Question

cumulative exam
cumulative exam complete
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read the excerpt from \harrison bergeron.\
\you been crying?\ he said to hazel.
\yup,\ she said.
\what about?\ he said.
\i forget,\ she said. \something real sad on television.\
\what was it?\ he said.
\its all kind of mixed up in my mind,\ said hazel.
\forget sad things,\ said george.
\i always do,\ said hazel.
how does this interaction between george and hazel develop kurt vonneguts social criticism?
it demonstrates potential problems that occur in a competitive relationship.
it illustrates the need for maintaining equality in a society.
it suggests that people can show emotions in different ways.
it shows how technology can dehumanize and desensitize people.

Explanation:

To solve this, we analyze the interaction and Vonnegut's social criticism in "Harrison Bergeron". The story critiques a society with forced equality (via handicaps). The interaction here: Hazel cries over something sad but forgets, George tells her to forget. Technology (like the handicaps or media) is used to control emotions, desensitizing people. Let's evaluate options:

• Option 1: The interaction isn't about competitive relationships. Eliminate.
• Option 2: The story is critical of forced equality, not advocating for maintaining it. Eliminate.
• Option 3: The focus isn't on different ways to show emotions, but on emotional suppression. Eliminate.
• Option 4: The forgetfulness and desensitization (Hazel forgets the sad thing, George tells her to forget) ties to technology (TV, handicaps) dehumanizing/desensitizing. This matches the social criticism.

Answer:

D. It shows how technology can dehumanize and desensitize people.