Notes

Charles Cobbins
Ms. Amodei
ELA 4/7
29 November 2016
Harrison Bergeron Breaks Out
Most people don't think that you would be arrested for your natural born gifts like how fast you are, how strong you are, or even how smart you are, but . The story Harrison Bergeron by Kurt Vonnegut Jr. is a story about equality and balance. The setting is in the near, bland future, the year 2081 when new laws are passed, and all are equal, that require people to wear handicapping devices that make everyone equal to each other . Harrison Bergeron escapes from prison and names himself the emperor, because he is bigger, stronger, faster, smarter, and more courageous. He was in prison because of these gifts he possesses even after being handicapped.
First and Foremost, Harrison Bergeron is better than most people physically, mentally, and verbally, so he decides to name himself the emperor. In the text it says that Harrison escaped prison. So when he escapes from prison he goes to the ballerina stage and begins to remove one of the ballerinas and some musicians handicapping devices and they begin to play music that the emperor and empress dance to on the stage. Also, when they were dancing in the text it says “They leaped like deer on the moon.” and they most certainly did. After they danced, they kissed, and after they kissed, they died. In the text it says that “It was then that Diana Moon Glampers, the Handicapper General, came into the studio with a double barrelled ten-gauge shotgun. She fired twice, and the emperor and empress were dead before they hit the floor...”
When harrison enters the stage with might and power he screams “I am the emperor!” and he proceeds to remove the musicians and ballerina’s handicapping devices. He is really not the emperor, but he calls himself that because he is physically stronger than everyone else. This is an example of a metaphor because he says that he is something that we know he is really not, without using like or as.
Sometimes some people believe that equality is the best decision, and i believe that is true in certain circumstances, like for the rules in sports. But in everyday life, to me that could lead into boredom and lack of competitiveness. Like in sports, i think that all sports would cease to exist before them. And without competitiveness their would be no more joy or sadness when a team loses or no team at all. That's why I think (full blown) equality is not always the best decision.