In the short story “Harrison Bergeron,” by Kurt Vonnegut, the main character, George, is a very average-looking man who is forced to wear hideous masks and clothes to make him look less attractive.
The setting of this story has a huge impact on George’s life because it is the reason why he struggles so much. George lives in a world where everyone is forced to be equal, no matter what their abilities are. This means that if you are too intelligent or too talented then you must wear a mask or have your hands tied behind your back so you cannot use them effectively.
The setting in Harrison Bergeron affects George by making him realize how bad it would be if everyone were equal. George loves Hazel, but she has to wear an ugly mask over her face at all times because of her beauty. He also loves their son, but he has to have surgery done to make sure he is not too smart. This causes George to realize that it would not be good if everyone were equal because some people would be oppressed and forced into doing things they don’t want to do just because other people think that they should be doing it.
George is captured and executed by the government, but his sacrifice inspires others to continue his fight.
