxley, Aldous. Brave New World. Harper & Brothers, 1932.
• Turkle, Sherry. Alone Together: Why We Expect More from Technology and Less from Each Other. Basic Books, 2011.