What is your response to the story's ending?

The ending
of "," probably author 's greatest short story, was a sad but not completely
surprising conclusion. In a land controlled by government authoritarianism with its people too
fearful to thrust off imposed handicaps, only the truest of romantics could expect the citizens
to rise up immediately and follow the intellectual giant. Naturally, the governmental agents
were concerned, and the expected action was taken. That Harrison's parents were quick to forget
the atrocity is more surprising than their son's uprising or the murderous action taken by the
H-G woman. American readers really shouldn't be too shocked: Our secretive government
agencies--particularly the FBI and CIA--have abused their powers with murderous activities under
the guise of patriotism for decades.