Harrison BergeronImagine a world where an oppressive government captures what many call diversity. Where ugliness is known as beauty and intelligence is insignificant. “They were not only equal before God and the law. They were equal in every way. No one was smarter than anyone else. No one was more beautiful than anyone else. No one was stronger or faster than anyone else. (Vonnegut) This is the future that Harrison experiences, in the short story “Harrison Bergeron” by Kurt Vonnegut. It's 2081 and the government is handicapping every citizen with makeup or weight to create equality. Where there are over 200 amendments and the government has complete control over all citizens, it actually goes against what America was built on. Harrison Bergeron discusses civil rights and how a government became communist. Freedom of independent thought, freedom of expression and the diversity of the people have been taken into account by this new government. The government has no right to take away people's freedom of speech, thought or diversity for any reason. Free thinking is what allows humans to surpass others and create unique ideas. Without free thought, people would be brain-dead zombies who listen to anyone, even an oppressive government. “…foolishly repeating his comment that 'that one was an idiot'” (Gale), is what a person without free thought becomes. A stupid, easy-to-control citizen who forgets all his thoughts in a matter of minutes is the future most average men and women must hope for in this short story. In the story, Harrison's father, George, is forced to wear a machine that was developed to scramble the brains of those who think too much. The government not only takes away free thought from...... middle of paper ...... RT Vonnegut points out the dangers of a communist government in his short story and urges people to consider the possibility. the future and carefully decide the fate of their new government. Works Cited Farrell, Susan. "'Harrison Bergeron'." Critical Companion to Kurt Vonnegut: a literary reference to his life and work, Critical Companion. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2008. Bloom's Literary Reference Online. Facts on File, Inc. March 9, 2010. http://www.fofweb.com Reed, Peter J. “Harrison Bergeron.” Literary reference center. Ebsco Host, 1961. web. February and March 2010. “Themes and construction: “Harrison Bergeron”. » EXPLORE short stories. Detroit: Gale, 2003. Discovery Collection. Gale of wind. Cherokee High School - New Jersey. February 9, 2010Vonnegut, Kurt. Harrison Bergeron. New York: Mercury, 1961. Print.