“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 his 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 vigHlance (voters) ‘Some things about living still weren't quite right, though. April, for instance, nalert attention, | still drove people crazy by not being springtime. And it was in that clammy watchfulness month that the H-G men took George and Hazel Bergeron’s fourteen-year-old 19son, Harrison, away. Tt was tragic, all right, but George and Hazel couldn't think about it very hard. Hazel had a perfectly average intelligence, which meant she couldnic think about anything except in shore bursts. And George, while his intelligence was way above normal, had a litele mental handicap radio in his ear. He was required | by law to wear it at all times. Ie was tuned to a government transmicter.' Every | twenty seconds oF 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. an 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 etiam weren't really very good—no better than anybody else would have been, Weraesuiceacine anyway. They were burdened with sashweights? and bags of birdshor,’ and suggest about television? )) Targeted Passage @ raw conctusions Reread lines =r. Cite specific details that describe society in 208 ‘What is your opinion of the society so far? ANALYZE VISUALS Examine the image of the television announcer and 1. transmitter: an electronic device for broadcasting rao signals. 2. sashweights: lead weights used In some kind of windows to keep them from falling shut when raised, 3, birdshot: tiny lead pellets made tobe loaded in shotgun shel TV Time Announcer (2002), Chats ser Hall: Acrylic on canvas, 16 « 2 PLOT, SETTING, AND MOOD (© Charles Foster al. 34their faces were masked, so that no one, secing a free and graceful gesture or a so 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. “Td think it would be real interesting, hearing all the different sounds,” said Hazel, a little envious. “All the things they think up.” 40 “Um,” said George. @ “Only, if 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 | 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 P'd make a good Handicapper General.” “Good as anybody else,” said George. 50 “Who knows better'n 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 i?” 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 and were holding their temples. “All of a sudden you look so tired,” said Hazel. “Why dont you stretch out on the sofa, so's you can rest your handicap bag on’the pillows, honeybunch.” a 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 litle 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 ir,” he said. “I don't notice it any more. Ir’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 lite 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: cout,” said George. “I don't call chat a bargain.” wince (wins) v.to shrink or flinch involuntarily, especially in pain @ DRAW CONCLUSIONS How does the society affect the thoughts and reactions of the people? How does it influence their job performance? @ PLOT AND CONFLICT George's thoughts reveal more about the conflict, between Harrison and the society. On the basis of what you've read so far, what behavior do you think might be viewed as abnormal and illegal?70 “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 tied to get away with it,” said George, “then other peopled get away with it—and pretty soon weld be right back to the dark ages again, with everybody competing against everybody else. You wouldnt like that, would you” “Id hate it,” said Hazel. “There you are,” said George. “The minute people start cheating on laws, what do you think happens to society?” 30 _If Hazel hadnt 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 ict 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. © @ raw conctusions The television program was suddenly interrupted for a news bulletin. It Reread lines 68-85, What wasn't clear at first as to whac the bulletin was about, since the announcer, like ious tcow’ all announcers, had a serious speech impediment.’ For about half a minute, zie aon se une ment, the announcer tried to say, “Ladies and and in a state of high ex on 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 uried 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 co 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, 1 And she had co 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— Here the rising action upside down, then sideways, upside down again, then right side up. The ee conflict between Harrison and the society? (©) Targeted Passage @ PLOT AND CONFLICT 5. speech impediment (in-pd'oonti:a physical defect that prevents a person from speaking normally 6, grackle: a blackbird witha harsh, unpleasant call HARRISON BERGERON 37TVTine 2 (2002), Chasks Foster Hal Arlicon ena, 16 (© Char Foster Mal tio picture showed the fll engch of Harrison against a background calibrated in ANALYZE VISUALS 120 Harrison looked like a w: 38 feet and inches, He was exactly seven feet tall. “The rest of Harrison's appearance was Halloween and hardware. Nobody How would you describe the figures watching television? How well do had ever born heavier handicaps. He had ourgrown hindrances faster than tepapeset ones the H-G men could think them up. Instead of a little ear radio for a mental and Hazel? handicap, he wore a tremendous pair of earphones, and spectacles with thick wavy lens . The spectacles were intended to make him not only half blind, but co 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 three hundred pounds. ‘And co offset his good looks, the H-G men required that he wear at all times a red rubber ball fora nose, keep his eyebrows shaved off, and cover his even ing junkyard. In the race of life, Harrison carried whice teeth with black caps at snaggle-tooth random. @ @ PLOT AND CONFLICT “LE you sce this boy,” said. the ballerina, “do not—I repeat, do not—try to Why has Harrison been reason with him.” so handicapped by the ‘There was the shriek of a door being torn from its hinges. ae Screams and barking cries of consternation came from the television set. consternation ‘The photograph of Harrison Bergeron on the screen jumped again and ay tw as though dancing to the tune of an earthquake. UNE AS (kén’stor-na'shen) 1. confused amazement, or fear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 GRAMMAR AND STYLE tune. “My God—" said George, “that must be Harrison! Reread line 138. Notice ‘The realization was blasted from his mind instantly by the sound of an hhow Vonnegut uses automobile collision in his head. the precise adiectives : : a clanking, lownish, and When George could open his eyes again, the photograph of Harrison was Rigs toeabes vid gone. A living, breathing Harrison filled the screen. image of Harrison's Clanking, clownish, and huge, Harrison stood in the center of the studio. @ appearance. The knob of the uprooted studio door was still in his hand. Ballerinas, wo technicians, musicians, and announcers cowered on their knees before him, cower {kou'et) to crouch expecting to die down in fear “Lam the Emperon” cried Harrison. “Do you hear? | am the Emperor! Everybody must do what I say at once shook. “Even as I stand here—" he bellowed, “crippled, hobbled, sickened—I am a Je stamped his foot and the studio greater ruler than any man who ever lived! Now watch me become what I car become!” Harrison tore the straps of his handicap harness like wee tissue paper, tore straps guaranteed to support five thousand pounds. 19. 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!” ® © Plot AND conFuict ‘A moment passed, and then a ballerina arose, swaying like a willow. Reread lines 142-18 \@ Harrison plucked the mental handicap from her ear, snapped off het Notes how Hanson views physical handicaps with marvelous delicacy. Last ofall, he removed her mask. pee ainadste ee, She was blindingly beautiful. Path ta Gone with “Now—” said Harrison, taking her hand, “shall we show the people the the government? meaning of the word dance? Music” he commanded, ‘The musicians scrambled back into their chars, and Harrison stripped them of their handicaps, too. “Play your best,” he told them, “and I'll make you Bufois Bad AU ond cake” You © targeted Passage The music began. Ie was normal at first—cheap, silly, false. But Harrison snatched two musicians from their chairs, waved them like batons as he sang vm the music as he wanted it played. He slammed them back into their chairs. The music began again and was much improved. HARRISON BERGERON — 39)Harrison and his Empress merely listened to the music for a while—listened gravely, as though synchronizing their heartbeats with it. synchronize They shifted their weights to their toes. (sing’kroniz to Harrison placed his big hands on the git!’s tiny waist letting her sense the match the timing of 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. 10 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. Tt became their obvious intention to kiss the ceiling. The sede eee And then, neutralizing gravity with love and pure will, they remained the etract oF suspended in air inches below the ceiling, and they kissed each other for a long, long time. @ {@ DRAW CONCLUSIONS Tt was then that Diana Moon Glampers, the Handicapper General, came Reread lines 177-188. What words and phrases cand | ine | indicate how the narrator | 10 into the studio with a double-barreled ten-gauge shotgun. She fired ewii the Emperor and the Empress were dead before they hit the floor. views this breaking of Diana Moon Glampers loaded the gun again. She aimed it at the musicians the laws? and told them they had ten seconds to get their handicaps back on. Te was then that the Bergerons’ television tube burned out. © @ Plot AND conFLicT Hazel curned to comment about the blackout to George. But George had Hpi he uli 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. ©) Targeted Passage “Yup,” she said. 20 “What about?” he said. “[ forget,” she said. “Something real sad on television.” “What was it?” he said. [es all kind of mixed up in my mind,” said Hazel. “Forget sad things,” said George. “[ always do,” said Hazel. “That's my girl,” said George. He winced. There was the sound of a riveting a his bead = DRAW CONCLUSIONS ;ee—I could tell that one was a doory,” said Hazel. Bia decergtand eae “You can say that again,” said George. at th wis thelr a0 “Gee— said Hazel, “I could tell that one was a doozy.”0% © son's death? 1 riveting (fiv-ting) gun: a power tool used to hammer bolts (called rivets) that are used in construction work and manufacturing to fasten metal beams or plates together. 400 unr: LOT, SETTING, AND MooDComprehension 1. Recall Why does the government handicap George but not Hazel? 2. Recall Why is the government looking for Harrison? 3. Recall What does the Handicapper General do to Harrison? 4, Clarify Why don't Harrison's parents respond with more feeling to what they have seen? Literary Analysis 5. Analyze Plot and Conflict Summarize the main conflict in “Harrison Bergeron.” How is this conflict resolved? 6. Recognize Climax Recall that the climax, or turning point, is the high point of interest and tension in a story. What is the climax of this story? 7. Draw Conclusions Look back at the chart you created as you read. What overall conclusions can you draw about the society depicted in the story? Consider how people must function and what has become “normal.” 8. Interpret Theme What is Vonnegut saying about improving society by making everyone average? Support your opinion with evidence from the story. 9. Evaluate Would society have been better off if Harrison, instead of Diana ‘Moon Glampers, had been in charge? Using a chart like the one shown, predict the effects of Harrison’s becoming emperor. Harrison becomes | emperor. 10. Synthesize Think about the criticisms of society made in “Harrison Bergeron.” What aspects of today's society seem open to Vonnegut's criticisms? Literary Criticism Nl. Critical Interpretation One critic has argued that Vonnegut portrays television as “a kind of desensitizing, numbing, and clearly thought-stifling, rather than thought-provoking, medium” that is partly responsible for the state of society. Do you agree or disagree that television is partly to blame for the society portrayed in the story? Support your opinion. HARRISON BERGERON 47 SLL a EInEnIEIInIRIIAInINR RR eeemeeetlVocabulary in Context VOCABULARY PRACTICE Write the letter of the word that is most different in meaning from the others. 1. (a) vigilance, (b) attention, (c) alertness, (d) laziness 2. (a) grin, (b) flinch, (c) wince, (d) shrink 3. (a) joy, (b) consternation, (c) happiness, (d) elation 4, (a) tower, (b) crouch, (¢) cower, (d) cringe 5. (a) time, (b) synchronize, (c) set, (d) separate 6. (a) neutralize, (b) worsen, (lessen, (d) decrease VOCABULARY IN WRITING Using three or more vocabulary words, describe a situation in which you were fearful asa child. Here is an example of how you could start: I would. der the bedeovers at night as. [erate eee VOCABULARY STRATEGY: THE GREEK ROOT syn ‘The vocabulary word synchronize contains the Greek word root syn, which means “together” or “similar.” This root is found in a number of English words. ‘To understand the meaning of words with syn, use context clues as well as your knowledge of the root. synthesize syndrome synonym synchronize syndicate PRACTICE Write the word from the word web that best completes each sentence. Use context clues to help you or, if necessary, consult a dictionary. 1A is a group of symptoms that together indicate a disease. lar meat 2A is a word that has the same ora si 3A is a company that is made up of different parts, such as a newspaper, a magazine, and a TV network. 4, Swimmers often their movements in an underwater ballet. 5. To something is to combine separate elements to form a whole. 42° untrt: PLor, SETTING, AND MooD 1g to another word. worp ust consternation neutralize synchronize vigilance vocasutary RACTICE For more practice, go to the Vocabulary Center at ClassZone.com.Reading-Writing Connection Increase your understanding of “Harrison Bergeron” by responding to these Prompts. Then use Revision: Grammar and Style to improve your writing, A. Short Response: Describe Plot and Conflict A successful blurb will Imagine that a film version of Harrison Bergeron” is + clearly identity the main being released and you have been assigned to write a characters and the conflict blurb, or brief description, for a local newspaper. Inone + create suspense about the or two paragraphs, describe the plot and conflict in a ‘outcome but not give away way that makes people want to see the movie. i Sty EOS B. Extended Response: Interpret Theme An effective response will... What social tendencies is Vonnegut warning against + give examples of problems in "Harrison Bergeron"? In three to five paragraphs, created by Vonnegut’s analyze the flaws of the society he depicts and discuss pitlonal society what he seems to be recommending. + apply the story to real society REVISION: GRAMMAR AND STYLE USE PRECISE LANGUAGE Review the Grammar and Style note on page 39. Vonnegut creates effective images, such as the image of Harrison in the TV studio, by using precise adjectives. When describing people, places, and events in your own writing, choose adjectives that allow readers to easily visualize them. Avoid using such adjectives as good and nice, which are too general to give readers a true sense of what is described. Here are two examples of Vonnegut’s use of precise adjectives: She must have been extraordinarily beautiful, because the mask she wore was hideous. (lines 95-96) Her voice was a warm, luminous, timeless melody. (line 101) Notice how the revisions in red make this first draft more descriptive. Revise your responses to the prompts by using more precise adjectives. waiting ae Toous iS ciicutt smarter stronger, and more attracte for prewriting revision, Harsson Bergeron has a big problem. He’ bees than everyone else, and the Ri witten conte government says thats ba ClassZone.com. eee ett HARRISON BERGERON 43