Harrison Bergeron

Kurt Vonnegut is the author of the essay “Harrison Bergeron”, an outrageous story about a futuristic world where everyone is equal and required by law to alter their selves if they are above average. Although this is an entertaining story, Vonnegut is suggesting that people are persuaded into thinking that the handicaps are needed, even though they affect people negatively. The author tells that George Bergeron must wear a handicap radio in his ear that makes a startling sound every few seconds to keep him from being more intelligent than others. However, Vonnegut writes that the sound in Georges` ear was “such a doozy that George was white and trembling, and tears stood on the rims of his red eyes.” (294) When Georges` wife notices he is not feeling well she suggests that he take off his handicap for a short time, in which case George replies saying “If I tried to get away with it, then other people`d get away with it and pretty soon we`d be right back to the dark ages again, with everybody competing against everybody else. You wouldn`t like that would you?” (295) In essence Vonnegut is expressing that even though George is affected negatively, he still insists on wearing his handicap because he believes it is the law, and for the better of humanity.