What do you think Vonnegut might be trying to say
- about today's society and
- the role a government can play in achieving equality among people?
Use examples from the style of Vonnegut's writing (not so much the facts of the story) to support your opinion.
Please note page, column, and paragraph # so we know what you are commenting on.
Think of as many examples as you can and share your best two.
Directions and guidance:
Look for word choices, individual particular words, that are clues to the author's attitude.
Focus in on syntax, or sentence structure.
by counting things like the number of words in a sentence or the number and kind of punctuation marks.
Are all the sentences "equal" in structure?
Does Vonnegut make any analogies, use similes or metaphors? If so, what is the basis of his comparison?
Start there...if there is any level of detail, any kind of texture of the writing that communicates an emotional sense, list the adjectives that come to mind...do you notice a pattern? What about the proper nouns or names? Do they seem to be symbolic? Is there any foreshadowing you can identify?
. Write on paper if the blog is not working!
You can comment again later if you'd like to add something.
Vonnegut's style is concise and to-the-point. His sentences are descriptive without being too complex. For example a sentence on page 22, "It was such a doozy that George was white and trembling, and tears stood on the rims of his red eyes." That delivers a clear image and really shows how loud the sound was in one easy sentence. He rights very realistically, but at the same time throws in elements that aren't so much. For example Diana Moon Glampers is an authority figure, but it's hard not to chuckle when you hear her name. Also Harrison Bergeron, a fourteen year old, is described as seven feet tall, which is probably an exaggeration but helps us feel how intimidating he is. Vonnegut's style is a very nice mix of irony, humor, shock, and depression.
ReplyDeleteVonnegut's style is descriptive and clear. He uses many different concepts to help readers picture what he explains in very few words. On page 24, Vonnegut writes that, "Harrison looked like a walking junkyard." This style of writing is called a simile. The simile sends the reader a mental image of how much metal and scraps are attached to Harrison. Another example of a simile in the story is the description of the ballerina "swaying like a willow." This shows that ballerinas are graceful and skilled. The story also intensifies Harrison's strength making him seem invincible although he is only fourteen years old. Most of Vonnegut's writing style is exaggerated to get his point across to the readers. Without the similes and descriptions, readers may have difficulty picturing the story.
ReplyDeleteVonneguts style is very descriptive. He doesnt just tell you what something is, he gives enough detail for you to visualize the object exactly. "He wore a tremendous pair of headphones," lets the reader know that it's not just some small earpiece he has but its like the ear muffs someone might use when they're using a chainsaw. Vonnegut is also sarcastic at times. Like when George says "you wouldn't like that, would you?" A few different times Vonnegut used similes. One simile was "his thoughts fled in panic, like bandits from a burglar alarm." If Vonnegut hadn't used the style he did then his writing wouldn't be very interesting to read.
ReplyDeleteVonnegut's style of writing is very detailed and descriptive but using simple words. By using easy and simple words, it makes it easier to understand and to picture in your mind. An example of this is on page 22 when George says, "Sounded like somebody hitting a milk bottle with a ball peen hammer." That quote is very descriptive but because of the words chosen, it is very easy to imagine and comprehend. Also, Vonnegut's style of writing is using sarcasm. He tells us his views of the government in Harrison Bergeron's world, but he tells it bluntly. Vonnegut doesn't just go out and say it, he tells it in a sort of skewed way that makes you think about it for a little while. Vonnegut's style of writing is sharing deep thoughts in a skewed and sarcastic way and using descriptive yet simple words making it easier for the reader to comprehend and imagine.
ReplyDeleteBased on Vonnegut's style you can see that he obviously views today's society and the government negatively. Based on his tone and satire such as naming the government official "Diana Moon Glampers",this shows that he views the society and government as being ridiculous. Also, lines such as the one on page 23 (paragraph 5) "then other people'd get away wit it... You wouldn't like that, would you?" convey a sense of sarcasm which points even more towards how ridiculous he feels society and government can be and may become one day. If Vonnegut hadn't used sarcasm and weird names in his style he would've had a hard time expressing his thoughts about society and government.
ReplyDeleteVonnegut's style in this story is clear and gets right to the point. Based on the way that he tells this story and the way he describes what the government does it is clear that he doesn't think very highly of it. Also with some of the things that he said you can feel a sense of joking or sarcasm within it. With the way Vonnegut tells it he also feels that the governemt won't let anyone be different which is clear in the way that he writes.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Garrett, Vonnegut's style is like the perfect balance between complex and simple sentences. It makes it interesting to read without getting confusing. I like how Vonnegett's style is so imaginative, too, and that makes it enjoyable to read.
ReplyDeleteVonnegut's story was very interesting to me because his writing is very to the point. This made me enjoy his writing a lot more. If his story had been dragged on, I wouldn't be able to focus on it and read it. People's names who are of high authority, like Diana has on obsene name, which shows he thinks that the government is obserd. His feelings are very intricate and it shows that he thought very deeply. His story wasn't just simple. The way he worded things was different than other things I have read. His style isn't like anyone else's I've ever seen. He has his own way of writing that is extremely interesting.
ReplyDeleteVonnegut's style is unique. He doesn't write overly complex sentences, which would grow boring and lose interest easily. He doesn't write too simply, either, however. He uses this style to keep the reader interested and to influence the reader's views of a specific person or topic.
ReplyDeleteHis style of writing is clearly potraying the government negitivly in his story. The way he dosnt go into the vilance of the government slowly shows that he dosnt think the government will go into anything slowly either. He really wants to show the pure control over the people that they have gained by showing all the harsh handycaps but yet the general having the power to shoot Harrison without a trial or anything fair and just.
ReplyDeleteVonnegut's style, I thought, was based on describing experiences to make them more clear. Although he did describe very well, he was concise and to the point. He used strong feelings which helped me to understand the story better. On page 22 his word choice of using simpler words to desribe thoughts and emotions helped, unlike some authors use extravagent, big words that I would have to look up to fully understand what the author is talking about. And on page 23 the words and the conatations implied sarcasm. Vonnegut's styles was easy for me to read and understand.
ReplyDeleteI like how Vonnegut's writing style is so imaginitive and unique. His sentenses are both simple and complex which makes the read easy and hard to loose interest.
ReplyDeleteI think that Vonnegut's style is very clear and gets directly to the point. In some ways he uses short simple sentences when needed, in others he uses longer more complex sentences. He portrays something hard to believe in a way that is easy to understand for a highschool or middleschool student. In this way he voices his opinion about the government without being overly direct.
ReplyDeleteVonnegut's style is very concise and easy to understand. He doesn't use too big of words and his sentences are to the point. Vonnegut doesn't cover up the meaning of what he's trying to say, he just says it. I like his style of writing because it's not like many other authors style. His writing is interesting to read because of his imagination, but it is also easy to read.
ReplyDeleteVonnegut's style is very concise and easy to understand. He doesn't use too big of words and his sentences are to the point. Vonnegut doesn't cover up the meaning of what he's trying to say, he just says it. I like his style of writing because it's not like many other authors style. His writing is interesting to read because of his imagination, but it is also easy to read.
ReplyDeleteLike Steve said, Vonnegut's style of writing is clear for the reader and what he is trying to say is comprehended easily. His ways of putting images in the readers head made reading his interesting story easy and also a bit fun to read.
ReplyDeleteThe way Vonnegut styles his writing is simple yet complex. He appeals to the readers senses so it's easy to connect and understand what he is trying to say. The readers can feel and see what he is writing which helps "get into the story." Vonnegut's style is one that many if not most readers can comprehend and enjoy.
ReplyDeleteVonnegut's style is very descriptive. Everything that Vonnegut talks about it is very clear, like when he talks about the head set. Also he describes the dancers and i could picture them with ski like masks and weights on their ankles. I think when you read this work you can clearly see a message but Vonnegut hides messages underneath. An example about that is the goverment in HB the people just go along with the goverment because they have to but Vonnegut shows his veiws on the goverment by Harrison coming in and trying to go against the goverment.
ReplyDeleteVonnegut's style is very descriptive. Everything that Vonnegut talks about it is very clear, like when he talks about the head set. Also he describes the dancers and i could picture them with ski like masks and weights on their ankles. I think when you read this work you can clearly see a message but Vonnegut hides messages underneath. An example about that is the goverment in HB the people just go along with the goverment because they have to but Vonnegut shows his veiws on the goverment by Harrison coming in and trying to go against the goverment.
ReplyDeleteVonnegut's style is very descriptive. Everything that Vonnegut talks about it is very clear, like when he talks about the head set. Also he describes the dancers and i could picture them with ski like masks and weights on their ankles. I think when you read this work you can clearly see a message but Vonnegut hides messages underneath. An example about that is the goverment in HB the people just go along with the goverment because they have to but Vonnegut shows his veiws on the goverment by Harrison coming in and trying to go against the goverment.
ReplyDeleteVonnegut's style is very descriptive. Everything that Vonnegut talks about it is very clear, like when he talks about the head set. Also he describes the dancers and i could picture them with ski like masks and weights on their ankles. I think when you read this work you can clearly see a message but Vonnegut hides messages underneath. An example about that is the goverment in HB the people just go along with the goverment because they have to but Vonnegut shows his veiws on the goverment by Harrison coming in and trying to go against the goverment.
ReplyDeleteVonnegut's style is very descriptive. Everything that Vonnegut talks about it is very clear, like when he talks about the head set. Also he describes the dancers and i could picture them with ski like masks and weights on their ankles. I think when you read this work you can clearly see the message but Vonnegut hides messages underneath. An example about that is the goverment in HB the people just go along with the goverment because they have to but Vonnegut shows his veiws on the goverment by Harrison coming in and trying to go against the goverment.
ReplyDeleteVonnegut's style is very descriptive. Everything that Vonnegut talks about it is very clear, like when he talks about the head set. Also he describes the dancers and i could picture them with ski like masks and weights on their ankles. I think when you read this work you can clearly see the message but Vonnegut hides messages underneath. An example about that is the goverment in HB the people just go along with the goverment because they have to but Vonnegut shows his veiws on the goverment by Harrison coming in and trying to go against the goverment.
ReplyDeleteVonnegut's style is very descriptive. Everything that Vonnegut talks about it is very clear, like when he talks about the head set. Also he describes the dancers and i could picture them with ski like masks and weights on their ankles. I think when you read this work you can clearly see the message but Vonnegut hides messages underneath. An example about that is the goverment in HB the people just go along with the goverment because they have to but Vonnegut shows his veiws on the goverment by Harrison coming in and trying to go against the goverment.
ReplyDeleteVonnegut's style is very descriptive. Everything that Vonnegut talks about it is very clear, like when he talks about the head set. Also he describes the dancers and i could picture them with ski like masks and weights on their ankles. I think when you read this work you can clearly see the message but Vonnegut hides messages underneath. An example about that is the goverment in HB the people just go along with the goverment because they have to but Vonnegut shows his veiws on the goverment by Harrison coming in and trying to go against the goverment.
ReplyDeleteVonnegut's style is very descriptive. Everything that Vonnegut talks about it is very clear, like when he talks about the head set. Also he describes the dancers and i could picture them with ski like masks and weights on their ankles. I think when you read this work you can clearly see the message but Vonnegut hides messages underneath. An example about that is the goverment in HB the people just go along with the goverment because they have to but Vonnegut shows his veiws on the goverment by Harrison coming in and trying to go against the goverment.
ReplyDeleteVonnegut's style is with every message he's trying to say he hides it with something else. Making the reader really have to dig deep into the story to understand what Vonnegut is saying.For an example on page 21 about the month of April. I believe that there Vonnegut is saying even though the Amendments made everyone equal, in the end not everything would be equal there will still be differences. Another message that one has to decode is on page 22. "A buzzer sounded in George's head." His thoughts fled in panic, like bandits from a burglar alarms." To me this is saying that the government were like burglars and took away what people thoughts were. Throughout the whole short story, Vonnegut uses style that keeps people guessing and interested.
ReplyDelete