Answer the questions below in complete sentences. Make sure to use textual evidence in the form of both direct quotes from the story and examples/references to the story. Each answer must fully explain how the textual evidence supports your claims and ideas. (20 points)
1. Indirect characterization is when an author develops the character through his actions, dialogues, thoughts, appearance, other character reactions. How does Vonnegut use indirect characterization to create sympathy for George and Hazel?
2. George Bergeron wears a radio that broadcasts various noises to prohibit him from developing any intellectual thoughts. Trace the increased intensity of these noises that George hears throughout the story. How do the noises parallel the escalating tragedy of George’s and Hazel’s lives?
3. The entire narrative takes place as George and Hazel sit in front of the television. What is Vonnegut’s purpose in having the television set as the primary setting? Cite textual evidence for the significance of the television.
4. What do you think Vonnegut might be trying to say about today’s society and the role a government can play in achieving equality among people? Use examples from the story to support your opinion.
Example Format with example question and example answer (please include the question before your answer):
Mrs. Kauffman
1. In the first paragraph, Vonnegut uses the words “unceasing vigilance.” What do these words mean? What implications do they have in the text?
Answer: “Unceasing” means not stopping, or unending. “Vigilance” means watchfulness or alert attention. The use of these words helps to establish a setting and tone for the piece. Vonnegut makes his reader aware of the restrictive and oppressive nature of the government. People in this futuristic society seemingly cannot do anything outside of the watchful eyes of the government.
1. Indirect characterization is when an author develops the character through his actions, dialogues, thoughts, appearance, other character reactions. How does Vonnegut use indirect characterization to create sympathy for George and Hazel?
ReplyDeletehe tells how gorge has a ear wig that terrorizes his toughs so he cant think fore more than 20 seconds.
2. George Bergeron wears a radio that broadcasts various noises to prohibit him from developing any intellectual thoughts. Trace the increased intensity of these noises that George hears throughout the story. How do the noises parallel the escalating tragedy of George’s and Hazel’s lives?
the noise starts as a bell and then goes to a car crash and to a 21 gun solute at the end when his son dies.
3. The entire narrative takes place as George and Hazel sit in front of the television. What is Vonnegut’s purpose in having the television set as the primary setting? Cite textual evidence for the significance of the television.
in the end it shoes there son ding to show the fate of the world but they cant remember.
4. What do you think Vonnegut might be trying to say about today’s society and the role a government can play in achieving equality among people? Use examples from the story to support your opinion.
i think he is saying to achieve complete equality would be a bad thing and the government only knows how to punish people. the general in the story end up killing the boy that deified her
Nice start answering the questions but answers need more details. Need textual evidence!
Delete1. The line, "George was white and tumbling, and tears stood on the rims of his red eyes." shows that George was tired of hearing loud, awful noises every time he had a decent thought. Pretty much this whole story makes you sympathetic for George and Hazel.
ReplyDelete2. well, the sounds make George not even think, and for some reason Hazel can't remember things well either. So throughout the whole story, they're both really sad, but they can't remember why. Like in one of the last lines after their son gets shot on live television hazel says, "I forget, something real sad on television."
3. Vonnegut's purpose in having the television as a primary setting was probably just to show that George and Hazel's brains were so dead, they couldn't really do anything else. Also it's a thing that TV kills your brain, so that could be a thing as well
4. I think Vonnegut is saying that government is a messy, dumb problem, and really we can only rely on society because there are intelligent people usually not in the government. However, the government is constantly having "great ideas" about how to change society and make it equally a better place, for example, the very first paragraph of this story says "the year was 2081, and everyone was finally equal. They weren't only equal before God and the law. They were equal every which was. Nobody was smarter than anybody else. Nobody was better looking than anybody else. Nobody was stronger or quicker than anybody else. All this equality was due to the 211th, 212th, and 213th Amendment to the Constitution, and to the unceasing vigilance of agents of the United States Handicapper General"
Solid explanations in question number 4, Marley!
Delete1. Indirect characterization is when an author develops the character through his actions, dialogues, thoughts, appearance, other character reactions. How does Vonnegut use indirect characterization to create sympathy for George and Hazel?
ReplyDeleteVonnegut creates sympathy for George and Hazel, by depicting them as they are. George was a smart man, who unfortunately became a product of his time; by product of the time, I mean someone who is under Orwellian-esque government mind-control. Hazel is the most average person in the world, and is under the government's thumb; she is so controlled she doesn't even know it. A quote which exemplifies the corruption of the people is this one: "There were tears on Hazel's cheeks, but she'd forgotten for the moment what they were about." The government owns everyone in this society, and they don't let them feel anything. We sympathize with them because we fear we could just as easily lose our humanity.
2. George Bergeron wears a radio that broadcasts various noises to prohibit him from developing any intellectual thoughts. Trace the increased intensity of these noises that George hears throughout the story. How do the noises parallel the escalating tragedy of George’s and Hazel’s lives?
The noises in George’s handicap do not parallel the quick escalation of the story. The noises were loud at at first, and they kept a periodic din throughout the story. The first noise we hear about is a twenty-one gun salute which is pretty loud, and the last one we hear is a rivetting gun, I would say that is considerably less noisy than twenty-one guns. During the time when Harrison appears, there is a car crash noise, which isn’t a parallel to anything in the story. I would say, no the handicaps do not parallel the story.
3. The entire narrative takes place as George and Hazel sit in front of the television. What is Vonnegut’s purpose in having the television set as the primary setting? Cite textual evidence for the significance of the television.
There is a very good reason the television is the main setting for the story; everything is run by the government in this world, so when something uncontrolled happens it makes a big impact when it is on the television. Harrison does his actions on TV so he could inspire the people to support him, but ultimately fails. “Diana Moon Glampers loaded the gun again. She aimed it at the musicians and told them they had ten seconds to get their handicaps back on. It was then that the Bergerons' television tube burned out.” Even the outbreaks are controlled, it had to be on TV so when it got out of hand it could stop. The government knew what would happened, so they made it on TV so they could show them die, then shut everything down.
4. What do you think Vonnegut might be trying to say about today’s society and the role a government can play in achieving equality among people? Use examples from the story to support your opinion.
Vonnegut was trying to say that we don’t need to be equal as a society, all that was needed was that we accept each other. People do stupid things when they are scared: "then other people'd get away with it-and pretty soon we'd be right back to the dark ages again, with everybody competing against everybody else. You wouldn't like that, would you?’ ‘I'd hate it,’ said Hazel.” People are so scared of a life where everyone is different that they are willing to go to these extremes to achieve equality. Vonnegut thinks that these types of extremes are ridiculous, and the world would be horrible it they did come to fruition.
Solid explanations for all of the questions, Eric. Good inclusion of quotes to support your claims.
Delete1. In the eleventh paragraph (first page) Vonnegut describes George wincing at the sound in his ear indicating that George might not enjoy loud noises. This creates sympathy for him because nobody wants loud noises blasted in their ear every 20 seconds.
ReplyDelete2. George's brain handicap is a transmitter of multiple loud noises. As the intensity of the story increases, the sounds become more and more alarming and obnoxious.
3.The television might represent a window into another world. On the fourth and fifth pages Vonnegut describes peoples handicaps being torn away and music being passionate again. And in George and Hazels world things are boring and dull.
4.I believe that Vonnegut is trying to imply that the government should not be allowed to take our freedom away no matter how safe and equal it makes us. Like how not everyone deserves to have more than what they do.
Why else might we feel sympathetic for George? Need more quotes included to support your ideas. Interesting idea of TV as representation into another world.
Delete1. Vonnegut uses indirect characterization to create sympathy for George and Hazel by showing the hardships and struggles in their daily life. You feel sorry for them when the author writes "...the H-G men took George and Hazel Bergeron's fourteen-year-old son, Harrison, away." The reader can also feel sympathy for George and Hazel when the author tells about their "handicaps" that they must live with because they are different.
ReplyDelete2. The noises of George's radio parallel to the escalating tradgedy of George and Hazel's life because the worse their lives get the more awful the sounds become. Vonnegut writes "He began to think glimmeringly about his abnormal son who was now in jail, about Harrison, but a twenty-one-gun salute in his head stopped that" which shows that even if he thinks about how their life has changed they get punished for it.
3. I think most of the setting takes place in front of the television because their world revolves around it. They get everything from the tv including announcments and commands. Vonnegut shows the governments control over the people through the tv with this quote "The handicapper general came into the studio with a double- barreled ten-gauge shotgun. She fired twice, and the Emperor and Empress were dead before they hit the floor... It was then that the Bergeron's television tube burned out."
4. I think Vonnegut is trying to say that today's society is becoming corrupt and people are too focused on looks and being equal. The government could make equality laws or try to change people like in the story. The author writes about the corrupt society and government in this quote "she must have been extraordinarily beautiful, brcause the mask she wore was hideous."
Solid explanations and use of quotes. Make sure completely explain all the quotes you choose.
DeleteBailey Martin
ReplyDelete1. Indirect characterization is when an author develops the character through his actions, dialogues, thoughts, appearance, other character reactions. How does Vonnegut use indirect characterization to create sympathy for George and Hazel?
Answer: Vonnegut shows emotions through actions, like when people have intelligent thoughts, " George was toying with the vague notion that maybe dancers shouldn't be handicapped. But he didn't get very far with it before another noise in his ear radio scattered his thoughts. George winced. So did two out of the eight ballerinas." And when Hazel asks what the latest sound was, you almost feel bad for her, like she's left out.
2. George Bergeron wears a radio that broadcasts various noises to prohibit him from developing any intellectual thoughts. Trace the increased intensity of these noises that George hears throughout the story. How do the noises parallel the escalating tragedy of George’s and Hazel’s lives?
Answer: While watching the ballerinas, George heard "someone hitting a milk bottle with a ball peen hammer", and when he saw Harrison, it was an "automobile collision". I think the government wanted Harrison's parents to forget about him entirely, like when they didn't know what they were crying about at the end.
3. The entire narrative takes place as George and Hazel sit in front of the television. What is Vonnegut’s purpose in having the television set as the primary setting? Cite textual evidence for the significance of the television.
Answer: I think the television is to semi-disconnect Harrison and his parents. Like when they see him just as a picture,"The photograph of Harrison Bergeron on the screen jumped again and again, as though dancing to the tune of an earthquake.
George Bergeron correctly identified the earthquake, and well he might have - for many was the time his own home had danced to the same crashing tune. "My God-" said George, "that must be Harrison!" The realization was blasted from his mind instantly by the sound of an automobile collision in his head. When George could open his eyes again, the photograph of Harrison was gone. A living, breathing Harrison filled the screen." Harrison wasn't his son with all of George's handicaps, he was a TV show.
4. What do you think Vonnegut might be trying to say about today’s society and the role a government can play in achieving equality among people? Use examples from the story to support your opinion.
Answer: This story shows life can never truly be fair, for example, George knew who the best dancer was by her handicaps, because she was the strongest. Not everything is fair, and there's a reason for it.
Solid answers that show insight into characters and plot elements.
DeleteHope Stephens
ReplyDelete1. Indirect characterization is when an author develops the character through his actions, dialogues, thoughts, appearance, other character reactions. How does Vonnegut use indirect characterization to create sympathy for George and Hazel?
Answer: The author uses indirect characterization to create sympathy for George and Hazel by stating near the beginning of the story that the H-G men took their fourteen-year-old son away from them, and as tragic as it is losing your child, they "couldn't think about it very hard." Another way is when the author starts describing George's handicaps and how they gradually get more intense as the time goes on.
2. George Bergeron wears a radio that broadcasts various noises to prohibit him from developing any intellectual thoughts. Trace the increased intensity of these noises that George hears throughout the story. How do the noises parallel the escalating tragedy of George’s and Hazel’s lives?
Answer: At the beginning of the story George isn't really thinking much about anything and the noises he hears begin with a simple buzzer sound. But once his thoughts drift to his son who has been taken and thrown in prison at the mere age of 14, what he describes as a "twenty-one-gun salute" goes off in his head. Things REALLY escalate when Harrison actually shows up at the studio where the television broadcast is taking place and as soon as George knows its his son, the terrible sound of an automobile collision sounds in his head. I think this is also an example of foreshadowing because the ending to the story feels like an emotional automobile collision. Everything is going fine and then in an instant, everything just stops.
3. The entire narrative takes place as George and Hazel sit in front of the television. What is Vonnegut’s purpose in having the television set as the primary setting? Cite textual evidence for the significance of the television.
Answer: I think Vonnegut's purpose in having the television set as the primary setting is to make George and Hazel feel like everything that is taking place with their son in the story, isn't actually directly affecting them in any way. Watching something happen on a TV makes it feel like you're just watching a movie, and this way, everyone is still equal. Every citizen watching the broadcast was equally as involved as George and Hazel were.
4. What do you think Vonnegut might be trying to say about today’s society and the role a government can play in achieving equality among people? Use examples from the story to support your opinion.
Answer: I think Vonnegut is trying to say that today's society is very technology driven and sometimes people spend more time on their devices than they should, which could've been some of his motive behind making the whole story around George and Hazel watching TV. He's also trying to show that although sometimes government has our best interests in mind when it comes to equality, the decisions they make don't always help the situation at hand. An example of this in the story is when the author is talking about how equality has evolved in the year 2081 but "some things about living still weren't quite right, though."
Solid answers with textual evidence.
DeleteIlani Welsh-Johnson
ReplyDelete1. Vonnegut creates a lot of sympathy for George through his "handicap". People feel sympathy for him because they, like George, can think completely, and to see it taken away sounds terrible.
2. The noises escalate with the drama of the story. Somewhat towards the end of the story, Hazel says, "Gee- I could tell that this one was a doozy". This quote shows how the growth of the noises had an impact not only on George, but on Hazel as well.
3. They have the primary place be the television cause TV is such stereotypical thing said to make you stop thinking or lose your creativity.
4. I think he's thinking to say that no matter what, we can't lose our individuality.
Good start. Need more explanations and details, especially for question four.
Delete1) Vonnegut uses indirect characterization which dialog between George and Hazel to show that that hazel feels bad for George but would not fight against the government.
ReplyDelete2) The fact that George is used to the noises shows the extent of their horrible treatment.
3)the reason Vonnegut had his story in front of the tv is so he can esaly show what is happening in other places.
4) I think this story is anti socialism becaus evry body gets the same of everything.
Lilly Raisler
ReplyDelete1. Indirect characterization is when an author develops the character through his actions, dialogues, thoughts, appearance, other character reactions.Vonnegut uses indirect characterization to create sympathy for George and Hazel by using dialogue, and their thoughts.
2. George Bergeron wears a radio that broadcasts various noises to prohibit him from developing any intellectual thoughts. Trace the increased intensity of these noises that George hears throughout the story. The noises parallel the escalating tragedy of George’s and Hazel’s lives by erasing his memory and not letting him think straight.
3. The entire narrative takes place as George and Hazel sit in front of the television.Vonnegut’s purpose in having the television set as the primary setting is that he can see whats going on when an alert comes on, which they are talking about his son, and it shows what happens to the parents at the end.
4. Vonnegut is trying to say about today’s society and the role a government can play in achieving equality among people is that its a mess to create everyone equal, and you really can't unless you have better technology, though you still can't because no one is the same and there will still be wars on how every one is still not equal.
Coleby Mariluch
ReplyDelete1.) George and Hazel's lives would be much happier if not for the mental and physical handicaps they were given. In the story, "There were tears on Hazel's cheeks, but she'd forgotten for the moment what they were about." This had to have been a nod to the general unhappiness of the couple.
2.) George's mental handicap greatly affects his ability to understand the scenarios of his life. The sounds get worse as the story continues, which is a result of the story being more intense and unfortunate. There even comes a point where the sound brings him and others to tears: "It was such a doozy that George was white and trembling, and tears stood on the rims of his red eyes. Two of of the eight ballerinas had collapsed to the studio floor, were holding their temples."
3.)Vonnegut uses television to further promote his true theme. The story uses television to prove the severity of the scenario in 2084. the ballerinas are weighted, with masks that hide their beauty:"They were burdened with sashweights and bags of birdshot, and their faces were masked, so that no one, seeing a free and graceful gesture or a pretty face, would feel like something the cat drug in."
The television announcers have impeded speech, and those with good voices apologize when they are speaking: "And she had to apologize at once for her voice, which was a very unfair voice for a woman to use. Her voice was a warm, luminous, timeless melody. "Excuse me-" she said..." These examples show the gravity of the situation even on a televised medium.
4.) Mainly, Vonnegut is posing a question to those that want "Equality." The question posed being: "How far should we go?" Vonnegut is illustrating in a tragic way just how big the issue can expand and the possibilities of "true equality." He implies in the story that there is a line we shouldn't cross. I believe the point he wants to make is simply that we need SOCIAL equality, as opposed to TRUE equality.