“Harrison Bergeron” Reading Response Prompts
Identify the particular social or political attitude the author wishes to modify then analyze the techniques the author uses to influence the readers’ views.
Choose a character from the story and write an essay in which you (a) briefly describe the standards within the fictional society where the character exists and (b) show how the character is affected by and responds to those standards.
The United States has often been called the land of opportunity. This suggests that individuals are free to pursue their dreams to the best of their abilities, which may differ greatly. At the same time, our Declaration of Independence states that all people are created equal. How does Vonnegut use characterization and word choice to warn his readers of the potential drawbacks of a truly “equal” society?
How does “Harrison Bergeron” convey the conflict between the needs or ideals of society and the realities of individuals?
At the end of “Harrison Bergeron,” Harrison, a fourteen-year-old boy who has mysteriously disappeared, suddenly shows up in a TV studio screaming, “am the Emperor. Do you hear? am the Emperor.” Do you think Harrison is a hero or a danger to his society?
