Short Works - Harrison Bergeron (into revision and outline)

Kurt Vonnegut uses the symbolism of handicaps in his short story, "Harrison Bergeron," to convey the difficulty people have in expressing their individual self and standing up against "un-equality." The handicaps symbolize the fight and struggle for individual equality; like the masks symbolize the need or desire for visual equality, George's earpiece symbolizes the reach for one's individual capabilities, and Harrison's red nose symbolizes to be equal we must humbly accept our humility. Vonnegut's symbolism describes the hardship we endure to be an individual, including accepting ourselves and realizing that others may not. In "Harrison Bergeron" we learn that there is always a price to pay when breaking lose from our "handicaps", such as death and our parents not knowing, and is that price worth our individuality. 

Outline:

A. Vonnegut's use of the mask in "Harrison Bergeron" symbolizes the need and desire for visual (or beauty) equality.

• mask to cover the beauty, to hide one's full potential 
• -- "She must have been extraordinary beautiful, because the mask she wore was hideous." 
• "Last of all, he removed her mask. She was blindingly beautiful." 

B. George's earpiece symbolizes the reach for ones individual capabilities, such as thoughts and memories. 

• "Sharp noise to keep people like George from taking unfair advantage of their brains."
• "He began to think glimmeringly about his abnormal son who was now in jail, about Harrison, but a twenty-one-gun salute in his head stopped that."
• "'You been crying?' he said to Hazel. 'Yup,' she said, 'What about?' he said. 'I forget,' she said. 'Something real sad on television.' 

C.  Vonnegut shows us through the symbolism of Harrison's red rubber ball nose to take a step into equality we must be humble and accept humility. 

• a mark to tell who he was, also to "offset his good looks"
• a reminder he is an outcast like Rudolph
• be humble with your humiliation

D. In "Harrison Bergeron" we learn that there is always a price to pay when breaking lose from our "handicaps", such as death and our parents not knowing, and is that price worth our individuality. 

• "Explosion of joy and grace"
• "Forget sad things', said George. 'I always do,' said Hazel. 'That's my girl.' said George. He winced. There was the sound of the riveting gun in his head."