The Nonconformists - of Harrison Bergeron

In Kurt Vonnegut’s Harrison Bergeron, a fictional couple living in a future where all have at last been made equal cope with the loss of their son Harrison to the authorities. Harrison has been carried away, probably for disagreeing with the very idea of equality which has him blinded and deafened by goggles and headphones, and wearing a tremendous weight against his physical strength.

In the story, Harrison’s parents watch as he takes over the television studio and openly defies these laws of (handicapped) equality, breaking his ugly chains to emerge handsome and graceful. Freeing a similarly overburdened ballerina and taking her as his dance partner, Harrison dances a beautiful dance before both are shot dead by the Handicapper General.

The style of writing chosen by the author of this piece is particularly striking. Vonnegut uses very dramatic expressions to describe the circumstances of the story’s protagonists, such as “She was referring to the forty-seven pounds of birdshot in a canvas bag, which was padlocked around George’s neck.” Later, the author is even more forceful when describing the condition of George’s son, “In the race of life, Harrison carried three hundred pounds.” At the story’s climax, the author continues his use of impossible extremes, with “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.”

The emotional impact of the piece derives from a juxtaposition between this vivid literary expressionism and the dull, anti-climatic dissonance of the story’s ending: Harrison and his dancing girl are shot dead while his parents watch on the television, but mental handicaps prevent them from fully retaining what has taken place. Brushing the incident off completely, their conversation ends with “‘Forget sad things,’ said George. ‘I always do,’ said Hazel”.

At first glance, this is an uncomplicated satire set in a future where the forces of conformity have won beyond redemption. As such, it is only slightly disturbing emotionally in that it is very far-fetched. The too-vivid imagery of the story however makes it hard to dismiss immediately, leading one to speculate on whether this absurd notion, that we are all the same and must all wait until the last idiot in line can also add 1 and 2 before anyone is taught to multiply, is not more common in the present day than at first realized. Perhaps Vonnegut saw No Child Left Behind in our future?