Kurt Vonnegut (1922 to 2007-USA) was one of the most popular post WWII novelists. He wrote such highly regarded best selling works as The Breakfast of Champions, Slaughter House Five, and Cat's Cradle. Long ago, I read all his major novels.
I was very happy to recently find a short story by Vonnegut online. "Harrison Bergeron" is a science fiction a story about the future of the USA. It is written in a very simple kind of matter of fact style. I think it could be read by and used as class room material for children 12 and above but it is by no means a children's story.
"Harrison Bergeron" is set in a future American where everyone by law is equal to every one else, not just equal in theory or in law but in fact equal. If woman has the unfair advantage of being beautiful, she must wear a bag over her head. If someone is above average in intelligence an implant is placed in their brain which can detect advanced beyond the normal processes. This implant can cause severe pain if one tries to think above the average level.
We never learn how or why this came about. We do not learn who is running things. We do know that whoever figured out how to do the brain implants was themselves using way above average intelligence in pursuit of social goals.
There is a big action scene at the end and I will not spoil it.
You can read it online here.
Mel u
This sounds like a must-read story--at least to me! Thanks for providing the link. :)
ReplyDeleteSuko-thanks as always for your comments
ReplyDeleteCharlesjsheilds-I just checked out your blog-I entered and e mail subscription and will look forward to your process on your biography on Vonnegut and would be proud to review it upon completion
KV is on my enormous list of writers to read. I'm really interested in reading Slaughterhouse Five, mostly because it is so frequently challenged, it really has my interest piqued!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the link, mel c! I'll be reading this, I love Vonnegut!
ReplyDeleteAnd also thanks for the link to your blog, charlesjshields, I'll be checking that out, too. :)
Sorry, I wasn't signed in correctly, that last comment was by me.
ReplyDeleteJourney
mummazappa-thanks very much for your visit and comments-Slaughter House Five is a great novel
ReplyDeletesondra v.-hope you enjoy the story
Cat's Cradle and Slaughterhouse five is in my radar. Heard so much about Kurt Vonnegut. Definitely must read his books one day!
ReplyDeletefantastic short story. Note the deep seeded irony and satire, and consider the seemingly apparent message of the story in regards to the political and social ideologies of Kurt Vonnegut.
ReplyDeleteMouseColored-thanks very much for your insightful comment
ReplyDelete