Describe the state of American society as shown by Vonnegut. Are there positive aspects of this society? What is society lacking?

In the American sociey of Kurt Vonnegut's "Harrison Bergeron," "everyone is finally equal." But this equality has come at a price. People haven't been made equal in terms of rights or opportunities, rather, they have been forced to meet at the lowest common denominator of this America. No one is allowed to be smarter, more athletic, or even prettier than anyone else.

This society also seems to be under an iron-fisted authoritarian government. The people...

In the American sociey of Kurt Vonnegut's "Harrison Bergeron," "everyone is finally equal." But this equality has come at a price. People haven't been made equal in terms of rights or opportunities, rather, they have been forced to meet at the lowest common denominator of this America. No one is allowed to be smarter, more athletic, or even prettier than anyone else.

This society also seems to be under an iron-fisted authoritarian government. The people live under "the unceasing vigilance of the agents of the United States Handicapper." The ending of the story in which Harrison and a ballerina dance beautifully on televison only to be shot by the handicapper general herself also indicates authoritarianism.

While the desire for equality is usually seen as something positive, in this case, this desire for equality comes at the expense of those who might help the world progress. Characters like Harrison and his father George must wear "handicaps" that disrupt their thoughts and weigh them down. The beautiful ballerina who reads the news report about Harrison wore a "hideoous" mask and handicap bags "as big as those worn by two-hundred-pound men" and had to change her voice from a "warm, luminous, timeless melody" to a "grackle squawk" in order to keep viewers from feeling bad about themselves.

In this society, excellence is lacking. For example, the ballerina who decided to dance with Harrison was "blindingly beautiful" and danced with "an explosion of joy and grace." In addition, George, whose "intelligence was way above normal," could not use this intelligence in any way to improve his life or the lives of those around him.