Harrison Bergeron by Kurt Vonnegut Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Harrison Bergeron by Kurt Vonnegut - Essay Example It appears that in a world where no superficial handicaps were added, Hazel would have had less-than-average intelligence, which was the reference point for other people’s abilities in the current world. She cannot think about things for long periods of time and seems to lack any ambitions concerning her future; therefore, she is not a threat to the powers that be. They do not have to worry about her because her mental abilities would not be a potential threat to the status quo as seen through her assertions. On the bottom paragraph of page 1, Hazel talks about how envious she is of her husband who gets to hear all this different sounds, and even suggests that she would have used chimes on Sunday to respect religion. Such sentiments would only come from a person whose mental abilities are highly wanting; she even confessed that she has no idea what normal means. George is highly burdened by his handicaps because they cause severe exhaustion and unusual vigilance on his part; if he lets go of these handicaps or even lightens the load, he might face the possibility of imprisonment or huge monetary fines. In an effort to make everyone mentally equal, the authorities have had to impose undue burden on the physical aspects of average and above average intelligent people. George has to carry the handicaps everywhere he goes even when he wants to sleep, yet people like Hazel bear no such burden. In essence, true equality has not been achieved because one segment of society; that is, the majority, has to live life with heavy loads, constant surveillance and intrusive noises while another section does not. The author describes Harrison as something akin to the god â€Å"Thor†; he is physical fit, tall and quite handsome; one can deduce this from the excess handicaps placed on him as well as the other artificial deformities that disguise his physical

Sonnet Poetry Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Sonnet Poetry - Essay Example The poem has fourteen rhymed lines. Each of the lines consists of ten syllables. Per se, this is the basic form of the sonnet. It also has a variety of rhymes that count to seven pair’s altogether (Raymond & Alden). The poem is printed as an unbroken fourteen-liner rather than two sections of the eight lines and six lines. However, it is still possible to observe an octave and a sestet in the poem with a definite turn between them. The main introductory word between them is the word ‘but’. Sonnet 18 follows the structure of many English poems where it is divided lines of roughly ten syllables with five stresses (Raymond & Alden). The sonnet is also written in iambic form. It is observable that there are lines of poetry that repeatedly use an unstressed syllable followed by a stressed syllable. Shakespeare utilized rhythm in his works. The rhythm often conditions the manner in which the reader reads the poem. Per se, it also shapes the meaning within which, a reader deduces from the poem. Sonnet 18 has three ways it can be red, an octave, a sestet and also a three quatrains. Three quatrains mean three units of four lines followed by a closing couplet of two rhymed lines (Raymond & Alden). Sonnet 18 makes an immediate comparison between the poet’s friend and the beauty of a summer’s day. The poet uses the simile technique of comparing items. There are other lines that make use of metaphor to bring out the meaning such s line five. In line five, the sun becomes the eye of heaven (Raymond & Alden). The metaphor is also extended to line six where the sun becomes a human face with a good complexion. He also talks about summer and says that it is not going to fade away. ‘But thy eternal summer shall not fade. Comparing summer with youth is a perfect method of depicting optimism. It should be noted that winter is considered as a bad weather in which the sky is bleak; the wind is cold while summers are its