HARISSON BERGERON was willing to die for ... freedom?

        Kurt Vonnegut’s Harrison Bergeron is very attached to the time at which it was written. Considering he wrote from the 60’s where the government were seen as superiorly strong, and the people as hope, we can conclude that he had his views on society versus government(compared to our present day views). I find it challenging to think about in current times, and the future. The questioning reason he uses in the setting is something very vivd and true in today’s society. Majority claim they want true equality, but this short story goes against our very desire. I love the way he convinced me that true equality has its negatives. Going by the story, we understand that with each step to further equality, we are taking a step back form freedom. So, from that point the main point of the story isn’t how bad the government is, but actually which we find more important, freedom, equality, or an in between.

       As a christian, I strongly believe in both equality and freedom. Jesus gave us the freedom from the ways of this world, and God intends us to live under a mind set of equality. Yet, even with God equality has its boundaries. There can be no situation were everyone is perfectly equal and still in some way striving and living for a purpose, or is there? I think there is not, yet there is no concrete proof to take either stand. My decision is for the reasons that even in heaven there is inequality. Yes, it’s true. Think about how God rules over all, then consider how angels and humans aren’t on the same level. We can also bring in the evils. In God we are given the authority to over come all evil. 

      We should all give people of all backgrounds the same chances and the same treatment we give to others. Ultimately, going back to Kurt’s idea of society giving into suppression and even growing used to it, I agree that society has been following that idea. So, for some food for thought...Are you really free, or equal? Are you living by your own decisions, or formed by someone else's?

Thoughts On "Metaphor" by Sylvia Plath

Metaphors I'm a riddle in nine syllables, An elephant, a ponderous house, A melon strolling on two tendrils. O red fruit, ivory, fine timbers! This loaf's big with its yeasty rising. Money's new-minted in this fat purse. I'm a means, a stage, a cow in calf. I've eaten a bag of green apples, Boarded the train there's no getting off. Sylvia Plath

       The author (Sylvia Plath) does an amazing job creating a challenging literary piece. Straight from the beginning, she starts off the poem with an interesting mystery, by identifying it as a riddle. At first, there is a feeling of anticipation and a hint of confusion within the reading of the metaphors. Once having read the poem all the way through, the metaphors come together and made more sense. She was pregnant. Solving the riddle, the mystery behind the metaphors cleared up, but also left another challenge. Now, i was wondering wether the metaphors were positive or negative feelings.The “elephant” for me brought up words like: big, slow, and awkward (elephant in the room). This seems negative to me, but then comes the fourth line with definite positivity. “O red fruit, ivory, fine timbers”, resembles a worth and desire for her baby. Not being able to compare her emotions , I convinced myself it was a mixture feelings. As a final conclusion on her feelings, I believe she was indeed happy for her baby, but sick and tired of the lingering pregnancy. I derived the concept of her being tired of the pregnancy, because the constant and repeating use of the number nine. There are nine syllables, nine metaphors, nine letters in pregnancy and in metaphors, and of course there is nine months in a pregnancy. This constant returning factor must have played a big role for her. 

Being a man, the emotions she captures aren’t easily understood, but they make sense. The awkwardness of being pregnant (elephant), yet the joy (red fruit, ivory...), and also the embrace (no getting off), are things she captures well, but I will never know what she really felt like. Imagine mixed feelings like this for nine months. I don’t think she was wrong with her feelings. Who wouldn’t love their baby, yet still feel drained and gloomy from a pregnancy? It’s normal. The bible even mentions birth pains, yet the joy of parenting. 

Love is present in this poem. Love to go through the frustration, through the awkwardness, through the nine months, for a life long relationship.