Aim: What weaknesses in society does satire often

ridicule?Do Now: What is satire? Where might you find examples of satire in the media?

Satire…blends humor with criticism for the purpose of improving

humanityMoral voice: simply mocking or criticism is not satire

Rate your understanding of this 1= clueless 2= not lost, but foggy 3= general idea 4= I got it, move on

Dystopian =What is the opposite of Utopia? Why?

As we have discussed, Gulliver’s Travels by Jonathon Swift is a well-known example of satire.

1. Use the internet to find a brief summary of the story.

2. Then analyze the image to the right in order to answer the following question: How could living under the rule of the king like “walking the tight rope”?

Help create a Mind Map by drawing or typing anywhere, based on the image and question above.

America

Is there anything in particular about America that could be satirized?

How do you make “Things Equal”?You are babysitting a group of children of various ages (4-11). There is a basketball hoop in the driveway. How would you organize a fair game?

Creating a “handicap”Watch this video.A handicap allows golfers of varying skill levels to compete on a fair and level playing field. Is this fair? Why or why not?

How do you make “the pursuit of happiness

possible”?Scenario: You are an assistant coach to a little league. The end of the season is approaching and you have to stop and pick up trophies for the entire team. Why does everyone get a trophy?

Trophy Nation⦿ Use the link to

watch Real Sports and then answer the following: How do “grown-ups” create more problems in their quest to make everyone feel equal, capable and happy?

HBO Real Sportshttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aLIB8Czh1J4

“The year is 2081 and everyone is finally

equal…”

“Harrison Bergeron” is classified as science fiction, because it tells of a future world. It was first published in 1961. As we read, consider is his story a prophecy? Was there any technology reminiscent of what exists today?

1.What does the 1st paragraph tell you

about individuals in this society? 

According to the information in the third paragraph, how does the government control people? What is the government trying to prevent? Why?

2.In this society, what makes a person

normal or abnormal?

Why do you think this society uses sirens? Why does the siren go off at this point in George’s head? Explain.

Aim: What weaknesses in society does satire often

ridicule?Do Now: “Harrison Bergeron” is classified as science fiction, because it tells of a future world. It was first published in 1961. 52 years later, do you see any truths? Is his story a prophecy? Was there any technology reminiscent of what exists today?

3.What does the description of Harrison’s

appearance initially tell you about him? 

What do you think Harrison means when he says, “Now watch me become what I can become”? What does this statement tell you about his character? Explain.

4.What actions does Harrison take to defy

the authorities? What is your opinion of his actions?

 What does the ending reveal about what

happens to people in this society who act on their own? Explain.

5.What details about Harrison’s

appearance and actions make him seem like a superhuman character?

Do you think Harrison, like many other superhuman characters, wants to save people from evil, or do you think his motives are not so pure? Explain.

6.What attitudes about equality is

Vonnegut mocking in the story? What statement is he trying to make?

 Do you think this story has something to

say to us about the role of technology in our lives? Explain.

When trying to establish equality, do people often simply create conformity? Is “sameness” a good thing?

A version of the same saying in Japan goes “The nail that sticks up gets hammered down.”

A common saying in America is “The squeaky wheel gets the grease”.

Extension: Watch the film⦿ Is anything

changed or altered from the text? Why do you think this was done?

⦿ Did this include the elements of a short story? Explain

⦿ How does this compare to F451?

Harrison Bergeron Assignment⦿ Select one of the following to complete.