Before Reading
Focus and Motivate
Essential Course
of Study
ecos
RL 1 Cite textual evidence to support analysis of
what the text says explicitly as well as inferences
drawn from the text. RL 3 Analyze how complex
characters develop over the course of a text,
interact with other characters, and advance the
plot. L 3 Apply knowledge of language to make
effective choices for meaning or style. L 4c Consult
reference materials to determine or clarify a
word’s meaning or etymology. L 5 Demonstrate
understanding of word relationships.
summary
“Harrison Bergeron” is set in the United States
in 2081, when laws require everyone to be average or handicapped into average sameness.
One day, tall, brilliant 14-year-old Harrison
Bergeron is arrested. He escapes and storms
a TV studio. Removing his handicaps, he
declares himself Emperor but is killed by
authorities.
Harrison Bergeron
Short Story by Kurt Vonnegut Jr.
What if everyone were
THE SAME ?
RL 1 Cite textual evidence to
support analysis of what the
text says explicitly as well as
inferences drawn from the
text. RL 3 Analyze how complex
characters develop over the
course of a text, interact with
other characters, and advance
the plot. L 5 Demonstrate
understanding of word
relationships.
What would the world be like if everyone were the
same—average in intelligence, talents, appearance, and strength—
and no one was better than anyone else? How do you think
people would feel and act toward each other? Would they be
happy and satisfied?
BRAINSTORM With your class, brainstorm possible
advantages and disadvantages of a world where
everyone is the same—exactly average. Try to generate
as many ideas as possible.
Advantag es
Disadvan tages
no more
nothing to
jealousy
live up to
What if everyone were
THE SAME?
Have students discuss the idea of an average
society. After students complete the BRAINSTORM, have them consider what sameness
and diversity contribute to the world.
36
Selection Resources
NA_L10PE-u01s1-brHar.indd 36
12/25/10 3:47:1
Find it Online!
See resources on the Teacher One Stop DVD-ROM and on thinkcentral.com.
RESOURCE MANAGER UNIT 1
BEST PRACTICES TOOLKIT
Plan and Teach, pp. 11–18
Summary, pp. 19–20†‡*
Text Analysis and Reading
Skill, pp. 21–24†*
Vocabulary, pp. 25–27*
Grammar and Style, p. 30
Definition Mapping, p. E6
New Word Analysis, p. E8
Story Map, p. D14
Analysis Frame, pp. D21, D32
DIAGNOSTIC AND SELECTION
TESTS
Selection Tests, pp. 23–26
* Resources for Differentiation
INTERACTIVE READER
ADAPTED INTERACTIVE READER
TECHNOLOGY
Teacher One Stop DVD-ROM
Student One Stop DVD-ROM
Audio Anthology CD
GrammarNotes DVD-ROM
Audio Tutor CD
ExamView Test Generator
on the Teacher One Stop
ELL ADAPTED INTERACTIVE
READER
† Also in Spanish
‡ In Haitian Creole and Vietnamese
Features on thinkcentral.com that
support the selection include
• PowerNotes presentation
• ThinkAloud models to enhance
comprehension
• WordSharp vocabulary tutorials
• interactive writing and grammar
instruction
Meet the Author
text analysis: plot and conflict
The plot of a story is driven by a conflict, or struggle between
opposing forces. In some stories, the conflict is between
the main character and society. In “Harrison Bergeron,” for
example, the title character struggles with U.S. society in the
year 2081. As you read, notice ways in which Harrison and the
government oppose each other. Follow events to see who
prevails.
reading skill: draw conclusions
When you draw conclusions, you make judgments based on
story details and your own prior knowledge. Use the following
strategies to draw conclusions about the society depicted in
“Harrison Bergeron”:
• Note what results from the society’s practices and laws.
• Apply your own knowledge to speculate about the motives
of its officials.
As you read “Harrison Bergeron,” use a chart like the one
shown to make notes about the society. Also include your own
thoughts or reactions about the information.
Details About Society
Constitutional amendments make
everyone equal in every way.
My Reactions
It would be hard to enforce
equality.
vocabulary in context
Vonnegut uses the following words in relating his futuristic
tale. To see how many words you already know, substitute
a different word or phrase for each boldfaced term. Write your
answers in your Reader/Writer Notebook.
1. vigilance with the children crossing the street
Kurt Vonnegut Jr.
1922–2007
Serious Humor
Kurt Vonnegut Jr. was one of the most
acclaimed satiric writers in America. After
working briefly as a journalist, he began
writing short stories in the late 1940s and
continued writing stories, novels, dramas,
and essays for more than 50 years. His fiction
deals with sobering topics—war, brutality,
and fear of technology. But Vonnegut writes
with dark humor and elements of fantasy
and even absurdity, which have given his
writing lasting appeal.
Voice of Experience
During World War II, Vonnegut was held as
a prisoner of war in Dresden, Germany. The
city was leveled by a fierce firebombing, and
the destruction and horror of that event
became the focus of his most famous novel,
Slaughterhouse Five. Vonnegut wrote in a
preface to the novel that it was about “the
inhumanity of many of man’s inventions to
man.” Vonnegut’s early work was not well
received by critics, but since the 1970s he has
been regarded as a major American writer.
What’s Your Handicap?
If you have ever run a footrace or played golf,
you might know the sports term handicap.
It refers to a way to even up a game so that
good, average, and poor players can compete
as equals. In a footrace, for example, faster
runners might handicap themselves by
giving slower runners a head start. In
“Harrison Bergeron,” people are given
handicaps in daily life so that no one will be
any stronger, smarter, or better looking than
anyone else.
3. filled with consternation at the thought
4. cower in the corner
5. synchronize our watches
6. neutralizing the impact
T E X T A N A LY S I S
RL 3
Model the Skill: plot
and
conflict
To model how to identify conflicts in a
story, point out that a conflict can be
either physical or psychological. It can be
within a character, between characters, or
between a character and an outside force.
Ask what conflict might arise between
a genius and a government that wants
everyone to be average. Point out that the
government might try to take away the
genius’s special gifts or hurt the genius.
GUIDED PRACTICE Have students identify
conflicts in other stories.
background to the story
My Overall Conclusions
2. wince in pain after the injection
Teach
Author
Online
READING SKILL
RL 1
Model the Skill: draw
conclusions
Have students read the text under Serious Humor and Voice of Experience. Then
point out that Vonnegut experienced the
war firsthand. Ask them to draw a conclusion as to why Vonnegut may have chosen
to write a novel about World War II.
GUIDED PRACTICE Have students read the
text under What’s Your Handicap? Ask
what they might conclude about a golfer
with a huge handicap.
Go to thinkcentral.com.
tral.com..
KEYWORD: HML10-37
0-37
Complete the activities in your Reader/Writer Notebook.
RESOURCE MANAGER—Copy Master
Draw Conclusions p. 23
37
NA_L10PE-u01s1-brHar.indd 37
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VOCABULARY SKILL
vocabulary in context
DIAGNOSE WORD KNOWLEDGE Have all students complete Vocabulary in Context. Check
their words and phrases against the following:
consternation (kJnQstEr-nAPshEn) n. confused
amazement or fear
cower (kouPEr) v. to crouch down in fear
synchronize (sGngPkrE-nFzQ) v. to match the timing
of
neutralize (nLPtrE-lFzQ) v. to counteract or cancel
the effect of
vigilance (vGjPE-lEns) n. alert attention,
watchfulness
wince (wGns) v. to shrink or flinch involuntarily,
especially in pain
PRETEACH VOCABULARY Use the following
copy master to help students use context clues
to determine the meaning of each boldfaced
word.
1. Read item 1 aloud, emphasizing
vigilance.
L4
2. Point out “so they seldom broke laws”
and “the government was watching.”
Elicit possible meanings for vigilance,
such as “watchfulness” or “alertness.”
3. Repeat the procedure for items 2–6.
RESOURCE MANAGER—Copy Master
Vocabulary Study p. 25
harrison bergeron
37
Harrison
Practice and Apply
Bergeron
read with a purpose
Help students set a purpose for reading. Tell
them to look for ways in which Harrison differs
from his parents, especially his father, as they
read the story.
Kurt Vonnegut Jr.
READING SKILL
RL 1
a
Model the Skill: draw
conclusions
Model for students how to draw conclusions. Have students reread lines 1–17 and
identify details that describe society in
2081. Have them record the details in their
Details About Society charts. Then ask
students how they think this society might
treat someone who was not average.
Possible answer: Specific details include:
Laws require conformity (lines 4–6, 14–15),
and this is maintained even in private
homes (lines 15–17). The government
requires that intelligent people wear
government transmitters, which limit their
ability to think (lines 15–17). This society is
repressive and intrusive. It took away the
Bergerons’ young son (lines 9–10).
10
20
VOCABULARY
L4
own the word
vigilance: Tell students that vigilance
is a noun and that the adjective form
is vigilant. Then ask students to name
times when they would be most vigilant.
How might they show vigilance? Why is
it necessary to be vigilant?
Possible answers: in a crowd, away from
home, when surrounded by strangers;
watch people around them carefully,
hold tight to their belongings; to prevent
physical harm or theft.
The year was 2081, and everybody was finally equal. They weren’t only equal
before God and the law. They were equal every which way. Nobody was
smarter than anybody else. Nobody was better looking than anybody else.
Nobody was stronger or quicker than anybody else. All this equality was due
to the 211th, 212th, and 213th Amendments to the Constitution, and to the
unceasing vigilance of agents of the United States Handicapper General.
Some things about living still weren’t quite right, though. April, for instance,
still drove people crazy by not being springtime. And it was in that clammy
month that the H-G men took George and Hazel Bergeron’s fourteen-year-old
son, Harrison, away.
It was tragic, all right, but George and Hazel couldn’t think about it very
hard. Hazel had a perfectly average intelligence, which meant she couldn’t think
about anything except in short bursts. And George, while his intelligence was
way above normal, had a little mental handicap radio in his ear. He was required
by law to wear it at all times. It was tuned to a government transmitter.1 Every
twenty seconds or so, the transmitter would send out some sharp noise to keep
people like George from taking unfair advantage of their brains. a
George and Hazel were watching television. There were tears on Hazel’s
cheeks, but she’d forgotten for the moment what they were about.
On the television screen were ballerinas.
A buzzer sounded in George’s head. His thoughts fled in panic, like bandits
from a burglar alarm.
“That was a real pretty dance, that dance they just did,” said Hazel.
“Huh?” said George.
“That dance—it was nice,” said Hazel.
“Yup,” said George. He tried to think a little about the ballerinas. They
weren’t really very good—no better than anybody else would have been,
anyway. They were burdened with sashweights2 and bags of birdshot,3 and
vigilance (vGjPE-lEns)
n. alert attention,
watchfulness
1 Targeted Passage
a
DRAW CONCLUSIONS
Reread lines 1–17. Cite
specific details that
describe society in 2081.
What is your opinion of
the society so far?
Examine the image of the
television announcer and
the picture behind him.
What does this painting
suggest about television?
1. transmitter: an electronic device for broadcasting radio signals.
2. sashweights: lead weights used in some kinds of windows to keep them from falling shut when raised.
3. birdshot: tiny lead pellets made to be loaded in shotgun shells.
38
unit 1: plot, setting, and mood
Detail of TVTime-Announcer (2002),
Charles Foster-Hall. Acrylic on canvas,
16” × 20”, 41cm x 51 cm. © Charles
Foster-Hall.
NA_L10PE-u01s1-Har.indd 38
12/25/10 3:46
differentiated instruction
for english language learners
for struggling readers
Vocabulary Support Use Definition Mapping
to teach these words: “amendments” (line
5), “intelligence” (line 12), “normal” (line 14),
“mental” (line 14), “required” (line 14).
In combination with the Audio Anthology CD,
use one or more Targeted Passages (pp. 38, 41,
43, 44) to ensure that students focus on key
story events, concepts, and skills. Targeted
Passages are also good for English learners.
BEST PRACTICES TOOLKIT—Transparency
Definition Mapping p. E6
1 Targeted Passage [Lines 7–28]
This passage introduces the conflict of the
story and the main characters.
• What happens to Harrison Bergeron, and
how do his parents react? (lines 9–12)
38
unit 1 : plot, setting, and mood
Reading Support
This selection on thinkcentral.com includes
embedded ThinkAloud models–students
“thinking aloud” about the story to model the
kinds of questions a good reader would ask
about a selection.
background
Utopian Society This story describes an attempt to create a Utopian, or perfect, society
in the United States by abolishing all kinds
of competition. For centuries, writers have
described perfect societies: Plato wrote about
one in Republic. The word Utopian comes from
Sir Thomas More’s book Utopia. George Orwell
and Aldous Huxley both wrote famous satires
on Utopian societies. This story is written in
the same tradition.
Analyze Visuals
Possible answer: The announcer’s strained
face and gritted teeth suggest tension, and the
triangular cap makes him appear to be either
a puppet or a dunce. The graphics beside him
are dark, murky, and confused, suggesting that
the content of the television show is the same.
The blurred lines create a barrier between the
viewer and the announcer.
About the Art Contemporary artist
Charles Foster-Hall was born in the United
Kingdom, where he studied art, science, and
engineering. He went on to Paris to study art,
and he now lives in New York. He painted
TVTime-Announcer in 2002. It is from a series
of paintings called TVTime.
A_L10PE-u01s1-Har.indd 39
• What makes George and Hazel equal? (lines
4–6)
• Why does George have to try “to think
a little about the ballerinas”? What do you
think will happen to him as he is thinking?
(lines 13–17)
12/25/10 3:46:48 PM
for advanced learners/pre–ap
Make Judgments Begin a class discussion by
asking students to think about how much
control a government should have in the lives
of its citizens. What controls are appropriate?
When does the role of government go too far?
Encourage students to use specific examples
when expressing their opinions.
revisit the big question
What if everyone were
THE SAME?
Discuss Based on lines 14–28, What does the
government do to people who are above average in some way? Possible answer: It handicaps them. George is considered to have aboveaverage intelligence and is forced to wear a
mental handicap radio (line 14). The ballerinas
are “burdened with sashweights and bags of
birdshot” (line 28) so that they are average.
harrison bergeron
39
30
READING SKILL
b
draw conclusions
RL 1
Possible answer: The society allows the
government to disrupt people’s thoughts by
blasting them with noise (line 32). It does
not allow people, like ballerinas, to be any
better than anybody else. It makes them
wear “sashweights and bags of birdshot”
(line 28).
40
T E X T A N A LY S I S
c
plot and conflict
RL 3
Possible answer: George thinks about his
“abnormal son who was now in jail” (lines
51–52). Since above-average looks and abilities are considered abnormal and illegal by
this government, Harrison was probably
above average in some respects. Perhaps
he was more attractive, more intelligent, or
more talented than average.
50
60
tiered discussion prompts
Direct students to lines 58–69. Use these
prompts to help students think about George’s
plight:
Analyze What is ironic about Hazel’s statement to George about not caring whether
he is equal to her for a while? Possible
answer: Because Hazel is average, she cannot
really ponder the meaning of that statement.
She is not the one suffering like George is.
Evaluate Do you think that George’s
situation is better or worse than Hazel’s?
Students’ responses should reflect whether it
is better to have never known something or
to have known and lost it.
VOCABULARY
L4
own the word
wince: Tell students that the word wince
refers to facial or body movements, such
as grimacing or shuddering. Ask students to list situations that might cause
them to wince as George did. Possible
answers: hearing bad news, having a
cavity filled
their faces were masked, so that no one, seeing a free and graceful gesture or a
pretty face, would feel like something the cat drug in. George was toying with
the vague notion that maybe dancers shouldn’t be handicapped. But he didn’t
get very far with it before another noise in his ear radio scattered his thoughts.
George winced. So did two out of the eight ballerinas.
Hazel saw him wince. Having no mental handicap herself, she had to ask
George what the latest sound had been.
“Sounded like somebody hitting a milk bottle with a ball peen hammer,”4
said George.
“I’d think it would be real interesting, hearing all the different sounds,” said
Hazel, a little envious. “All the things they think up.”
“Um,” said George. b
“Only, if I was Handicapper General, you know what I would do?” said
Hazel. Hazel, as a matter of fact, bore a strong resemblance to the Handicapper
General, a woman named Diana Moon Glampers. “If I was Diana Moon
Glampers,” said Hazel, “I’d have chimes on Sunday—just chimes. Kind of in
honor of religion.”
“I could think, if it was just chimes,” said George.
“Well—maybe make ’em real loud,” said Hazel. “I think I’d make a good
Handicapper General.”
“Good as anybody else,” said George.
“Who knows better’n I do what normal is?” said Hazel.
“Right,” said George. 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. c
“Boy!” said Hazel, “that was a doozy, wasn’t it?”
It was such a doozy that George was white and trembling, and tears stood
on the rims of his red eyes. Two of the eight ballerinas had collapsed to the
studio floor and were holding their temples.
“All of a sudden you look so tired,” said Hazel. “Why don’t you stretch out
on the sofa, so’s you can rest your handicap bag on the pillows, honeybunch.”
She was referring to the forty-seven pounds of birdshot in a canvas bag, which
was padlocked around George’s neck. “Go on and rest the bag for a little
while,” she said. “I don’t care if you’re not equal to me for a while.”
George weighed the bag with his hands. “I don’t mind it,” he said. “I don’t
notice it any more. It’s just a part of me.”
“You been so tired lately—kind of wore out,” said Hazel. “If there was just
some way we could make a little hole in the bottom of the bag, and just take
out a few of them lead balls. Just a few.”
“Two years in prison and two thousand dollars fine for every ball I took
out,” said George. “I don’t call that a bargain.”
unit 1 : plot, setting, and mood
b
DRAW CONCLUSIONS
How does the society
affect the thoughts and
reactions of the people?
How does it influence
their job performance?
c
PLOT AND CONFLICT
George’s thoughts reveal
more about the conflict
between Harrison and
the society. On the basis
of what you’ve read so
far, what behavior do you
think might be viewed as
abnormal and illegal?
4. ball peen hammer: a hammer with a head having one flat side and one rounded side.
40
unit 1: plot, setting, and mood
NA_L10PE-u01s1-Har.indd 40
12/25/10 3:46:
differentiated instruction
for struggling readers
for advanced learners/pre–ap
Develop Reading Fluency Model for students
an effective way to read the conversation between George and Hazel in lines 41–54. You
might ask for a volunteer to read the dialog
of one character while you read the other.
Point out that the two characters often use
nonstandard English when they talk. Then
have pairs of students practice reading the
dialogue aloud together.
Evaluate Explain to students that this story
is a satire and is designed to arouse mocking
laughter. Point out that Hazel is described as
someone with average intelligence. Ask students to find statements that Hazel makes
and explain how the author mocks what is
“average” through these statements. Ask
students to consider what point the author is
trying to make about the society depicted.
RESOURCE MANAGER—Copy Masters
40
wince (wGns) v. to shrink
or flinch involuntarily,
especially in pain
Reading Fluency p. 31
“If you could just take a few out when you came home from work,” said
Hazel. “I mean—you don’t compete with anybody around here. You just set
around.”
“If I tried to get away with it,” said George, “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?”
“I’d hate it,” said Hazel.
“There you are,” said George. “The minute people start cheating on laws,
what do you think happens to society?”
80
If Hazel hadn’t been able to come up with an answer to this question,
George couldn’t have supplied one. A siren was going off in his head.
“Reckon it’d fall all apart,” said Hazel.
“What would?” said George blankly.
“Society,” said Hazel uncertainly. “Wasn’t that what you just said?”
“Who knows?” said George. d
The television program was suddenly interrupted for a news bulletin. It
wasn’t clear at first as to what the bulletin was about, since the announcer, like
all announcers, had a serious speech impediment.5 For about half a minute,
and in a state of high excitement, the announcer tried to say, “Ladies and
90 gentlemen—”
He finally gave up, handed the bulletin to a ballerina to read.
“That’s all right—” Hazel said of the announcer, “he tried. That’s the big
thing. He tried to do the best he could with what God gave him. He should
get a nice raise for trying so hard.”
“Ladies and gentlemen—” said the ballerina, reading the bulletin. She must
have been extraordinarily beautiful, because the mask she wore was hideous.
And it was easy to see that she was the strongest and most graceful of all the
dancers, for her handicap bags were as big as those worn by two-hundredpound men.
100
And she had to apologize at once for her voice, which was a very unfair
voice for a woman to use. Her voice was a warm, luminous, timeless melody.
“Excuse me—” she said, and she began again, making her voice absolutely
uncompetitive.
“Harrison Bergeron, age fourteen,” she said in a grackle6 squawk, “has just
escaped from jail, where he was held on suspicion of plotting to overthrow the
government. He is a genius and an athlete, is under-handicapped, and should
be regarded as extremely dangerous.” e
A police photograph of Harrison Bergeron was flashed on the screen—
upside down, then sideways, upside down again, then right side up. The
70
READING SKILL
d
DRAW CONCLUSIONS
Reread lines 68–85. What
do you think of George’s
reasons for not lightening
his handicap bag?
L5
Language Coach
2
Targeted Passage
PLOT AND CONFLICT
Here the rising action
begins. What more do
you learn about the
conflict between Harrison
and the society?
NA_L10PE-u01s1-Har.indd 41
• How can you tell that she is the strongest
and most graceful dancer? (lines 97–99)
Possible answer: George’s reasons seem
rational in some ways. He does not want to
go to prison and be fined (lines 68–69). He
also seems to be concerned about how the
actions of lightening his bag might affect
others (lines 73–75). But his reasons also
show that he has resigned himself to the
government’s ways. He feels that the laws
hold society together and make it pleasant
for everyone (lines 73–79).
T E X T A N A LY S I S
e
Model the Skill: plot
and
conflict
Model how to identify and understand the
plot’s conflict.
• Break the question into two separate
parts. Have students first focus on Harrison and what they know about him.
harrison bergeron
This passage shows the relationship between
natural attributes and handicaps, and it
also shows how someone who is compliant
behaves.
RL 1
RL 3
e
5. speech impediment (Gm-pDdPE-mEnt): a physical defect that prevents a person from speaking normally.
2 Targeted Passage [Lines 95–103]
draw conclusions
Antonyms Reread lines
95–96. An antonym is
a word that means the
opposite of another
word. Which word
in this sentence is an
antonym for beautiful?
6. grackle: a blackbird with a harsh, unpleasant call.
for struggling readers
d
41
12/25/10 3:46:55 PM
for english language learners
Language Coach
L5
Antonyms Answer: hideous; Have
students reread lines 97–103. Ask students
to name antonyms, or opposites, for the
following words: “easy,” “strongest,” and
“graceful” (line 97); “unfair” (line 100); and
“warm” (line 101).
• Then ask what the government says and
does with its news bulletin.
Possible answer: Harrison “was held on
suspicion of plotting to overthrow the
government”; he is a genius, an athlete, and
“under-handicapped” (line 106). The society
treats him like a dangerous criminal. They
interrupt television shows, flash his picture,
and warn the population about him.
Extend the Discussion Is Harrison’s relationship to the government similar to his
parents’ relationship to the government?
• Why does she apologize for her voice? (lines
100–104)
harrison bergeron
41
Analyze Visuals
Possible answer: The figures are white, almost
featureless blobs, who stare with blank eyes at
what is before them. Their passivity and lack of
color reflect George’s and Hazel’s resigned acceptance of their lives as well as their sameness.
About the Art This painting, like the one on
page 39, is also from Charles Foster-Hall’s
series TVTime.
revisit the big question
What if everyone were
THE SAME?
TVTime 2 (2002), Charles Foster-Hall. Acrylic on canvas, 16˝ × 28˝, 41 cm x 72 cm. © Charles Foster-Hall.
Discuss In lines 111–125, how does Harrison
remain above average, even with handicaps?
What is ironic about how Harrison looks as
compared to the other handicapped people?
Possible answer: He “had outgrown hindrances
faster than the H-G men could think them up”
(lines 113–114). He challenges the government
to keep thinking up ways to make him average.
Harrison looks above average in his handicaps.
He looks like a “walking junkyard” (line 120).
110
120
T E X T A N A LY S I S
f
plot and conflict
RL 3
Possible answer: He has been handicapped because he is so above average. For
example, he is seven feet tall (line 111) and
good-looking (line 122).
IF STUDENTS NEED HELP . . . Have students
work together to complete a Two-Column
Chart. Label column 1 “Harrison’s Handicaps,” and label column 2 “Designed to
make average . . . .”
130
42
picture showed the full length of Harrison against a background calibrated in
feet and inches. He was exactly seven feet tall.
The rest of Harrison’s appearance was Halloween and hardware. Nobody
had ever born heavier handicaps. He had outgrown hindrances faster than
the H-G men could think them up. Instead of a little ear radio for a mental
handicap, he wore a tremendous pair of earphones, and spectacles with thick
wavy lenses. The spectacles were intended to make him not only half blind,
but to give him whanging headaches besides.
Scrap metal was hung all over him. Ordinarily, there was a certain
symmetry, a military neatness to the handicaps issued to strong people, but
Harrison looked like a walking junkyard. In the race of life, Harrison carried
three hundred pounds.
And to offset his good looks, the H-G men required that he wear at all times
a red rubber ball for a nose, keep his eyebrows shaved off, and cover his even
white teeth with black caps at snaggle-tooth random. f
“If you see this boy,” said the ballerina, “do not—I repeat, do not—try to
reason with him.”
There was the shriek of a door being torn from its hinges.
Screams and barking cries of consternation came from the television set.
The photograph of Harrison Bergeron on the screen jumped again and again,
as though dancing to the tune of an earthquake.
How would you describe
the figures watching
television? How well do
they represent George
and Hazel?
f
PLOT AND CONFLICT
Why has Harrison been
so handicapped by the
government?
consternation
(kJnQstEr-nAPshEn)
n. confused amazement
or fear
unit 1: plot, setting, and mood
NA_L10PE-u01s1-Har.indd 42
BEST PRACTICES TOOLKIT—Transparency
12/25/10 3:46:
differentiated instruction
Two-Column Chart p. A25
VOCABULARY
L4
own the word
consternation: Have students make a list
of situations that might lead to feelings
of consternation.
42
unit 1 : plot, setting, and mood
for english language learners
for advanced learners/pre–ap
Language: Compound Nouns Explain that a
compound word is two or more words that
are put together to form one. Point out the
compound noun “background” (line 110).
Have students try to figure out its meaning
in context and by defining back and ground.
Ask pairs to find other compound nouns in
the text and try to define them in the same
way (“earphones” [line 115]; “headaches” [line
117]; “junkyard” [line 120]; “earthquake” [line
130]).
Analyze Humor Have pairs analyze
Vonnegut’s style to determine how he
injects humor into this story. For example,
point out to students that he uses alliteration (“Halloween”, “hardware”, “heavier
handicaps”—lines 112–113) when describing
Harrison. Ask pairs to find examples of
hyperbole, imagery, irony, and other literary
devices from the story. Have pairs share their
examples with the class and explain what
the humor adds to the story.
140
150
160
170
George Bergeron correctly identified the earthquake, and well he might
g GRAMMAR AND STYLE
have—for many was the time his own home had danced to the same crashing
Reread line 138. Notice
tune. “My God—” said George, “that must be Harrison!”
how Vonnegut uses
the precise adjectives
The realization was blasted from his mind instantly by the sound of an
clanking, clownish, and
automobile collision in his head.
huge to create a vivid
When George could open his eyes again, the photograph of Harrison was
image of Harrison’s
gone. A living, breathing Harrison filled the screen.
appearance.
Clanking, clownish, and huge, Harrison stood in the center of the studio. g
The knob of the uprooted studio door was still in his hand. Ballerinas,
cower (kouPEr) v. to crouch
technicians, musicians, and announcers cowered on their knees before him,
down in fear
expecting to die.
“I am the Emperor!” cried Harrison. “Do you hear? I am the Emperor!
Everybody must do what I say at once!” He stamped his foot and the studio
shook.
“Even as I stand here—” he bellowed, “crippled, hobbled, sickened—I am a
greater ruler than any man who ever lived! Now watch me become what I can
become!”
Harrison tore the straps of his handicap harness like wet tissue paper, tore
straps guaranteed to support five thousand pounds.
Harrison’s scrap-iron handicaps crashed to the floor.
Harrison thrust his thumbs under the bar of the padlock that secured his
head harness. The bar snapped like celery. Harrison smashed his headphones
and spectacles against the wall.
He flung away his rubber-ball nose, revealed a man that would have awed
Thor, the god of thunder.
“I shall now select my Empress!” he said, looking down on the cowering
people. “Let the first woman who dares rise to her feet claim her mate and her
h PLOT AND CONFLICT
throne!” h
Reread lines 142–158.
A moment passed, and then a ballerina arose, swaying like a willow.
Notice how Harrison views
Harrison plucked the mental handicap from her ear, snapped off her
himself in relation to other
physical handicaps with marvelous delicacy. Last of all, he removed her mask.
people. How do his views
She was blindingly beautiful.
put him in conflict with
the government?
“Now—” said Harrison, taking her hand, “shall we show the people the
meaning of the word dance? Music!” he commanded.
The musicians scrambled back into their chairs, and Harrison stripped them
of their handicaps, too. “Play your best,” he told them, “and I’ll make you
3 Targeted Passage
barons and dukes and earls.”
The music began. It was normal at first—cheap, silly, false. But Harrison
snatched two musicians from their chairs, waved them like batons as he sang
the music as he wanted it played. He slammed them back into their chairs.
The music began again and was much improved.
harrison bergeron
NA_L10PE-u01s1-Har.indd 43
for struggling readers
3 Targeted Passage [Lines 159–171]
This passage explains why Harrison is such a
threat to a government that insists everyone
be equal in every way.
• What does Harrison do to the ballerina and
the musicians? (lines 160–166)
• Why would the government disapprove of
Harrison’s actions? (line 166)
• Do you think his actions are fair to the ballerina and the musicians? (lines 162, 166–171)
43
12/25/10 3:46:58 PM
g
grammar
and style
L3
Identify Precise Adjectives Point out that
the author uses precise adjectives that
appeal to many senses, including sight and
sound. Precise adjectives create images
in readers’ minds. Have students identify
other precise adjectives in the story. Possible answers: “white and trembling” (line 55)
appeal to sight; “warm” (line 101), “barking”
(line 128), and “crashing” (line 132) appeal
to sound; “wet” (line 148) and “rubber-ball”
(line 154) appeal to touch
T E X T A N A LY S I S
h
plot and conflict
RL 3
Possible answer: Harrison declares himself
Emperor (line 142), and says he is a “greater
ruler than any man who ever lived”(line
146), directly challenging the government’s
authority. He also removes all his handicaps
(lines 148–155), which is against the law.
tiered discussion prompts
Refer to lines 159–171, and use these prompts
to help students understand the enormity of
Harrison’s “crimes”:
Analyze How are Harrison’s actions an attempt to overthrow the government? Possible answer: He not only breaks the laws but
he tries to get others to do the same.
Synthesize Considering how the government punishes people for removing lead
balls from their handicaps, how will Harrison
most likely be punished? Possible answer:
He would probably be locked up forever.
for english language learners
Comprehension: Transitions Point out these
transition words that are used to create
comparisons: “like bandits” (line 21); “‘I am a
greater ruler than’” (lines 145–146); “waved
them like batons” (line 169); “as though
synchronizing” (line 173); “leaped like deer”
(line 181). Have pairs work together to write
one sentence about the story that uses each
of these transition words.
VOCABULARY
L4
own the word
cower: Have students create a semantic
map for the word cower. Write the word
in a center circle, and add the definition
given. Draw spider legs from the center
circle, and have students add synonyms
to complete the map. Possible answers:
cringe, recoil, flinch, shrink
harrison bergeron
43
READING SKILL
RL 1
i
draw conclusions
Possible answer: Use of such playful verbs
as “reeled, whirled, swiveled, flounced”
(line 180), the comparison “They leaped like
deer on the moon” (line 181), and the emphasis on kissing and love indicate that the
narrator views it as joyful and exciting.
180
T E X T A N A LY S I S
j
plot and conflict
RL 3
190
Possible answer: when the Handicapper
General shoots and kills Harrison
READING SKILL
RL 1
k
draw conclusions
Possible answer: George was shaken by
a handicap signal (lines 197–198) and cannot remember what happened to his son.
Hazel’s mind is mixed up (line 203) and
she forgets sad things (line 205).
200
VOCABULARY
L4
own the word
• synchronize: Have students complete
this sentence: The coach said that the
two divers were perfectly synchronized
because. . . . Possible answer: they entered the water at exactly the same time.
• neutralize: Remind students that when
a person’s power is neutralized, his or her
powers have been rendered ineffective.
Have students refer to line 186 in which
gravity was neutralized.
210
Harrison and his Empress merely listened to the music for a while—listened
gravely, as though synchronizing their heartbeats with it.
synchronize
(sGngPkrE-nFzQ) v. to
They shifted their weights to their toes.
match the timing of
Harrison placed his big hands on the girl’s tiny waist, letting her sense the
weightlessness that would soon be hers.
And then, in an explosion of joy and grace, into the air they sprang!
Not only were the laws of the land abandoned, but the law of gravity and
the laws of motion as well.
They reeled, whirled, swiveled, flounced, capered, gamboled, and spun.
They leaped like deer on the moon.
The studio ceiling was thirty feet high, but each leap brought the dancers
nearer to it.
It became their obvious intention to kiss the ceiling.
neutralize (nLPtrE-lFzQ) v.
They kissed it.
to counteract or cancel
And then, neutralizing gravity with love and pure will, they remained
the effect of
suspended in air inches below the ceiling, and they kissed each other for a
long, long time. i
i DRAW CONCLUSIONS
Reread lines 177–188.
It was then that Diana Moon Glampers, the Handicapper General, came
What words and phrases
into the studio with a double-barreled ten-gauge shotgun. She fired twice, and
indicate how the narrator
the Emperor and the Empress were dead before they hit the floor.
views this breaking of
Diana Moon Glampers loaded the gun again. She aimed it at the musicians
the laws?
and told them they had ten seconds to get their handicaps back on.
j PLOT AND CONFLICT
It was then that the Bergerons’ television tube burned out. j
How is the conflict
Hazel turned to comment about the blackout to George. But George had
resolved?
gone out into the kitchen for a can of beer.
George came back in with the beer, paused while a handicap signal shook
4 Targeted Passage
him up. And then he sat down again. “You been crying?” he said to Hazel.
“Yup,” she said.
“What about?” he said.
“I forget,” she said. “Something real sad on television.”
“What was it?” he said.
“It’s all kind of mixed up in my mind,” said Hazel.
“Forget sad things,” said George.
“I always do,” said Hazel.
“That’s my girl,” said George. He winced. There was the sound of a riveting
gun7 in his head.
k DRAW CONCLUSIONS
“Gee—I could tell that one was a doozy,” said Hazel.
Why do George and Hazel
“You can say that again,” said George.
react this way to their
“Gee—” said Hazel, “I could tell that one was a doozy.” k
son’s death?
7. riveting (rGvPG-tGng) gun: a power tool used to hammer bolts (called rivets) that are used in
construction work and manufacturing to fasten metal beams or plates together.
44
unit 1: plot, setting, and mood
NA_L10PE-u01s1-Har.indd 44
12/25/10 3:46:
differentiated instruction
for struggling readers
selection wrap–up
READ WITH A PURPOSE Now that students
have finished reading the selection, have
them compare and contrast Harrison with his
parents, especially his father. What choices
does Harrison make that his father would not
or could not make? Possible answer: Harrison
is willing to remove his handicaps; his father is
not.
4 Targeted Passage [Lines 189–207]
This passage contains the climax and resolution of the story.
• What does Diana Moon Glampers do? (lines
189–191)
• How does George react to the events? Why
does he hear the sound of “a riveting gun in
his head” (lines 206–207)?
• What questions does he ask Hazel? (lines
198–202)
44
unit 1 : plot, setting, and mood
for english language learners
Vocabulary: Idioms Use New Word Analysis
to teach these story idioms: drove people
crazy (line 8), “upset people”; get away with
(line 73), “do something bad and not get
caught”; mixed up (line 203), “confused”;
doozy (lines 208, 210), “something special”;
You can say that again (line 209), “I agree
with you completely.”
BEST PRACTICES TOOLKIT—Transparency
New Word Analysis p. E8
After Reading
Practice and Apply
Comprehension
1. Recall Why does the government handicap George but not Hazel?
2. Recall Why is the government looking for Harrison?
3. Recall What does the Handicapper General do to Harrison?
4. Clarify Why don’t Harrison’s parents respond with more feeling to
what they have seen?
RL 1 Cite textual evidence to
support analysis of what the
text says explicitly as well as
inferences drawn from the
text. RL 3 Analyze how complex
characters develop over the
course of a text, interact with
other characters, and advance
the plot.
For preliminary support of post-reading
questions, use these copy masters:
RESOURCE MANAGER—Copy Masters
Reading Check p. 28
Analyze Plot and Conflict p. 21
Question Support p. 29
Text Analysis
Additional selection questions are provided for teachers on page 15.
5. Analyze Plot and Conflict Summarize the main conflict in “Harrison
Bergeron.” How is this conflict resolved? How does the resolution help to
make the story successful?
answers
Comprehension
6. Recognize Climax Recall that the climax, or turning point, is the high point
of interest and tension in a story. What is the climax of this story?
1. Hazel already has average intelligence.
7. Draw Conclusions Look back at the chart you created as you read. What
overall conclusions can you draw about the society depicted in the story?
Consider how people must function and what has become “normal.”
2. He escaped from jail, where he was held
on suspicion of plotting to overthrow the
government.
8. Interpret Theme What is Vonnegut saying about improving society by makaing
everyone average? Support your opinion with evidence from the story.
3. She shoots and kills him.
9. Evaluate Would society have been better off with Harrison in charge? Using
a chart like this one, predict the effects of Harrison’s becoming emperor.
4. Hazel’s lack of intelligence and George’s
handicap keep them from remembering
or focusing on it.
Harrison
becomes
emperor.
Text Analysis
10. Synthesize Think about the criticisms of society made in “Harrison Bergeron.”
What aspects of today’s society seem open to Vonnegut’s criticisms?
Text Criticism
11. Critical Interpretation One critic has argued that Vonnegut portrays
television as “a kind of desensitizing, numbing, and clearly thought-stifling,
rather than thought-provoking, medium” that is partly responsible for the
state of society. Do you agree or disagree? Support your opinion.
What if everyone were THE SAME?
Would you be happier if no one were better (or worse) than anyone else?
harrison bergeron
NA_L10PE-u01s1-arHar.indd 45
10. rewarding effort rather than results;
everybody having equal play time on sports
teams regardless of whether they are good
or not
Text Criticism
Possible answers:
11. Agree: The television shows mediocre
or poor performances; it is a tool of the
government. Disagree: The television is the
least of people’s problems. The Constitutional Amendments and the vigilant agents
are the real cause of the society depicted.
RL 1, RL 3
Possible answers:
5. common core focus Analyze
Plot and Conflict Harrison Bergeron is in
conflict with the government. He is an
extraordinary person, and the government
demands that he be equal to everybody
else. He insists on being who he is and is
killed by the government. The story’s dramatic resolution warns readers what could
happen in a society if freedom and diversity
are not valued.
6. The climax is the scene in which Harrison
and the ballerina are suspended in mid-air
and are then shot and killed for their actions (lines 180–191).
45
12/25/10 5:17:45 PM
What if everyone were
THE SAME? Students might
consider the positive and negative
effects a lack of diversity would have
on individuals and society as a whole.
Students might also think about whether
being equal means being the same.
7.
common core focus Draw Conclusions The society limits any potential for
greatness. It is repressive, discriminatory,
and dangerous (lines 1–6; 11–17; 55–62;
95–103; 112–117; 180–191).
8. Vonnegut is saying that making everyone
average is no improvement; artists are
compromised (lines 26–30, 100–101, 168);
the handicaps harm people (lines 55–57);
and humans are not allowed to reach their
full potential (lines 145–147).
9. Yes. Harrison would remove peoples’ handicaps and allow diversity to flourish.
harrison bergeron
45
Vocabulary in Context
word list
vocabulary practice
consternation
Write the letter of the word that is most different in meaning from the others.
cower
answers
Vocabulary in Context
1. (a) vigilance, (b) attention, (c) alertness, (d) laziness
2. (a) grin, (b) flinch, (c) wince, (d) shrink
vocabulary practice
1. d
4. a
2. a
5. d
3. b
6. b
3. (a) joy, (b) consternation, (c) happiness, (d) elation
4. (a) tower, (b) crouch, (c) cower, (d) cringe
synchronize
vigilance
wince
5. (a) time, (b) synchronize, (c) set, (d) separate
6. (a) neutralize, (b) worsen, (c) lessen, (d) decrease
RESOURCE MANAGER—Copy Master
academic vocabulary in speaking
Vocabulary Practice p. 26
• affect
academic vocabulary in speaking
Students should identify and discuss the social
tendencies Vonnegut is warning against, for
example, the desire for everyone to be equal,
competing on a “level” playing field. Vonnegut
seems to be recommending that people be
wary of repressive governments that may try
to limit potential for greatness.
vocabulary strategy:
the greek root syn
neutralize
• communicate
• establish
• identify
Identify the social tendencies Vonnegut is warning against in “Harrison
Bergeron.” Analyze the flaws of the society he depicts and discuss with a
partner what Vonnegut seems to be recommending. Use at least one Academic
Vocabulary word in your discussion.
vocabulary strategy: the greek root syn
The vocabulary word synchronize contains the Greek word root syn, which
means “together” or “similar.” This root is found in a number of English words.
To understand the meaning of words with syn, use context clues as well as
your knowledge of the root.
synthesize
L 4c
• Encourage students to begin by reading all
the sentences and completing those that
they can. For example, they will probably
be familiar with synonym and synchronizing. Then have them look up any remaining
definitions.
L 4c Consult reference materials
to determine or clarify a word’s
meaning or etymology.
syndrome
syn
synonym
synchronize
syndicate
PRACTICE Write the word from the word web that best completes each
sentence. Use context clues to help you or, if necessary, consult a dictionary or
glossary.
• Discuss other forms of the words. When
syndicate is used as a verb, for instance, it
might have various endings. A synthesizer is
a musical instrument.
1. A _ is a group of symptoms that together indicate a disease.
2. A _ is a word that has the same or a similar meaning to another word.
Possible answers:
1. syndrome
2. synonym
3. syndicate
• definite
46
3. A _ is a company that is made up of different parts, such as a
newspaper, a magazine, and a TV network.
Interactive
Vocabulary
4. Swimmers often _ their movements in an underwater ballet.
Go to thinkcentral.com.
5. To _ something is to combine separate elements to form a whole.
KEYWORD: HML10-46
unit 1: plot, setting, and mood
4. synchronize
5. synthesize
RESOURCE MANAGER—Copy Master
Vocabulary Strategy p. 27
Interactive Vocabulary
Keywords direct students to a WordSharp
tutorial on thinkcentral.com or to other types
of vocabulary practice and review.
46
unit 1 : plot, setting, and mood
NA_L10PE-u01s1-arHar.indd 46
12/25/10 5:17:46
differentiated instruction
for english language learners
for advanced learners/pre–ap
Vocabulary: Cognates Ask students if any
words in the word web have similar word
parts and meanings in their languages.
Encourage them to identify other words
in their languages that begin with or
contain syn-.
The Greek Word Root syn Have students
use the dictionary to find three additional
words that begin with syn-. Have them
write sentences for each word. The sentences should provide context clues to the
words’ meanings.
Language
grammar and style: Use Precise Language
Review the Grammar and Style note on page 43. Vonnegut creates effective
images, such as the image of Harrison in the TV studio, by using precise
adjectives. When describing people, places, and events in your own writing,
choose adjectives that allow readers to easily visualize them. Avoid using such
adjectives as good and nice, which are too general to give readers a true sense of
what is described.
Language
L 3 Apply knowledge of
language to make effective
choices for meaning or style.
• Discuss why the revisions improve the draft.
For example, gigantic is more accurate and
descriptive than big. (To learn more about
using language effectively, see Writing
Handbook, page R29.)
Here are two examples of Vonnegut’s use of precise adjectives:
She must have been extraordinarily beautiful, because the mask
she wore was hideous. (lines 95–96)
• Write these sentences on the board and ask
students to replace the adjectives with ones
that are more precise:
Her voice was a warm, luminous, timeless melody. (line 101)
Notice how the revisions in blue make this first draft more descriptive. Revise
your own writing by using more precise adjectives.
student model
difficult
L3
grammar and style
The noises that George heard were loud.
thunderous and painful
Harrison wore gigantic big handicaps.
smarter, stronger, and more attractive
Harrison Bergeron has a big problem. He’s better than everyone else, and the
One ballerina had a soothing nice voice.
illegal
government says that’s bad.
RESOURCE MANAGER—Copy Master
Use Precise Language p. 30
reading-writing connection
YOUR
reading-writing connection
Increase your understanding of “Harrison Bergeron” by responding to
this prompt. Then use the revising tip to improve your writing.
• Encourage students to complete a story map,
which will help them focus on the plot and
conflict. Discuss what parts they will leave
out so as not to give away the ending.
TURN
writing prompt
revising tip
Short Constructed Response: Description
Review your response.
How have you used
precise adjectives to
describe the people,
places, and events in
the film?
Imagine that a film version of “Harrison Bergeron”
is being released and you have been assigned
to write a blurb, or brief description, for a local
newspaper. In one or two paragraphs, describe the
plot and conflict in a way that makes people want
to see the movie.
BEST PRACTICES TOOLKIT—Transparencies
Story Map p. D14
Analysis Frame: Theme pp. D21, D32
Interactive
Revision
Go to thinkcentral.com.
KEYWORD: HML10-47
Writing Online
Theoffollowing
tools are
available
online at
All
the interactive
tools
and features
on
thinkcentral.com
and
on
WriteSmart
WriteSmart are also available online CD-ROM:
Graphic—in
Organizers
• Interactive
thinkcentral.com
the Writing Center.
at
• Interactive Student Models
• Interactive Revision Lessons
For additional grammar instruction, see
GrammarNotes on thinkcentral.com.
harrison bergeron
NA_L10PE-u01s1-arHar.indd 47
for struggling writers
• Explain that a newspaper blurb must
name the film and tell something about it.
Discuss different details to include.
• Help students write a sentence that identifies the film and tells something about
it.
• Help them write a sentence that states
the main conflict.
• Discuss which parts of the story would be
most likely to interest viewers.
47
12/25/10 5:17:47 PM
Suggest that students use the first paragraph to name the film, its setting, main
characters, and conflict. The second
paragraph could describe one or more plot
details.
Assess and Reteach
Assess
DIAGNOSTIC AND SELECTION TESTS
Selection Test A pp. 23–24
Selection Test B/C pp. 25–26
Interactive Selection Test on thinkcentral.com
Reteach
Level Up Online Tutorials on thinkcentral.com
Reteaching Worksheets on thinkcentral.com
Literature Lessons 5, 6, Reading Lesson 9,
Vocabulary Lesson 6
harrison bergeron
47