At the end of the story, George says to Hazel, "Forget sad things." To which she replies, "I always do." Why

is this dialogue, or conversation, so important to the story?

Answer and Explanation:

"Harrison Bergeron" is a short story by author Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. It is set in 2081, when the American government is able to provide equality in the strangest manner. The Handicapper General forces those who have advantages to be handicapped to prevent other people from feeling stupid, ugly, weak, incapable in any way.

Harrison Bergeron is tall, strong, handsome, intellectually superior and, for those reasons, is forced to wear all sorts of handicappers to make him average like everyone else. His parents are George and Hazel. Hazel is of "average intelligence", while George is a highly intelligent man, also forced to wear a handicap. They watch as their son defies the government by removing his handicappers on TV. Harrison ends up being killed. His mother cries, but this is the dialog that follows:

"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.

"It's all kind of mixed up in my mind," said Hazel.

"Forget sad things," said George.

"I always do," said Hazel.

I believe the importance of that dialog is in the sense of uselessness it conveys. Harrison seems to have died for nothing. No one is likely to remember what he did or why he did it. Not even his own mother. Even those who, like Harrison, could very well choose to fight the government are limited, forcefully - like George. This short story is usually seen as open-ended. Many say the author chose to leave the continuation to our imagination. I believe this dialog reveals, however, that nothing will change. The government has been successful in controlling the people. Harrison's death will accomplish nothing.