What’s Ironic About the Ballet in Harrison Bergeron?

Ballet

The irony of the ballet performance in Kurt Vonnegut’s Harrison Bergeron is that it illustrates the exact opposite of the message of the story. In the story, Vonnegut presents a dystopian future where everyone is forced to be equal. The government enforces this by handicapping those who are good at certain things, so that they are on an even playing field with those who are less talented.

The ballet performance in Harrison Bergeron is a prime example of this. The performance consists of seven people, all of whom have been handicapped to some degree.

One person is wearing a mask and carrying a bag of birdshot, another has headphones on and cannot hear the music, and yet another has an iron bar attached to her neck. All of these handicaps make it impossible for them to create any sort of graceful or skilled performance, instead their movements are awkward and stilted.

However, despite their handicaps, the seven performers still manage to create an exquisite piece of art that conveys emotion and beauty. This moment is ironic because it directly contradicts the message that Vonnegut is trying to convey throughout his story – that equality can only be achieved by handicapping those who are naturally more talented than others. In this moment, even with all their handicaps, these seven performers were able to create something beautiful and inspiring – something which would not have been possible if they were not allowed to use their natural talents.

What’s Ironic About the Ballet in Harrison Bergeron?

The irony in the ballet scene in Harrison Bergeron lies in how it directly contradicts the message Kurt Vonnegut was trying to convey throughout his story – that equality can only be achieved by handicapping those who are naturally more talented than others. Despite being deliberately hindered by various disabilities and handicaps, seven performers still managed to put on an exquisite piece of art that displayed beauty and emotion – something which could not have been achieved if they had been forced into complete equality with each other.

Conclusion: The irony in Harrison Bergeron’s ballet scene illustrates how true equality does not come from forcing everyone into sameness; rather it comes from allowing individuals to use their unique talents for something beautiful and inspiring together.