“Harrison Bergeron”

• Genre: Fiction; dystopian science fiction
• Originally Published: 1961
• Reading Level/Interest: Lexile 830L; high school, college/adult
• Structure/Length: Approx. 6 pages; approx. 15 minutes on audio
• Protagonist and Central Conflict: The teenage protagonist, Harrison Bergeron, lives in a dystopian future United States in which equality is the highest goal, accomplished through severe means. Harrison rebels against his government, briefly takes power, and suffers the consequences.
• Potential Sensitivity Issues: Prison; guns; murder

Kurt Vonnegut, Author

• Bio: 1922-2007; born in Indianapolis, Indiana; earned chemistry degree from Cornell University; editor of Cornell’s newspaper; served in World War II and was a prisoner of war; wrote for 50+ years and published novels, short stories, plays, and nonfiction works; known for black comedy (humor in difficult topics) and satire; work is critical of war and authoritarianism, but promotes Constitutional freedoms, human kindness, and personal responsibility
• Other Works: Sirens of Titan (1959); Welcome to the Monkey House (short stories; 1968); Slaughterhouse-Five (1969); A Man Without a Country (essays; 2005)
• Awards: Guggenheim Fellowship for Creative Arts—Fiction (1967); Drama Desk Award for Outstanding New Playwright (1970; Happy Birthday, Wanda June); Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation (1973; Slaughterhouse-Five); Audie Award for Short Stories/Collections (2009; Armageddon in Retrospect); Science Fiction Hall of Fame (2015)

CENTRAL THEMES connected and noted throughout this Teaching Unit:

• State Control
• Arbitrary Justice
• Political Inaction

STUDY OBJECTIVES: In accomplishing the components of this Unit, students will:

• Develop an understanding of the concept of equality and the literary genre of satire.
• Analyze communication of the themes of State Control, Arbitrary Justice, and Political Inaction.
• Discuss and share responses regarding the ideal of equality with paired song lyrics.
• In structured essay responses, analyze and evaluate characters, plot, and literary devices used to communicate themes (State Control, Arbitrary Justice, and Political Inaction) and to discuss equality.