The main theme captured in Chapter 6 is “Equality.” In the story, which was set in the year 2081, rules have made everyone in depth and completely equal. All equality was because of the Amendments to the constitution, and also to the constant alertness of the representatives of the US Handicapper General. In this story, equality is a part of slave morality. Weak individuals uphold justice as “perfect” and ethical since they want to get rid of the privileged positions of the powerful in the society. This paper will assess the basis of Equality as a theme in this chapter, and its impact on the characters life.

In case one person starts to look unequal compared to any other, then the inequality is curved swiftly. For instance, individuals that are smarter in comparison to others are made to wear devices which impede their capability of using their intelligence to compete as well as doing things better than others. George was forced to wear a little mental disability radio device in his ear, after every 20 seconds, the transmitter would then send some sharp noise to ensure individuals like George don’t take unfair superiority of their intelligence. The government utilizes a handicapper General to enforce the law that all such gifted individuals never throw off their equalizing weights and radios. Since nobody is permitted to be superior to the other in any way, individuals are thoroughly equal, though society is characterized by conformity, mediocrity, and drabness (A Study Guide to Kurt Vonnegut’s “Harrison Bergeron.”). The beautiful are forced to wear a hideous mask to disfigure them, to be equal with the average individuals in the society, this is evident with the ballerina who was extraordinarily beautiful. In the chapter, the ballerina who was reading the bulletin is said to be strongest since she has and most graceful among the dancers, because of the handicap bags she had, which was as big as those worn by 200-pound men. The weights are used to tie her down physically so that she is weakened and made equal to other dancers. Harrison also is naturally gifted with intellect and natural gift, so he is made equal to others through forced to wear radio devices which pump noise into his ears, hence, disrupting his thinking.

The zealous pursuit of equality in this chapter has robbed society of creativity, excellence, genius, and the noble achievements. Anyone with such intelligence talent is penalized through handicap device, hence, talent is wasted. Equality is used as a basis for attacking those that would apply their talents to become intellectually dominant or strong. The drive for equality implies that the handicapper General enforces laws preventing anyone from rising above the “normal” level. Equality is also revealed as being a personal-serving position; equality isn’t a neutral concept but instead is a concept, which harms some while favoring others. Those characters that wouldn’t be able to effectively compete with the extraordinarily beautiful and strong ballerina, reading the bulletin, are safeguarded from having to do so by her mask and handicap bags. She is harmed in the interest of the other dancers’ well-being (Kennedy and Gioia).

There is an essence of corrupt equality in this chapter if ever the handicap rule is broken, the Handicapper General that wears no handicap device at all and carries short gun hunts down the guilty person and kills him. Diana Moon Glampers, who was is the Handicapper General, came into the studio carrying a double-barreled ten-gauge short-gun. She then fired twice, and the Empress and the Emperor were dead before hitting the floor, because the Emperor, “Harrison” had removed the mental handicap from the empress ear, plucked off her physical handicaps with great delicacy, and eventually removed her mask to reveal her outspoken beauty. According to the law, this was an offense. Hence, the Handicapper General seek them and executed them promptly without arrest or plead. This corrupt equality by the author is created on a characteristic basis and can only be conducted through force. The forced equality is questioned severally by the handicapped but fails. Harrison tries to break the chains of forced inequality in the society. The author writes, “He tore the straps of his disable harness like wet tissue paper, tore straps which guaranteed to support 5000 pounds” (Vonnegut Jr.). With the handicap which prohibits anyone from being equal, there is no competition allowed, hence no improvements in life due to lack of competition. Harrison gets killed while trying to question forced equality.

Conclusion

Pursue to equality brings pain to the characters in this chapter, the noise in the air which interfered with their thoughts, George looks tired and worn out, he has to carry the bag with him every single day, the author through this chapter suggests that equality should not be on the basis of individuals’ features like beauty, strength, and intelligence, since it alters God’s plan for humanity. Equality should be by rights rather than ones’ physical attributes.