Harrison Bergeron Appearances Quotes

How we cite our quotes: (Paragraph)

Quote #1

On the television screen were ballerinas. (5)

Kudos to Vonnegut for this simple, deceptive line. The first thing you think of is a graceful ballet. Maybe a lot of ivory satin, feathers, and tulle. It's not until a few lines later that you realize the ballerinas are also handicapped with masks, weights, and ear radios. The Nutcracker Suite this ain't.

Quote #2

"That was a real pretty dance, the dance they just did" (7)

We guess beauty really is in the eye of the beholder. Seeing a bunch of lumbering ballerinas stumble over themselves might be entertaining in a Bad Girls Club train wreck sort of way, but we would never call it "real pretty." Hazel doesn't have a choice to watch anything better, and she might never have seen anything better in her lifetime. Do we give her credit for making the best of a bad situation?

Quote #3

Hazel, as a matter of fact, bore a strong resemblance to the Handicapper General. (16)

Since Hazel isn't wearing a mask, we can infer that the Handicapper General (and Hazel) must not be that pretty. Also, she forces women prettier than her to wear a mask. That's just a smidge petty and makes us wonder if men have to wear masks too, or if Diana Moon Glampers wants to keep all the man-candy to herself.