Name: __________________________
Period: _________
Harrison Bergeron Study Questions
Instructions: Read the story first, then answer the following questions.
1. Define the following: (use a dictionary, not just your knowledge; pay attention to
part of speech)
a. handicap (n)_________________________________________________
b. consternation (n) _____________________________________________
c. cower (v)____________________________________________________
d. hobbled (adj)_________________________________________________
e. gambol (v) __________________________________________________
2. What is being said about this society in the opening sentence, “The year was
2081, and everyone was finally equal?”
3. How has the government tried to make people equal?
4. In real life (or in high school), how do we try to make people equal?
5. How are George and Hazel Bergeron described? What sort of lives do they lead?
6. Why is Harrison Bergeron such a threat to society? How old is he? How has he
been “handicapped”?
7. What do you think is the theme or moral of this story? Why?
8. If you lived in Harrison Bergeron’s world, what sorts of handicaps do you think
that you might be given? Why? Why do you think these are your strengths?
What sort of weaknesses do you have that would force other people to be given
handicaps, to bring them down to your level?
DO NOT FILL OUT THE BACK OF THIS PAPER UNTIL YOU HAVE
SEEN THE MOVIE 2081.
2081 Study Guide
Now that you have read the story Harrison Bergeron and watched the movie 2081 based
on the short story, answer the following questions. Think!
1. When the news reporter is replaced because of his stuttering, Hazel says “that’s all
right, he tried, that’s the important thing.” Do you agree that trying is what is the most
important thing? Why or why not? Support your answer.
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2. Was the movie’s portrayal of Harrison effective? What “worked” or did not “work”
for you as you watched? Why?
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3. Harrison spray-painted on the wall by the bomb “Live free or die; Death is not the
worst of evils.” What does this mean and why do you think that he chose this as his
motto? (By the way, the state of New Hampshire’s motto is “Live free or die.”) Support
your answer.
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4. Think back to our first informational article about the Pledge of Allegiance. The last
line tells us that some organizations want to add the word equality to make it read “with
equality, liberty and justice for all.” Do we want to be equal? Would that be a good
thing? Defend your answer with examples.
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