Citizens Deserve Basic Rights
Boycotting Against the Government
Thesis
Citizens should be allowed to rule based on the people knowing what they want and applies to their standards without a government controlling people’s thoughts or actions.
Summary
In “Harrison Bergeron” and “The Lottery”, both governments are controlling and the citizens are powerless, and don’t have freedom. Harrison wears many handicaps and can't perform to his fullest potential, and dies because he rebels and in “The Lottery”, many people see no point in the tradition anymore but still end up stoning Mrs. Hutchinson.
Quote and Analysis
Quote: “’Harrison Bergeron, age fourteen,’ she said in a grackle squawk, ‘has just escaped from jail, where he was held on suspicion of plotting to overthrow the government. He is a genius and an athlete, is under-handicapped, and should be regarded as extremely dangerous’" (Vonnegut 3).
Analysis: They aren’t allowed to be themselves and being smart and athletic is seen as a threat when that present day would seem very unique and very lucky to possess these traits. People aren’t allowed to perform to the best of their ability and instead have handicaps to hold them back. Citizens are not in control of their actions and if you try to revolt, like Harrison, you will be killed.
Quote: “Old Man Warner snorted. ‘Pack of crazy fools,’ he said. ‘Listening to the young folks, nothing's good enough for them. Next thing you know, they'll be wanting to go back to living in caves, nobody work anymore, live that way for a while’” (Jackson 4).
Analysis: Old man goes on a rant that the younger generation sees no point in the lottery and that we have tradition for a reason. Some people want to quit but feel there is no choice because the government has been doing this their whole lives and they don’t have much of a choice but to murder someone.