Refer to Explorations in Literature for a complete version of this story.

Part A

What is a major theme of “Harrison Bergeron”?

Close-minded people are a threat to beauty, individuality, and self-expression.

Total equality is a good goal for society.

People of average intelligence should allow themselves to be ruled by others.

Technology effectively allows citizens to observe what their government does.

Part B

Which evidence from the text best supports the answer in Part A?

When Harrison appears on the TV screen, he shouts, “Do you hear? I am the Emperor!”

The text describes how Diana Moon Glampers “fired twice, and the Emperor and the Empress were dead….”

The government uses television as a tool, as shown when the program Hazel and George watch is “suddenly interrupted for a news bulletin” about Harrison’s escape.

The story begins by stating that “everyone was finally equal” and describes how hard the government works to create a totally equal society.

A major theme of " Harrison Bergeron" is Technology effectively allows citizens to observe what their government does. TV is on during the whole story. The government keeps people under control through TV.

This evidence from the text best supports the answer in Part A is in this point: The text describes how Diana Moon Glampers “fired twice, and the Emperor and the Empress were dead….” Diana Moon Glampers was one member of the government; she was the Handicapper General. She was in charge of checking the laws were respected. She fired twice to kill the Emperor, Harrison , and the Empress, a ballerina. Harrison had escaped from prison and broken into the TV studio. He rebelled against the law by pretending to be an Emperor and he took one of the ballerinas from the TV show and called her his Empress. Diana Moon Glampers' violent intervention showed effectively to the citizens what the government did.