1984 Novel Unit
Designer: Laura Bagbey
Day 1 & Day 2
Topic: Introductions to classroom rules, to the
novel, to George Orwell
Teaching Dates:
2AB—Wed Feb 24, Thurs Feb 25
3A—Thurs Feb 25
3B—Wednesday Feb 24
Grade Level:
Advanced 10
Description of Students: 10th grade
Advanced English students. About an
even distribution of boys and girls. 1
African American student in each class.
2AB very chatty.
Time Frame:
Period 2AB: two 50 minute lessons
Period 3A: 90 minute lesson
Period 3B: 90 minute lesson
Objectives :
 By the end of the lesson, students will have a concrete knowledge of my rules and expectations
for the unit.
 By the end of the lesson, students will have their books and other related materials (the unit
outline, the reading calendar, the guided reading questions).
 By the end of the lesson students will have begun to relate prior knowledge to the new
material.
SOL Objectives:
10.3 The student will read, comprehend, and critique literary works
c) Make predictions, draw inferences, and connect prior knowledge to support reading
comprehension.
10.1 The student will participate in and report on small-group learning activities
a) Assume responsibilities for specific group tasks.
b) Participate in the preparation of an outline or summary of group activity.
c) Include all group members in oral presentation.
d) Use grammatically correct language, including language appropriate to the topic,
audience and purpose.
Assessment:
Formative: The pre-assessment does not receive a grade.
The purpose of the pre-assessment is to provide
background knowledge for the teacher.
Summative: The students will have completed the “What
Do You Think?” Anticipatory Set demonstrating to the
teacher that they have activated prior knowledge by
making written predictions about the text.
The students will have discussed with the teacher and
answered questions on the short story Harrison Bergeron,
demonstrating their beginning understanding of dystopic
literature.
Resources:
 1984 text
 1984 Book Cover posters
 Stiff paper for nametags
 Teacher-generated Unit Outline
 Teacher-generated class calendars
(2AB, 3A, 3B)
 Teacher-generated “What do you
think?” sheet
 Tape to clearly divide the room
 Student copies of Harrison Bergeron
by Kurt Vonnegut
 PowerPoint
Content:
Notes on Dystopia:
- Dystopia (n): an imaginary place or condition in which everything is bad
-
The individual: in every dystopian novel, the individual is of little, if any consequence, the
desire being for uniformity within society. –In Harrison Bergeron, all the characters are
artificially handicapped to ensure uniformity in both performance and ability.
-
The Nature of Power: the seat of power in a dystopian novel can rest with an individual corrupt
dictator or in a corrupt governmental entity, but the effect is much the same; the individual is
crushed and freedom curtailed.
-
Communication: in the dystopian society communication is poor, artificial, stilted, and limits
the range of individual thought. In this way, communication is just another method of control.
George Orwell Author Discussion:
A FEW NOTES ABOUT THE AUTHOR
GEORGE ORWELL
ORWELL, George (1903-1950) George Orwell’s real name was Eric Arthur Blair. He was born in
1903 in Motihari, Bengal, India. His father worked in India for the British government. In 1904 Orwell
and his mother and sister moved to England. He lived there until 1922. Orwell began writing when he
was about five years old. His first poem was published when he was eleven years old. Some of his
writings were published in college magazines.
From 1922-1927 he worked in Burma as an administrator for the Indian Imperial Police. However, he
disapproved of the way the British government was running things, so he resigned. He moved to Paris,
and then to London. In 1928 he began writing professionally with some degree of success.
In 1933 he began using the pen name “George Orwell.” In 1933 he wrote about his experiences in
Paris and London in a book called Down and Out in Paris and London .At the same time, Orwell taught
at a private school in Middlesex, England. In 1934 his second book, Burmese Days, was published. He
was teaching at a private school at the same time. During this time he contracted pneumonia, which
recurred frequently for the rest of his life.
Orwell married in 1936. Soon after that he went to Spain to write newspaper articles during the
Spanish Civil War. Orwell supported the cause of the United Workers Marxist Party and fought with
them. His experiences in Spain convinced him that he was opposed to communism and in favor of
English socialism.
Orwell was a sergeant in the Home Guard in England during World War II. He was also a broadcast
journalist for the British Broadcasting Company (BBC). He disagreed with much of the information
from England that he was supposed to broadcast to India and Southeast Asia. He left the job, and
from 1943 until 1945 he was the literary editor for the Observer and Tribune.
He published Animal Farm in 1944. His wife died shortly before the publication.
In 1949 he published 1984, which was highly successful. He married again in 1949, but died of
tuberculosis in 1950.
Animal Farm and 1984 are considered two of the most important literary works of the twentieth
century.
Instructional Strategies and Timings:
Book Cover posters are posted around the room. For 2nd half of lesson, room is divided clearly in half.
Introduction and Nametags—(5 minutes)
- As students are walking in the room hand them a piece of stiff paper.
- Once all students are seated tell them to fold paper in half, write their name on it, and put it on their desk.
- Students are to have these nametags everyday for the first two weeks while I am still learning everyone’s
names.
Anticipatory Set / Think Pair Share—(25 minutes)
- (5 min) Explain activity and pass out “What do you think?” sheet.
- (10 min) Have students examine 1984 book covers posted around the room, choose the one they like the
best and fill out the ‘What do you think?” sheet.
- (10 min) Have students share their responses with their neighbor and be prepared to share their
neighbor’s response with the class.
Review Unit Outline (includes rules/ policies/ and calendar)/ Guided Reading Qs—(10 minutes)
- Call on individual students to read aloud: Rules, Attendance Policy, Tardiness Policy, Make-Up Work
Policy, and Homework Policy.
- Explain to students that even in the event of a snow day they should keep up with the reading calendar.
- Pass out Guided Reading packet and explain.
George Orwell Notes—(10 minutes)
- Instruct students to take notes.
- Present information by writing key facts and dates on the board.
***********************************************************************************
Dividing the Room, Pre-Post Assessment—(15 minutes)
- Explain the Pre-Post assessment while a student passes it out to the class.
- Give the students a few minutes to look the sheet over and answer the questions.
- Explain to students why the room is divided and after reading each Q out loud instruct them to move to
that half of the room.
- Collect the assessment.
Watch the YouTube Trailer of Harrison Bergeron—(5 minutes)
- Students have already read the story in a previous class with a sub.
Ask students to take out their copies of Harrison Bergeron if they still have them. Pass out new copies if they do
not have them anymore.
Discuss Harrison Bergeron—(10 minutes)
- Hand each member of the class a note card with their assigned handicap. They cannot show each other
their handicaps.
1. You can only speak in questions.
2. You must say everything as if it had an ̳!!!‘ at the end of the sentence.
3. You can only talk when you‘re standing up and pacing.
4. You may not speak…at all!
5. You must keep your eyes shut…starting now!
- For the first five minutes, try to discuss Harrison Bergeron and the questions with the handicaps.
- Complete the discussion without handicaps.
- Ask the students how it felt to not be able to participate 100% in discussions.
Dystopia Notes—(10 minutes)
- Instruct students to take notes.
- Present information by writing key terms on the board.
Adaptations:
Student with an IEP in 3B has a Behavioral Intervention Plan (one nonverbal cue for
behavior when possible, two verbal warnings or a warning of direct consequence,
private discussion, if behavior continues seek outside help) and requires positive
reinforcement in all classes daily
Differentiated Instructional Support:
Instruction is differentiated according to learner needs to help all learners either meet the intent of the
specified indicator(s) or, if the indicator is already met, to advance beyond the specified indicator(s).
Struggling:
 If a student has difficulty taking notes provide that student with a blank notes outline to scaffold
the note-taking activity
Reflection/Recommendations for Future Use:
My original plan was to have students read Harrison Bergeron:
Independent Reading: Harrison Bergeron by Kurt Vonnegut—(25 minutes)
- Instruct students to read Harrison Bergeron independently.
- Instruct students to answer the questions to the best of their ability.
But in the weeks before I was to come, Mr. Hosmer was absent so the students read Harrison Bergeron with a
sub so I had to alter my plans somewhat.
SOE Student Teaching Competencies:
1. Demonstrates understanding of subject matter and pedagogical knowledge for instruction.
6. Plans lessons that align with local, state, and national standards.
3. Demonstrates understanding of the central role of language and literacy in student learning:
 Understands the role of reading in student learning
 Understands the role of writing in student learning
 Understands the role of speaking in student learning
 Understands the role of listening in student learning
 Understands the role of viewing (i.e. interpreting visual representation) in student learning
 Understands the role of illiteracies in student learning
9. Teaches based on planned lessons
 Communicates objectives of the lesson clearly
 Explains content accurately
 Provides clear directions for student activities
 Provides guided and independent practice of skills
 Summarizes/Reviews major concepts of lessons
20. Organizes for effective teaching
 Uses appropriate grouping strategies to align with instructional goals (e.g. cooperative groups, peer
groups, small groups, whole groups)
 Organizes classroom for instruction
 Has all materials needed on hand
Citations:
http://www.wordfight.org/bnw/bnw-unit_packet.pdf
Sarah Brown 1984 Unit (adaptation of pre-assessment)
Name:______________________
Period:_____________
Date:______________
What do you think?
Directions: Walk around the room and choose the book cover that most appeals to you.
Book Cover # __________
1. Why did this book cover draw your attention?
2. What are the dominant colors?
3. What are the images in the foreground? What are the images in the
background?
4. What do you think is the purpose of these images?
5. What audience does this cover appeal to? What audience is the
publisher trying to attract with this cover?
6. Based on the images on the cover you selected, what do you think this
book will be about?
Name:___________________________ Date:__________________ Period:__________
Pre-Post Assessment
Pre-Assessment Directions: Prior to reading 1984, in the “Before” column, respond to each
statement by putting a plus sign (+) if you agree with it, a minus sign (-) if you disagree, and a
question mark (?) if you are unsure of your belief.
Post-Assessment Directions: After reading the story, in the “After” column, respond again to
the statements. Then, reply to one of the statements by writing a journal response to a statement
where your belief changed since reading the story. If your beliefs have not change, reply by
writing a journal response supporting your beliefs.
Statement
To assure our country’s freedom, the government should be
able to spy on its citizens.
Patriotism means supporting your government during times
of war.
People who are a serious threat to the government should be
able to be held in prison without being charged.
The government has a right to know what people are reading
so they may determine who might be a threat.
Society would be safer if we had security cameras in public
places to catch potential criminals.
The only way to prepare for peace is to be prepared for war.
For an idea to exist, we must have words to express it.
Before
After
Instructor: Laura Bagbey
Room 205
BRUTON HIGH SCHOOL
Unit Outline 1984
E-Mail:ltbagbey@email.wm.edu
Course Title: Advanced English 10
Text: 1984, George Orwell
Unit Description: In this unit we will read and explore George Orwell’s 1984, a novel that
continues to be of the most powerful warnings ever issued against the dangers of totalitarianism.
Reading assignments are to be completed outside of class, so that in class we can survey the text
through class lectures and discussions, collaborative work, and independent writing assignments.
Your knowledge of the text and supplemental information will be assessed throughout the unit
by reading check quizzes and by a final test and a culminating project.
Unit Objectives:
- The students will read, comprehend, and critique the major characters, themes, and ideas
in 1984. (10.3)
- Students will read aloud, report on small-group learning activities, and participate in large
and small group discussions to improve their public speaking and personal interaction
skills. (10.1)
- Through a variety of formal and informal writing assignments the students will develop
their abilities to interpret, analyze, and evaluate ideas and information. (10.10)
- The writing assignments in this unit have several purposes (10.7, 10.8):
a. To check the students' reading comprehension
b. To give students opportunities to think critically about the ideas presented by the
novel
c. To provide opportunities for students to put those ideas in perspective
d. To encourage critical and logical thinking through organization and revision of
compositions
e. To provide the opportunity to proofread (correct grammar, capitalization,
punctuation, spelling, sentence structure, and paragraphing) and prepare a final
product for intended audience and purpose
Class Rules:
1. Report to class on time and be ready to work when the tardy bell rings.
2. Bring all necessary materials to class every day.
3. Listen and remain seated while others are speaking. If you wish to speak, raise your
hand, and wait to be called on.
4. Complete all homework and other assignments on time and to the best of your ability.
5. Treat everyone and their property with respect.
6. No food is to be eaten in class, and drinks must have a lid.
7. Stay in your seat until dismissed by the teacher, the bell does not dismiss you.
Attendance Policy: To comply with the Code of Virginia § 22.1-254, students are expected to
be present for all classes unless there is an illness or death in the immediate family.
Parents/Guardians are responsible for providing the school with a note (within 24 hours)
indicating the reason(s) for the absence. Legitimate reasons for absence are: illness, death in
immediate family, doctor or dental appointment (not possible to be scheduled on non-school
time, and/or exceptional circumstances as determined by the administration).
Absences for school sanctioned athletic events or other school related events will be permitted
with an approved note (within 24 hours) from the coach, director, or sponsor.
Remember, regular class attendance is necessary to achieve the desired standard of academic
achievement. Irregular attendance will result in lower levels of achievement.
Tardiness Policy: Students are expected to be in class on time and prepared with all necessary
materials. If a student must leave the classroom to obtain additional materials he or she may be
counted as tardy. In the event of an unexcused tardy the student will not be allowed to make up
any daily work or quizzes missed.
Make-Up Work Policy: When a student is absent from class, it is his or her responsibility to get
any work missed. Each class will have a folder where missed work will be placed. Any missed
quizzes or tests will be taken the day of the student’s return. In the event of an unexcused
absence students may not make up missed class work or quizzes.
Homework Policy: Have homework ready to be turned in or checked at the beginning of the
class period for which it is assigned. Incomplete or late homework will not be accepted.
Assessments: Within this unit students will be graded using the following categories:
Homework: 10%
Unit Test:
40%
Quizzes:
20%
Class Work: 30%
Parent Contact: I ask that you please e-mail me at ltbagbey@email.wm.edu acknowledging
your receipt of this syllabus. Please type in your student’s name in the subject. This way I will
have your e-mail address in case I need to send out any notifications. I am very excited to be
working at Bruton in cooperation with Maggie Hosmer. Please feel free to contact me via e-mail
anytime you have questions or concerns. If you do not have an e-mail address, please sign below
acknowledging your receipt of this unit outline and have your student return it to me.
I do not have an e-mail address, but I can be reached at_________________________________.
Student name:__________________________
Parent Signature: ________________________
Date:_________________________
Unit Calendar 2AB
*** In the event of a snow day keep reading as directed. ***
Homework is DUE at the beginning of class.
1. Wednesday, February 24
2. Thursday, February 25—DUE: Signed unit Outline
3. Friday, February 26—DUE: Book One chapters 1 & 2
Completed Guided Reading Questions for 1 & 2
4. Monday, February 28
5. Tuesday, March 1—DUE: Book One chapters 3 & 4
Quiz on chapters 1-4
Completed Guided Reading Questions for 3 & 4
6. Wednesday, March 2
7. Thursday, March 3—DUE: Book One chapter 5
Completed Guided Reading Questions for 5
8. Friday, March 4
Early dismissal
9. Monday, March 7—DUE: Book One chapters 6 & 7
Completed Guided Reading Questions for 6 & 7
10. Tuesday, March 8—DUE: Book One chapter 8
Quiz on BOOK ONE
11. Wednesday, March 9—DUE: Book Two chapters 1 & 2
Completed Guided Reading Questions for 1 & 2
12. Thursday, March 10
13. Friday, March 11—DUE: Book Two chapters 3 & 4
Completed Guided Reading Questions for 3 & 4
14. Monday, March 14
15. Tuesday, March 15—DUE: Book Two chapters 5 & 6
Completed Guided Reading Questions for 5 & 6
16. Wednesday, March 16
17. Thursday, March 17—DUE: Book Two chapters 7 & 8
Completed Guided Reading Questions for 7 & 8
18. Friday, March 18
Quiz on Chapters 1-8
19. Monday, March 21—DUE: Book Two chapters 9 & 10
Completed Guided Reading Questions for 9 & 10
20. Tuesday, March 22
21. Wednesday, March 23—DUE: Book Three chapters 1 & 2
Completed Guided Reading Questions for 1 & 2
22. Thursday, March 24
23. Friday, March 25—DUE: Book Three chapters 3 & 4
Completed Guided Reading Questions for 3 & 4
Quiz on chapters 1-4
24. Monday, March 28
25. Tuesday, March 29—DUE: Book Three chapters 5 & 6
Completed Guided Reading Questions for 5 & 6
26. Wednesday, March 30
UNIT TEST (Writing)
27. Thursday, March 31
UNIT TEST (Multiple Choice)
28. Friday, April 1
Early dismissal for spring break
SPRING BREAK
29. Monday, April 11
30. Tuesday, April 12
31. Wednesday, April 13—UNIT PROJECTS DUE
Project presentations in class
32. Thursday, April 14
Project presentations in class
Unit Calendar 3B
*** In the event of a snow day keep reading as directed. ***
Homework is DUE at the beginning of the class.
Thursday, February 24
Monday, February 28—DUE: Signed Unit Outline
Book One chapters 1 & 2
Completed Guided Reading questions for 1 & 2
Wednesday, March 2—DUE: Book One chapters 3 & 4
Completed Guided Reading Questions for 3 & 4
Quiz on Chapters 1-4
Friday, March 4—DUE: Book One chapter 5
Early dismissal
Completed Guided Reading Questions for 5
Tuesday, March 8—DUE: Book One chapters 6, 7, & 8
Quiz on Book ONE
Completed Guided Reading Questions for 6, 7, & 8
Thursday, March 10—DUE: Book Two chapters 1 & 2
Completed Guided Reading Questions for 1 & 2
Monday, March 14—DUE: Book Two chapters 3 & 4
Completed Guided Reading Questions for 3 & 4
Wednesday, March 16—DUE: Book Two chapters 5 & 6
Completed Guided Reading Questions for 5 & 6
Friday, March 18—DUE: Book Two chapters 7 & 8
Completed Guided Reading Questions for 7 & 8
Quiz on Chapters 1-8
Tuesday, March 22—DUE: Book Two chapters 9 & 10
Completed Guided Reading Questions for 9 & 10
Thursday, March 24—DUE: Book Three chapters 1 & 2
Completed Guided Reading Questions for 1 & 2
Monday, March 28—DUE: Book Three chapters 3 & 4
Completed Guided Reading Questions for 3 & 4
Quiz on Chapters 1-4
Wednesday, March 30—DUE: Finish Novel chapters 5 & 6
Completed Guided Reading Questions for 5 & 6
UNIT TEST (Writing)
Friday, April 1
Early dismissal for Spring Break
UNIT TEST (Multiple Choice)
SPRING BREAK
Tuesday, April 12
Thursday, April 14—PROJECTS DUE
Project Presentations in Class
Unit Calendar 3A
*** In the event of a snow day keep reading as directed. ***
Homework is DUE at the beginning of the class.
Wednesday, February 23
Friday, February 25—DUE: Signed Unit Outline
Book One chapters 1 & 2
Completed Guided Reading questions for 1 & 2
Tuesday, March 1—DUE: Book One chapters 3 & 4
Completed Guided Reading Questions for 3 & 4
Quiz on Chapters 1-4
Thursday, March 3—DUE: Book One chapter 5
Completed Guided Reading Questions for 5
Monday, March 7—DUE: Book One chapters 6, 7, & 8
Quiz on Book ONE
Completed Guided Reading Questions for 6, 7, & 8
Wednesday, March 9—DUE: Book Two chapters 1 & 2
Completed Guided Reading Questions for 1 & 2
Friday, March 11—DUE: Book Two chapters 3 & 4
Completed Guided Reading Questions for 3 & 4
Tuesday, March 15—DUE: Book Two chapters 5 & 6
Completed Guided Reading Questions for 5 & 6
Thursady, March 17—DUE: Book Two chapters 7 & 8
Completed Guided Reading Questions for 7 & 8
Quiz on Chapters 1-8
Monday, March 21—DUE: Book Two chapters 9 & 10
Completed Guided Reading Questions for 9 & 10
Wednesday, March 23—DUE: Book Three chapters 1 & 2
Completed Guided Reading Questions for 1 & 2
Friday, March 25—DUE: Book Three chapters 3 & 4
Completed Guided Reading Questions for 3 & 4
Quiz on Chapters 1-4
Tuesday, March 29—DUE: Finish Novel chapters 5 & 6
Completed Guided Reading Questions for 5 & 6
UNIT TEST (Writing)
Thursday, March 31
UNIT TEST (Multiple Choice)
SPRING BREAK
Monday, April 11
Wednesday, April 13—PROJECTS DUE
Project Presentations in Class
HARRISON BERGERON
By: Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.
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. 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.
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 goodno better than anybody else would have been, anyway. They were burdened with sashweights
and bags of birdshot, and 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," 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.
"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 then 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.
"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, 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."
"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?"
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.
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. For about half a minute, and in a state of high excitement, the announcer tried to
say, "Ladies and 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-hundred pound men.
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 grackle 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."
A police photograph of Harrison Bergeron was flashed on the screen-upside down, then
sideways, upside down again, then right side up. The 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 snaggletooth random.
"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.
George Bergeron correctly identified the earthquake, and well he might have - for many was the
time his own home had danced to the same crashing tune. "My God-" said George, "that must be
Harrison!"
The realization was blasted from his mind instantly by the sound of an automobile collision in
his head.
When George could open his eyes again, the photograph of Harrison was gone. A living,
breathing Harrison filled the screen.
Clanking, clownish, and huge, Harrison stood - in the center of the studio. The knob of the
uprooted studio door was still in his hand. Ballerinas, technicians, musicians, and announcers
cowered on their knees before him, 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 throne!"
A moment passed, and then a ballerina arose, swaying like a willow.
Harrison plucked the mental handicap from her ear, snapped off her physical handicaps with
marvelous delicacy. Last of all he removed her mask.
She was blindingly beautiful.
"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 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 and his Empress merely listened to the music for a while-listened gravely, as though
synchronizing their heartbeats with it.
They shifted their weights to their toes.
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. They kissed it.
And then, neutralizing gravity with love and pure will, they remained suspended in air inches
below the ceiling, and they kissed each other for a long, long time.
It was then that Diana Moon Glampers, the Handicapper General, came into the studio with a
double-barreled ten-gauge shotgun. She fired twice, and the Emperor and the Empress were dead
before they hit the floor.
Diana Moon Glampers loaded the gun again. She aimed it at the musicians and told them they
had ten seconds to get their handicaps back on.
It was then that the Bergerons' television tube burned out.
Hazel turned to comment about the blackout to George. But George had gone out into the
kitchen for a can of beer.
George came back in with the beer, paused while a handicap signal shook 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 rivetting gun in his head.
"Gee - I could tell that one was a doozy," said Hazel.
"You can say that again," said George.
"Gee-" said Hazel, "I could tell that one was a doozy."
Harrison Bergeron
Directions: Answer the following questions as thoroughly as possible.
1. Describe the state of the U.S. society as described in the first paragraph. How has
“equality” been achieved?
2. Consider the characters of George and Hazel. Why isn’t Hazel handicapped?
3. How does George seem to feel about his handicaps?
4. Consider the character of Harrison in terms of both his physical qualities and personality
traits. Why is he considered a threat to society?
5. What kind of society does the story depict?
6. What do you consider to be the message of Harrison Bergeron (there are multiple)? What
leads you to this understanding of the text?
7. Reread the first column of the story. What revelations occur to you now that you know the
ending?