The central
conflict of "" is man versus society. In this story, Vonnegut invents a society in
which egalitarian ideals have been taken to such an extreme, that they have actually turned
oppressive. "Harrison Bergeron" tells a story of willful defiance against the social
order.
Its , Harrison Bergeron, is a young teenager of extraordinary ability,
in a society that makes a policy of repressing all forms of human excellence. Anyone with above
average intelligence, strength, beauty, etc. is handicapped, so as to force mediocrity upon
them.
This story is told from the perspective of Harrison's parents, who are
watching a television production of ballet (or rather, a mockery of ballet, given that all the
dancers have been handicapped). Harrison breaks into the television studio, and, in willful
rebellion against the State, breaks his handicaps, and breaks the handicaps of one of the
ballerinas, as well as those of the musicians. Then, free of these handicaps, they...
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