What would really happen if everyone was forced to be equal? Kurt Vonnegut imagined the fatal outcome in his masterpiece “Harrison Bergeron.” The story illustrates “what would happen if a government or other power took this notion seriously” (Mowery). The protagonist, Harrison, arrested for "exuberant individuality", escapes from prison and goes on national television to declare himself emperor, only to be killed by the disabled General Diane Moon. In “Harrison Bergeron,” Kurt Vonnegut satirizes the movement toward egalitarianism and the effect of television on people. Egalitarianism can be absurd and harmful to American society. In the story, heavy weights are placed on strong people and grotesque masks are put on attractive women. Additionally, many other people with above-average intelligence often listen to loud noises that prevent them from completing a thought (5-7). Harrison's father, George, likens the noises to "someone hitting a milk bottle with a ball peen hammer." Arizona State's Darryl Hattenhauer proposes that "the story satirizes the American definition of liberty as the greatest good for the fewest." Unfortunately, the sacrifice of the individual for the good of society does not improve the conditions of above-average, average, or inferior people (Alvarez). Joseph Alvarez suggests that "the result of [the] power vacuum [is] a ruthless central government created by legislative controls over people's lives, which have become as meaningless as if they were machines." Additionally, the American Dream describes as social and economic advancement through hard work and education; turn into a nightmare (Hattenhauer). For example, Kurt Vonnegut deduces that the ballerina who reads an...... in the middle of a paper ......rison Bergeron. Discovery of the collection on Student Resource Center. Gale Group. Heritage HS, Conyers, GA. February 20, 2011 Mowery, Carl. “Preview of Harrison Bergeron.” Discovery of the collection on Student ResourceCenter. Gale Group. Heritage HS, Conyers, GA. February 13, 2011 Schatt, Stanley. Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. Boston: Twayne publishes 1976. “Themes and Construction: Harrison Bergeron.” Discovery of the collection on Student ResourceCenter. Gale Group. Heritage HS, Conyers, GA. January 30, 2011Vonnegut, Kurt. Harrison Bergeron. Fantasy and Science Fiction Magazine 1961 5-10Wood, Karen and Charles Wood. “The Vonnegut Effect: Science Fiction and Beyond.” » Discovery collection on the student resource center. Gale Group. HS Heritage. Conyers, Georgia. January 30, 2011.< http://www.galenet.com.>