Harrison Bergeron (Traditional Criticism, Kurk Vonnegut)

Vonnegut was born on November 11, 1922, in Indianapolis, Indiana, Kurt Vonnegut is considered one of the most influential American novelists of the twentieth century. He blended literature with science fiction and humor, the absurd with pointed social commentary. The short story “ Harrison Bergeron” was published in 1961.
Probably, Kurt Vonnegut was inspired to write “ Harrison Bergeron” in some life´s experiences. Vennegut was captured in Germany, he was a soldier in the united State Army during the world war II, he was a survive Allied bombing raids of Dresden that killed over 100,000 civilians and were kept secret for many years after the war. Maybe he tried to draw this experience of his life in this story of “Harrison Bergeron” because in the story Harrison was in jail and he scaped from there. Doubtless, Vonnegut considered that televisión was a waste of time and force intent on destroying independent thought by people. However, it is important to mention that probably Vonnegut wrote the story to deliver his commentary regarding the civil rights movement of the early 1960's, specifically his mocking of those who were afraid to accept differences between people, because refected a critic of America in 1960s in political and social system in his story “Harrison Bergeron”. Thus, Vonnegut use the future (2081) to reflect the people´s right for everybody could be equal but not just for opportunities if not in any aspect, and it could be possible because since the1960s science and technology have been growing. 





Why  Harrison Bergeron did not want to be equal as the others? It is a good idea to have the same posibilities in any aspect of people´s life?

Summary: https://www.shmoop.com/harrison-bergeron/summary.html
Full Story: http://wordfight.org/bnw/bnw-unit_packet.pdf

Comentarios

  1. Unknown26 de agosto de 2017, 15:51

    I think Harrison wanted to be his own man. He was tired of being oppressed by the government. Does our government oppress us today? I'd like to hear your views on this. I

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