Use of Exaggeration

A variety of topics are explained in Harrison Bergeron’s literary review of the novel. The novel is a historical and social critique of America in general, as well as of 1960s American society. Kurt Vonnegut analyzes society’s aspirations by 2081 using a variety of stylistic and literary devices founded on the principles of liberalism and freedom for all people (Vonnegut 1). The aim of this article is to look at how the author uses exaggeration as a nugget to explain the theme to the viewer. The use of exaggeration is made vivid through the interpretation of dystopia in Harrison Bergeron. The trends in the use of psychiatric drugs and political correctness are used by the author to indicate the future of America especially if allowed to dominate the society (Vonnegut 3). The characters depict unusual traits of unthinking, passiveness, and calmness by attaining the mental state though external connection to the body instead of internal connection to the mind. For instance, the noise is used to distort George’s ability to think and the drugs that are aimed at making the modern Americans to stay peaceful and detached. In this regard, the power of exaggeration is used to explain the anticipated lesson learnt about the persons who portray lack of intelligence, passion, and creativity. This should be translated as a warning to what happens to the members of the society that rewards calmness above intelligence (Reed 20).

Also, the social conservatives versus the political correctness displayed through the recent efforts to make people equal by use of the later is an exaggeration. In this view, the author argues that, the respectful treatment of all marginalized groups may be a slippery slope (Vonnegut 5). The ability to brand all people equal regardless of their peculiar traits or abilities begets uniform treatment of people in the society and therefore no one feels superior to the other. The use of this literary device in the story has aided in the ensuring that worth is attached to every member including the weak or he ugly as the author puts it. Therefore, the strong men athletes were apparently blended with the weak female counterparts and these inconsistencies made every person beautiful and unique in their weaknesses. Furthermore, the exaggeration in the way the news reporters described Harrison mingled with too much details about him distorted his untouchable or unbeaten personality (12). This left him equal to other members of the society despite his incomparable, good looking, and admirable physique. Through this, the author portrayed a message of how Harrison wanted to overthrow the government and no one should be found dealing with him. This was meant to block by all means the political plan and dreams of Harrison as an emperor or from attaining support from other members of the society. As such, he was treated as an ordinary person as all his unique abilities were unheard from the public dominion (Reed 25).

Additionally, Kurt Vonnegut uses the power of exaggeration through television to capture the attention of his audience and relay the message intended. It’s evident that, the TV is used as a tool to rule, sedate, and terrorize the characters in Harrison Bergeron through exaggeration as a literary device. To stump his message to the masses, Vonnegut constantly uses it throughout the story in a program where George and Hazel sit in front of a TV with their cheeks wet (Vonnegut 10). The TV programs were interrupted by the bulletin of the announcement of the disappearance of Harrison from prison. This was exaggerated especially in the manner in which he was described and the appearance of his picture on the screen, as the author says, A police photograph of Harrison Bergeron was flashed on the screen-upside down, then sideways, upside down again, then right side up (23). The picture also indicated the good looks of Harrison mutilated and his strength dissipated. This is a method used by the government to send a warning to the individuals who do not obey the law and consequently intimidate the viewers. The shooting of Harrison by Diana Moon Glampers terrorizes the citizens and sends signals of life execution for whoever will disobey the laws of land (Reed 26).

Finally, the aspect of reality and awful behavior such as torture and murder were coated in the noise as an exaggeration in Harrison Bergeron. This is evidently shown by the nature of interruptions linked with distortion of reality of death and execution of Harrison. The author uses music, dancers, and a number of noise elements to divert the attention of George from heavy laden of the execution of his son. For instance, when he thinks about his son, he is gets interrupted by violent noise of 21 guns firing, loud music, and dancers moving in circles. This was described as, “a handicap signal,” by the author as Harrison is finally murdered by a sound of a riveting gun as the final noise heard by George (Vonnegut 41).

Work Cited

Reed, Benjamin. ”Technologies of Instant Amnesia: Teaching Kurt Vonnegut’s“ Harrison Bergeron” to the Millennial Generation.“ Teaching American Literature 8.1 (2015).

Vonnegut, Kurt. Harrison Bergeron. Mercury Press, 1961.