Characters
What were the handicaps used for in the short story "Harrison Bergeron"?
What is to make everyone exactly equal?
Hazel Harrison had a passing resemblance to Diana Moon Glampers. What does resemblance mean?
To look like something or someone
What does Harrison do the moment he enters the ballet studio?
He rips off all of his handicaps
Which interpretation best accounts for both Harrison’s removal of his restrictions and his declaration that he is emperor?
He defies government control but also presents himself as a ruler.
George had vague notions of his son before his mental handicap radio went off loudly in his ear. What does vague mean?
not clearly expressed, known, or understood
What event foreshadows Harrison's disruption of the ballet broadcast?
The announcement reports Harrison’s escape and identifies him as a threat.
What changes allowed everyone to be made equal?
What are the 211th, 212th, and 213th amendments to the Constitution?
Cries of consternation could be heard on the TV set and Harrison chaotically entered the studio. What does consternation mean?
a feeling of sudden shock, anxiety, or dismay
What happened to Harrison and the ballerina near the end?
What is shot during a dance?
Where was Harrison sent at just 14 years old? Why?
Jail, because of his abilities.
List three handicaps seen in "Harrison Bergeron". Which ability do they neutralize?
What are Headphones for intelligence, masks for beauty, and weights for strength.
Thanks to the unceasing vigilance of the Handicapper General, the US remained unceasingly equal. What does vigilance mean?
the state of closely watching out for danger
What is the main conflict of Harrison Bergeron (type AND explain)
Person vs. Society; Harrison is taken away and handicaps are used against the people so they do not have to be a threat to society.
Why does George refuse to lighten his weights, even for a second?
George believes government restrictions help preserve social order.
Harrison and his parents live in this type of society.
What is a dystopian society
Name two examples of people in the text who exist without handicaps. Explain why for both.
Hazel. Her lack of handicaps are because she is "perfectly average" and the Handicapper General Diana Moon Glampers, who uses her sharpshooter skills for the government.
Harrison's physical handicaps were not symmetrical like everyone else's. What does symmetry mean?
One side, part, or half of a thing is the mirror image of the other side, part, or half