“Harrison Bergeron”
Plot Development
By: Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.
Sarah Khan, Paige White, & Eric Ruthruff
Summary
“Harrison Bergeron”, a short, science fiction story, tells the tale of the delicacy of society’s equality. The plot is set in the year 2081. Due to the 211th, 212th
and 213th Amendments to the Constitution of America, all Americans are mandated equal. “They were not only equal before God and the law. They were
equal every which way." In America no one is more intelligent than anyone else, no one is better looking or more athletic than anyone else. In order to
stop any sort of competition in society these measures are enforced by the United States Handicapper General. The current Handicapper General, Diana
Moon Glampers, and her team of agents have developed several forms of "handicaps." Beautiful people are forced to wear masks, athletic people have to
carry weights, and intelligent people have to wear radios in their ears that interrupt thoughts with loud noises. In April 2081 the agents of the
Handicapper General take fourteen-year-old Harrison Bergeron away from his parents, George and Hazel. The couple is not aware of the full extent of
that tragedy because Hazel is of average intelligence and George has to wear the mental handicap radio. Later that day the two are watching ballerinas
on live television where the talented dancers have weights on their arms and feet. The show is interrupted by a bulletin announcing that Harrison
Bergeron has escaped from prison. A picture of Harrison wearing several handicaps is shown. Suddenly the photo is replaced by images of Harrison
storming the studio. Ripping off all his handicaps he declares that he is the emperor and a greater ruler than anyone else. He chooses one of the
ballerinas as his empress, liberates her from her handicaps, and starts to dance with her. They dance until they kiss the ceiling. A few seconds later Diana
Moon Glampers enters the studio and kills Harrison and his empress with a shotgun, and then the screen goes dark. George Bergeron misses these
events, having left to get a beer. He returns and finds Hazel crying on the couch. She says that something sad must have happened on TV, but that she
cannot remember what it was. George tells her to forget about sad things.
, and everyone is finally equal.
Exposition – Initial Characters
George Bergeron
Exposition – Initial Characters
Hazel Bergeron
Exposition – Initial Characters
Harrison Bergeron
Exposition - Initial Setting
The Bergeron House
Exposition – Initiating Action
The government enforces laws that make all
people equal.
Exposition – Initiating Action
George and Hazel Bergeron watch T.V.
The Bergeron T.V.
Rising Action
George foreshadows future
events by talking about the
effects disobeying laws on
society.
George Talking to Hazel
Rising Action
While George and Hazel are
watching , a news report
flashes on the screen. It is
about Harrison Bergeron,
their son, escaping form
jail.
Ballerina Delivers News Report
Rising Action Images
Climax/Turning Point
Harrison appears on news broadcast. He takes off his handicappers, (devices used to
make all equal.) which include his weights, red rubber nose, and ear piece.
Climax/Turning Point
Harrison declares himself emperor and
chooses his empress.
Climax/Turning Point
Harrison commands
orchestra to play beautiful,
joyful music. As he and his
empress jump and dance to
the music, they defy not only
the laws of the land, but also
the laws of gravity and
motion
Falling Action/Resolution
• Diana Moon Glampers,
head of the government,
arrives to the scene with
a loaded shotgun.
• Threatens orchestra.
• She kills both Harrison
Cartoon Representation of Diana
Moon Glampers
and his empress.
Focus Question
What is the danger of total equality?
Science Fiction Elements
Futuristic Setting - 2081
Science Fiction Elements
Contains Unknown Inventions – Handicaps
Science Fiction Elements
Impossible to deem all equal and control all through governmental powers.
Science Fiction Elements
Theme deals with impact of imagined innovations in science/technology.
Citations
• http://www.inspirationbit.com/wpcontent/uploads/2007/11/ball_chain.jpg
• http://www.finallyequal.com/images/title-trans.png
• http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_775mMwtjL68/TO6jaIGdp4I/AAAAAAAAFBk/
AKQJQDucFuM/s1600/harrison_color.jpg
• http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_iF9_PCrtjQM/Sa58zmIJuI/AAAAAAAABY0/QbvGQcWiEQ4/s400/msittg_provemypoint.jpg
• http://content8.flixster.com/photo/13/89/23/13892346_ori.jpg
• http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_XRWrWbAdhTI/TLZ0390XQ2I/AAAAAAAAA
Bc/LoC8JjgjTMA/s1600/2081.jpg
• http://www.libbyedwardsgalleries.com/content/DynamicImg/RangeItem/
MASKED%20DANCER%20200.jpg
• http://images.frontdoor.com/FDOOR/articles/2108_Sell-the-Benefits-ofYour-Smaller-Home/Small-Home.jpg
• http://ksfy.images.worldnow.com/images/186930_CS.jpg
• http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Qm2i8mXTjhs/S-UrYAuy0I/AAAAAAAACng/gSTGPOreVDU/s1600/0.jpg
Citations
• http://contemplatrix.files.wordpress.com/2011/05/2081-harrison1.jpg
• http://4.bp.blogspot.com/JZfhqCTbw04/Tl1X82symQI/AAAAAAAAFJE/YgzFO1kCwpM/s1600/hb.gi
f
• http://www.eecs.tufts.edu/~bweitz02/comp20/a1/ballerina.jpg
• http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_775mMwtjL68/TO6j8THotkI/AAAAAAAAFBo/
6wGZZKqMt3c/s1600/moment.jpg
• http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_bW7qgvIuuD8/SFlPU8hO9BI/AAAAAAAAACU
/hvKfw9r7dBs/s400/glampersblog.jpg
• http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_bmLJxqQOsR4/TLGbQgUWVgI/AAAAAAAAA
C8/oZjbng-IC2A/s1600/godsscale.jpg
“Harrison Bergeron”
Plot Development
By: Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.
Sarah Khan, Paige White, & Eric Ruthruff