Curated set · answers marked
In Kurt Vonnegut's short story Harrison Bergeron, what is the main role of the "Handicapper General," Diana Moon Glampers?
ATo reward citizens who display extraordinary talent in the arts
BTo enforce total equality by making sure no one is more intelligent, strong, or beautiful than anyone else✓
CTo oversee the education system and match citizens with suitable careers
DTo protect the government from revolutionary movements
Rationale
Diana Moon Glampers is the enforcer of absolute equality in the dystopian United States of 2081. She makes sure that anyone with above-average abilities is "handicapped." For instance, intelligent individuals wear mental-scrambling radio earpieces, strong individuals carry heavy weights, and graceful individuals wear masks, ensuring that no one has an edge over anyone else.
In Kurt Vonnegut's short story Harrison Bergeron, what is the main function of the Handicapper General (Diana Moon Glampers) in the depicted society?
ATo reward citizens who show exceptional talent with government prizes
BTo ensure complete equality among all citizens by forcing those with above-average abilities to wear physical and mental handicaps✓
CTo oversee the education system and assign careers based on citizens' natural abilities
DTo protect the government from rebellion by imprisoning anyone who questions the law
Rationale
In Vonnegut's dystopian world of 2081, the Handicapper General enforces the idea of "equality" by requiring citizens who possess above-average intelligence, strength, or beauty to wear handicaps—like mental-disruption radio earpieces, heavy weights, and unattractive masks—so that no one appears better than anyone else.