Situationaloccurs when the unexpected
happens. Situational can relate to the characters' expectations or the readers'. In the case
of Vonnegut's "," the situational irony involves the overall irony of the story, a
surprising ending, and some unpredictable twists throughout.
The central
irony of the story is the handicap system used by the government to ensure that all members of
the society are equal. Instead of allowing everyone to have the same advantages so that each
can reach his or full potential, the constitutional ammendments in this futuristic society has
disadvantaged its members so that no one is better than any one else. No one is smarter or more
talented than any other person. Equality is usually interpreted as everyone having the same
advantages, not the same disadvantages.
The second irony involves Harrison
Bergeron who because he is the brightest and most talented of all is the most handicapped. His
gifts make him a prisoner who must wear heavy weights around his neck and an ugly mask to hide
his ugliness. Instead of allowing such an intelligent person to rise to the top of the society,
Bergeron is punished as if he is a criminal, forced to be weighed down so that he is
"crippled, hobbled, and sickened."
Lastly, when Harrison Bergeron
escapes his handicaps and begins to dance a beautiful dance with a ballerina who has also shed
her handicaps, he is mercilessly shot by Diana Moon Glampers. Instead of their actions being
applauded and recognized for their grace and passion, they are killed as if they were criminals
committed a horrible crime. And also ironic, is the fact that Bergeron's parents who are
watching their son's murder on television are so heavily handicapped that they have no idea what
has happened. All they know is that something sad happened on tv.
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