Name:_____________________________________________________________________ Period:_____________ Date:___________________
“Harrison Bergeron” by Kurt Vonnegut
I. Comprehension: Write the letter of the best answer in the blank.
1. ________________What is the setting of Harrison Bergeron?
a. About 80 years in the future
b. About 800 years from now
b. About 8,000 years from now
d. About 8 million years from now
2. ______________In Vonnegut’s vision of the future, the world is
a. A paradise
b. a utopia
c. a better place
d. a dystopia
3. ____________The government requires George to wear the radio so that her will be
a. politically well-informed
b. relaxed and entertained
c. ready for any weather
d. unable to deliberate
4. ____________Hazel is not given a handicap because she is not very
a. bright
b. cooperative
c. defiant
d. healthy
5. ____________George doesn’t lighten his handicap because
a. he believes anarchy would reign if laws were broken
b. he has grown used to it
c. he doesn’t want to be imprisioned
d. all of the above
6. ____________Harrison has been imprisoned for
a. taking out his ear radio
b. removing his mask
c. plotting to overthrow the government
d. taking a few lead balls out of his handicap bag
7. ____________Because Harrison rebels against authority, he
a. succeeds in putting a new form of government in place
b. is selected to be the new emperor
c. goes to jail for life
d. dies
8. Explain what is ironic about each statement below:
a. “All this equality was due to the 211th, 212th, and 213th Amendments to the constitution, and to
the unceasing vigilance of the agents of the United States Handicapper General.”
b. “The announcer, like all announcers had a serious speech impediment.”
c. “Every twenty seconds or so, the [government transmitter] would send out some sharp noise to
keep people like George from taking unfair advantage of their brains.”
9. Satire is any kind of writing or speaking or art that ridicules or mocks some weakness in
individuals or in society. The main weapon of the satirist is laughter. The methods of satire are
mockery and exaggeration. When something is presented to us as ridiculous, its flaws comically
exaggerated, we have to laugh. The satirist’s hope that this laughter is the first step in bring about
change.
Satire is the use of irony to attack some form of human behavior. It is often a carefully developed
assault on a social evil, but never pure ridicule. Summarize Vonnegut’s satire by completing the
sentence below:
Through his portrayal of a world in which the government enforces “equality” by
_______________________ Vonnegut is satirizing_____________________________________.
10. What kinds of societies could be the targets of Vonnegut’s satire in this story? What attitudes is
he mocking?
11. What kind of change do you think Vonnegut is trying to bring about based on the criticism he’s
making?
12. Did Harrison’s rebellion accomplish anything? Why or why not?