Harrison Bergeron

Harrison Bergeron Write-up

This short story was comical yet in another aspect frightening to think about. Vonnegut writes a fictional story that dramatizes the concept of over criminalization. The story takes place in the year 2018. The fictional government over analyzes what is meant by “all men are created equal” and they literally make every person in the United States equal. Its quite hilarious how Vonnegut writes of the laws the government makes up like requiring those who have above average intelligence to wear mental handicap radios in their ears to prevent them from being smarter than anyone else. I think that the government today should not take advantage of their power and start making laws that are unnecessary. Laws are meant to prevent crime. The people of the United States should retain the ability to take advantage of their positive qualities or talents. I believe what is meant by “all men are created equal” is that we are all human. We are all equal under the law. We all bleed and we will all die one day. However, we do not necessarily have to hold back the knowledge or talent we possess so that no one else will think less of themselves. Kurt Vonnegut has a incredible way of expressing over criminalization. The story was enjoyable.