Propaganda is used to control the natives of society – television is utilized for propaganda and is a part of the story. At the point when Harrison endeavors to conflict with what the state is appearing on television he is shot.
Information, independent idea, and opportunity are limited – the use of ‘handicaps’ confine individual opportunity and free idea (constant sound, substantial weights, veils and so on). Information is confined to what the General needs to be circulated on the television.
A figurehead or idea is worshipped by the natives of the general public – The Handicapper General holds all the power thus she should be regarded despite the fact that there is no sign of worship.
Residents are seen to be under steady observation –
Citizens live in a dehumanized state – by nationals incapacitate they are being dehumanized.
The common world is ousted and doubted – The murdering of Harrison breaking free from the standards of his general public to resemble the ordinary society demonstrates the natural world is distrusted.
Citizens conform to uniform expectations. Individuality and dissent are bad – The murdering of Harrison demonstrates what happens when the natives don’t accommodate.
The society is an illusion of a perfect utopian world – it is just a dream of an ideal world as the residents are frantically miserable and the entire framework is out of line.
The government does this in order to help people become more equal and to create a ‘perfect world’ where no one is clever than anyone else, or prettier or stronger. By constantly having noise in their ears the clever people in society would not be able to concentrate to use their abilities to the full, the pretty people wearing hideous masks meant that no one would ever feel jealousy towards them. These handicaps were taken even further by the masks being more hideous the prettier someone was or the weights round their necks made heavier the stronger they were. This meant that people who were most able in ‘normal society’ were a much less able version of themselves in a Dystopian World.
Diana was afraid of of Harrison breaking free of his handicaps for a number of reasons. Firstly, he was incredibly, physically, strong and without his handicaps he could potentially cause a lot of damage and out run anyone who tried to catch him. Secondly, by ridding himself of his handicaps so easily in public view she would be worried that other people would follow his example and do the same. Finally, she would be panicked that the order of the ‘equal’ society is not in tact if someone is without their handicaps.
The killing of Harrison was significant as it showed the other people in the society that going against the rules/laws would not be tolerated. Harrison had to die so that the order of the society could remain the same. He had to die so that chaos did not follow his ridding himself of his own handicaps, without a consequence for his actions others may have tried to do the same and therefore cause chaos and attempt to overthrow the regime.
This conversation is important in the story as it indicates that there are a lot of sad things to forget and so by having only a small short term memory Hazel is lucky as she doesn’t have the ability to remember anything that has just happened – for example, the death of her son.
Harrison Bergeron did commit a heroic act by going against the rules of society, however the act could also be perceived as foolish as there was only ever going to be a negative outcome for him doing what he did. Harrison tried to free society by encouraging others to rise up against the system on a public stage (the television) but the time he had to do this was too short and resulted in his quick death. Some may consider he died heroically whilst others may think he died in vain for something that was never going to be successful.
On the off chance that I were Harrison in the very same circumstance, I would have chosen to save other individuals. Since Harrison must be more quick witted than whatever remains of the general population in the story due to the crazy number of impairments he wears, I figure I would have invested energy preceding evading figuring out how to free other individuals of their impediment and overwhelming the administration, particularly the Handicapper General, Diana Moon Glampers. Instead of going on national TV to discover a sovereign, I would have gotten away underground and discovered others to encourage me or I would have figured out how to get the weapons/warriors/etceteras to help me really topple the legislature. I would have attempted to discover approaches to enable individuals to praise their novel gifts while additionally figuring out how to ensure that individuals aren’t oppressed so society could be reasonable for all individuals and still rich with culture and art and things of beauty.
As the story is told, Harrison and the ruler were murdered by Glampers, and as a result of the impairments, no one even knows it occurred, even his parents, and it occurs on live TV! It is extremely unlikely an upset could be begun if there aren’t individuals to prop the battle up. It bodes well to oust the administration first and after that discover somebody to hit the dance floor with.
For me, I would need to use the talents I was gifted to encourage other individuals, and, since the story appears to wants the reader to consider how imperative uniqueness is, I figure I would need my story to be one that grasped my abilities and qualities in a way that would truly encourage other individuals.