Harrison Bergeron Trivia Quiz

Answer: Friedrich Nietzsche

Friedrich Nietzsche critiqued both Christianity and Egalitarianism in his philosophical works. Nietzsche's major themes include the will to power of living beings and the Übermensch. Nietzsche introduced the concept of the Übermensch in his book "Thus Spoke Zarathustra" in 1883.

The Übermensch is essentially the advancement of humanity over time with the goal of achieving an ideal state.

Answer: 2081

The first two lines of "Harrison Bergeron" read: "The year was 2081, and everybody was finally equal. They weren't only equal before God and the law".

Answer: 211, 212 & 213

One can only wonder what exactly the 211th, 212th and 213th Amendments to the Constitution stated in Vonnegut's short story. I wonder what the 28th to 210th Amendments were about as well.

Answer: George and Hazel

George and Hazel Bergeron's son Harrison was taken away by the H-G (I assume H-G mean's Handicapper General) men in the month of April 2081. They couldn't ponder the tragic loss of their son due to the handicaps placed on them by the government.

Answer: A mental handicap radio in his ear

Every 20 seconds George's transmitter would send a sharp noise to George so that he couldn't use his above-average brainpower. All people of above-average intelligence were required by law to wear a transmitter.

Answer: Ballerinas dancing

Hazel was crying while watching the ballerinas but she couldn't understand why she was doing so. Many of the ballerinas were burdened with sashweights and masks so that they would not look any prettier than the average person.

Answer: They had speech impediments.

The announcer's speech impediment was so bad that he had to give the news bulletin to one of the ballerinas to read. The bulletin informed the populace that Harrison Bergeron had escaped from jail and was plotting to overthrow the government.

Answer: Diana Moon Glampers

According to the story, Hazel Bergeron bore a strong resemblance (I assume physically) to Diana Moon Glampers. It seems that everyone in the story "Harrison Bergeron" is equal except Glampers who rules autocratically.

Answer: He was a prominent member of the military.

Harrison Bergeron wore heavier handicaps than anyone else in the story. Vonnegut described his appearance as "Halloween and hardware".

Answer: Dress in a leather bustier

Harrison Bergeron broke into the television studio by ripping the door from its hinges. All of the studio's employees thought that Harrison was going to kill them, but instead he just gave them verbal orders as to how they could better their lives and society.

Answer: I am the Emperor!

After Harrison proclaimed that he was the Emperor, he tore the iron handicaps off of his body. After Harrison's handicaps were removed he appeared like a "man that would have awed Thor".

Answer: Thirty feet in the air near the ceiling

Harrison did not choose his Empress, instead he allowed "the first woman who dares rise to her feet claim her mate and her throne". Harrison then instructed the musicians to play music as he danced with the Empress and then floated up to the ceiling with her.

Answer: They were shot dead by the Handicapper General.

Harrison and his Empress neutralized gravity with their love and free will, but Diana Moon Glampers brought them back down harshly with two shots from her double-barreled ten-gauge shotgun.

Answer: I think something just happened to Harrison.

George did not see his son's horrific death on television because he had gone into the kitchen to get a beer.

Answer: 1961

"Harrison Bergeron" was first published in the October 1961 issue of "The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction". Kurt Vonnegut was also the author of the well-known novels "Slaughterhouse-Five", "Cat's Cradle" and "Breakfast of Champions".