Harrison Bergeron

“Harrison Bergeron” was published during the Cold War and is often interpreted as a satire of communism. The theme of “equality” was received by many audiences as a jab at the Soviet Union. When equality is the only goal, excellence is impossible. However, another interpretation is that “Harrison Bergeron” is a satire of the American misunderstanding of communism. The ridiculousness that arises from “total equality” is less a product of equality being a misguided goal and more a consequence of it being misunderstood. Since its publication, film adaptations have used different readings to inform their creative direction. In the United States, the story has been used both as a right-wing criticism of the left and a left-wing criticism of the right.