Literature teaches about the importance of freedom.
Discuss the statement with close reference to the text.
[12 marks]
The loss of freedom that is highlighted in Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.’s short story, Harrison Bergeron teaches readers about the importance of freedom. The freedom to think is among the ones that is lost by the people in the story. George whose intelligence is ‘way above normal’ is required by the law to wear a ‘little mental handicap radio’ that sends out sharp noises every 20 seconds. This is to prevent him from having deeper thoughts. The law applies to others with high intelligence too, thus creating a nation of people who do not think. When the freedom to think critically is taken away, the society regresses, thus proving how…show more content… Despite the fact that the bags of birdshot tires him, George does not intend to lighten them because for every ball he takes out, the punishment that awaits is ‘two years in prison and two thousand dollars fine’. The heavy penalty limits George from being as energetic as he could be, thus decreasing his productivity level. This shows why the freedom to be individuals should never be violated as it is an act of injustice.
Apart from that, the freedom of privacy is also invaded. The fear instilled in George such that he dares not to lighten the ‘bags of birdshot’ even in his own house gives the impression that the government is on the lookout for those who go against their law. This creates a depressing life. The happening shows how important the freedom of privacy is. Moreover, the freedom to embrace beauty is also taken away from the people by the authoritarian government. The ballerinas’ pretty faces are ‘masked’ to prevent others who do not possess such trait from feeling like ‘something the cat drug in’. This breach of freedom degrades the value of life and makes it very dull. The significance of maintaining the freedom to appreciate the gifts of life is well pointed