I just remembered reading it in grammar school when I was too immature to understand some of the points it made. All I remember is that a male and a female are sitting watching a television program. Whenever the male is about to have an intelligent thought, a government issued machine in his head sets off a high pitched sound that distracts him. Basically the government hinders the talented to make all people equal, attractive people are forced to wear masks, etc… I vaguely remember the program they’re watching involves a ballet of some sorts that ends in a disobediant dancer being shot by some general.
The story just reminded me of some of Orwell’s or maybe Vonnegut’s work, which I really enjoy, and if this short story ended up being a part of a novel, I would like to check it out…
That would be Harrison Bergeron by Kurt Vonnegut. A popular story read in school, but should be read again as an adult for it’s social implications.
It is a Kurt Vonnegut short story. I can’t remeber the name of the story but it is in the book “Welcome to the Monkey House.” It’s about a society where everyone is handicapped to the least common denominator so that no one has advantage over others.
OK I looked it up and it is titled “Harrison Bergeron”. It was also made into a showtime movie a couple of years ago. Do a search and you can find the details.
It’s definately Harrison Bergeron. I read that in eighth grade. I remember reading it along with Fahrenheit 451
~monica
Thanks. Anyone that wants to check it out can go to http://www.tnellen.com/cybereng/harrison.html
Sorry about the spoilers in the original post, but without them you wouldn’t know about the story in the first place…