An Analysis of Kurt Vonneguts Harrison Bergeron - Book Report/Review Example

The short story Harrison Bergeron is all about the tragic consequences of equality. In fact, it is not equality, but merely a reversal of status: the weak are rewarded, while the strong are repressed. But the underlying theme of the story is how the television influences the individuals and society. This essay will prove how the setting of the story reveals how the television was exploited to promote the Handicapper General’s regime, as well as how the television subtly became an instrument of revolution, symbolized by Harrison Bergeron’s audacious attempts to topple the oppressive system, and, ultimately, how the television depicts the flaws of egalitarianism.

George and Helen Bergeron are very different from each other, the former having an above-normal intelligence, while the latter having average intelligence. George, just like any other individual who possesses unique intelligence, is controlled by a device called a ‘mental handicap radio’ (p. 5). These devices supposedly “keep people like George from taking unfair advantage of their brains” (p. 5). This objective is reinforced by television. The setting shows George and Hazel watching dancing ballerinas on television.

Hazel is crying but she cannot remember why, while George is continuously bothered by the noises in his head, his thoughts obviously disrupted. The ballerinas’ performance is lifeless and boring. No ballerina is allowed to outshine the others. The announcers’ voice quality is dull at best. This is how television works. It keeps the thoughts of the audiences grounded. It makes the audiences passive. The characters are only receivers of information, forbidden to critically reflect on the images, sounds, and messages their television transmits.

This is how equality works in dystopia. The television is exploited to inhibit individual talents, to promote so-called equality. It depicts how abnormal and deviant a genius is, how strange and dangerous Harrison Bergeron is. It is exploited to regulate individual behavior and when usual techniques of regulation fail, more violent steps are performed. No one is allowed to discover the truth. Everyone is obliged to believe only those they see on the television.