Question

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

Part A

What is a major theme of “Harrison Bergeron”?


Everyone should be totally identical in every way.


The average person in modern society is not very smart.


Certain restrictions on personal freedoms are necessary.


Technology can be used to control people.

Part B

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


The start of the story emphasizes the fact that “everybody was finally equal.”


Vonnegut writes that Hazel’s intelligence was average, “which meant she couldn’t think about anything except in short bursts.”


Transmitters are used “to keep people like George [Harrison's father] from taking unfair advantage of their brains.”

Harrison behaves violently when he snatches up two musicians and them slams them back into their chairs.

Answer 1

Answer: Part A - D Technology can be used to control people

Part B - C Transmitters are used to keep people like George from taking unfair advantage of their brains

Step-by-step explanation:

Answer 2

A major theme of "Harrison Bergeron" is that technology can be used to control people.

The evidence from the text that best supports the idea that technology can be used to control people is that transmitters are used to keep people from taking unfair advantage of their brains. In this way, technology is controlling people from thinking.