Question

which condition is considered most dangerous by george and hazel bergeron in \harrison bergeron\?

conformity
oppression
equality
competition

Explanation:

Analyze the characters' perspective on competition

In Kurt Vonnegut's "Harrison Bergeron," George and Hazel live in a dystopian society where total equality is enforced by handicapping the strong, intelligent, and beautiful. When discussing the possibility of removing some of his heavy handicaps, George rejects the idea because he believes that if people start breaking the rules, society will slip back into a state of rivalry and conflict.

Identify the specific threat feared by the characters

George explicitly states that if people try to get away with cheating the system, "we'd be right back to the dark ages again, with everybody competing against everybody else." Thus, within their conditioned mindset, competition is viewed as the most dangerous threat to their stable, equal society.

Answer:

• conformity
• oppression
• equality
• competition (Correct answer)