Literary Terms in Harrison Bergeron

• Engels
• Middelbare school
• havo
• Leerjaar 4

Literary Terms in Harrison Bergeron

Understanding Theme, Foreshadowing, Irony, and Symbolism in Dystopian Literature

Introduction to Harrison Bergeron

Author: Kurt Vonnegut

Published: 1961

Genre: Dystopian short story, satire

Setting: The year 2081, in a society where the government enforces total equality through handicaps.

What would a world look like where everyone is truly equal? Would that be good or bad?

Is this fair? What would be a better solution?

Themes in Harrison Bergeron

Definition: In literature, a theme is the main idea or message of a story. It’s what the author wants to share with readers, often dealing with important topics or truths about people, society, or life in general.

Theme: The Dangers of Enforced Equality

The government handicaps those who are intelligent, beautiful, or strong to prevent feelings of inferiority. This forced equality limits potential and freedom, critiquing authoritarian control and the tension between individuality and conformity.

Example from the Text:

"Nobody was smarter than anybody else. Nobody was better looking than anybody else. Nobody was stronger or quicker than anybody else."

This theme shows that total equality results in oppression, not fairness.

Is absolute equality possible or desirable?

Foreshadowing in Harrison Bergeron

Definition of Foreshadowing

Foreshadowing is when an author gives hints about future events in the story. It builds suspense and helps the reader anticipate what might happen.

First Line of the Story:

"The year was 2081, and everybody was finally equal."

This suggests that equality was forced, not naturally achieved.

Read the first paragraph of Harrison Bergeron and make a prediction about what you think will happen in the story.

Irony in Harrison Bergeron

Definition of Irony

Irony is when the opposite of what is expected happens.

Types of Irony in the Story:

Situational Irony:

The government enforces equality to create a better society, but instead, it makes people miserable.

Example: George and Hazel don’t react emotionally to their son’s death because they’ve been conditioned to accept oppression.

Symbolism in Harrison Bergeron

Definition of Symbolism

Symbolism is when an object, character, or event represents a deeper meaning.

Key Symbols in the Story:

Harrison Bergeron → Rebellion & Individuality

He represents human potential and freedom.

His death shows how society destroys those who challenge oppression.

Handicaps → Government Oppression

They suppress intelligence, beauty, and strength to maintain control.

Instead of protecting people, they dehumanize them.

Discussion & Conclusion

Recap of Literary Terms in the story:

✅ Theme  → The dangers of enforced equality

✅ Foreshadowing → Hints of government control

✅ Irony → Equality leads to oppression

✅ Symbolism → Harrison represents rebellion

You will analyze yourreading books to identify examples of foreshadowing, irony, theme, and symbolism and write them in your book journal.

Write the following down in your book journal as prep for your speaking test