Reviewed Blog~http://misclisa.blogspot.com/

 The blog I reviewed was by this younger woman named Lisa who enjoys literature a lot. Her blog is even 'Lisa Loves Literature'. In her blog she reviews books that she liked, loved and even didn't like. Lisa Posts reviews on books I wouldn't mind reading, and would actually be interested in. I think that a person could really relate to her reviews. http://misclisa.blogspot.com/

Movie VS Book~ Harrison Bergeron

As an English class we had read and watched Harrison Bergeron, by Kurt Vonnegut Jr. In comparison to me, the book was better because it was in Mr. Vonnegut's words. Whereas, the movie was in the director's vision, and in his perspective. Don't get me wrong, the movie was very good, it just wasn't how I think Kurt Vonnegut Jr. wanted us to see it. Not to mention that the director added a scene into the movie that wasn't in the book.

In the book Harrison broke out of prison, went to the auditorium, and basically took over the place by himself. In the movie Harrison stormed in said their was a bomb under the stage and if anyone moved he was going to blow the whole auditorium up. Later the police found the "bomb", disabled it, and went to take Harrison down. However, in Harrison's plot, the bomb was fake, and knowing that the live TV crew would put the broadcast off air, he planted a device that would turn it back on air, so that everyone would see his demise and want to do something about it. Later the Handicap General made almost everyone forget about Harrison being shot by her.

So in conclusion, my personal perspective is that the book was better because it added more character to the story and plot then he movie did.    

Taylor Donohue~ Speech~ Harrison Bergeron

Taylor Donohue

Miss Fordahl

English 10

November 20, 2013

Harrison Bergeron

I’m Taylor Donohue and in this speech i'm going to be describing what I think the underlying message is in Harrison Bergeron by Kurt Vonnegut Jr.. I'm going to go over why it may be a good thing, bad thing, and how society is because of it. Thank you in advance for your time.

People were born to be individuals. That is why we have the words ‘special’ and ‘talented’. Every single person has some sort of special little thing about them. If i were to go down the rows of desks in our classroom and ask what each person’s special talent is, i would most likely get answers from most of the people in here. Some people might say something like, “I don't know,” or “I don't have one,” but they probably haven’t found there's yet. I didn't find mine until about 5th or 6th grade, when i won a drawing contest and my grandparents immediately thought that i was some long lost descendant of Michael Angelo or something. So, as a result my grandma signed my up for art camp, and i ended up loving the program and both the performing and creative arts that were included into it. After that experience I realized who i am as a person and i what i now and most likely always will love to do. I ask everyone in this room to please think about what their lives would be like when everyone around them act the same, feel the same, even think the same as everyone else. No single person stands out. That would be boring and sad if a person couldn't be the person they were meant to be. That's what the underlying message in this short story is; society is changing us to be something we aren't, just to fit in. At least, that's what i got out of the story. However, what if a person had an overwhelming character, and attracted the wrong attention because of it?

A young man,Harrison Bergeron,was constantly handicapped because he was extremely special, he was even thrown in jail for wanting to go against the flow and be himself. Harrison also wanted everyone around him to be who they were meant to be too, all he wanted was for the world to be as it was meant to be. To me, it  was almost like he was being bullied because he didn't blend in with everyone else. A person might have a very bright character, and that might attract a bully. A bully is someone who picks on someone else because they feel inferior to the victim they are bullying. Such as the classic tale, nerd being bullied by the all popular but not so bright jock, the jock feels inferior to the nerd because the nerd is a lot smarter than the jock. So, just because the nerd was being himself, he got picked on. People might think about how maybe its a good thing to blend in. For some people it is, and that's fine. They might feel more comfortable on the side lines anyway. If a person wants to stand out however they should be able to do it without the fear of being made fun of because of it. In my words,  go be yourself because its your life.

Whenever i see an individual being themselves i almost want to smile, i don't though because i don't want them to be freaked out. Like, “jeez why is she smiling at me,” or, “she’s creepy”. Anyway, when i see a person being brave enough to go out in the world and be themselves it gives me hope that one day we can all be like that. I am not saying i’m the most confident with who i am, all i'm trying to explain is that even though you yourself might not be confident, who cares? Just live your life as you were meant too. Fitting in with everyone else just because it might be easier is wrong, and you're wasting your life trying to be something you're not.

People were born to be individuals. Sometimes blending in might be a good thing because of the overwhelming sense or fitting in, being comfortable with being on the sidelines, and maybe that person is being bullied. However, many people decide to go ahead and be themselves, because they are comfortable with that. My opinion is that you should go and do what you were born to be in life. Society wants us to fit in with everyone else, wants to take the words ‘special’ and ‘talented’, away from us. Thank you for your time and for letting me express what i think our dear author was trying to say in the story, and my opinion in the matter.  

   

Work Cited:

1. "Facts About Bullying." Home. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Nov. 2013. <http://www.stopbullying.gov/kids/facts/>.

2. Allen, Janet. Vonnegut, Kurt, Jr. "Harrison Bergeron." Holt McDougal literature. Common core ed. Evanston, Ill.: Holt McDougal, a division of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2012. 38-44.