Harrison Bergerron

PART A: Which statement best expresses the theme of this short story?

• Attempting to achieve complete equality will only result in widespread dissatisfaction and lack of creativity.

• The government should encourage everyone to hide their differences in order to have a more peaceful and equal society.

• Forcing uniformity on people doesn't result in equality, but rather causes conflict and unhappiness

• People don't realize how important individuality is until they have what makes them different taken away.

PART B: Which detail from the text best supports the answer to Part A?

• “All this 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.” (Paragraph 1)

• “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.” (Paragraph 10)

• “And she had to 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.” (Paragraph 41)

• “‘Even as I stand here’ he bellowed, ‘crippled, hobbled, sickened — I am a greater ruler than any man who ever lived! Now watch me become what I can become!’” (Paragraph 55)

PART A: How do Harrison's actions develop the plot of the story?

• He takes off his handicaps and shows people what is possible without them, but he is ultimately shot for his actions.

• He takes off his handicaps and acts violently towards the audience, reaffirming their belief that the handicaps are good.

• He dances without his handicaps and is shot by the Handicapper General, exposing the government to the people and sparking distrust in them.

• He forces the other ballerina to take off her handicaps, showing people how quickly anti-government sentiments can spread.

PART B: Which quote from the text best supports the answer to Part A?

• “The musicians scrambled back into their chairs, and Harrison stripped them of their handicaps, too. ‘Play your best,’ he told them, ‘and I'll make you barons and dukes and earls.’” (Paragraph 65)

• “But Harrison snatched two musicians from their chairs, waved them like batons as he sang the music as he wanted it played. He slammed them back into their chairs.” (Paragraph 66)

• “And then, neutraling 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.” (Paragraph 77)

• “Diana Moon Glampers loaded the gun again. She aimed it at the musicians and told them they had ten seconds to get their handicaps back on.” (Paragraph 79)

PART A: How do the different handicaps contribute to the theme of the story?

• They show how being unique can be dangerous to yourself and the people around you.

• They emphasize how the most ordinary people are often the most valued in a society.

• They stress how the work towards achieving total equality won't be easy or pleasant.

• They illustrate how much must be done to make the most unique and talented individuals conform.

PART B: Which section from the text best supports the answer to Part A?

• “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.” (Paragraph 21)

• “he tried. That's the big thing. He tried to do the best he could with what God gave him. He should get a nice raise for trying so hard.” (Paragraph 39)

• “And it was easy to 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.” (Paragraph 40)

• “Diana Moon Glampers loaded the gun again. She aimed it at the musicians and told them they had ten seconds to get their handicaps back on.” (Paragraph 79)