Making Comparisons

#1 Collect Data From Sources

Item
Main
Characters

The Giraffe

Harrison Bergeron

Giraffe: Goes through bothering and entertaining the

town with the boys, people react indifferently to the
giraffe and amuses the children, is regarded as a very
tall beast to people in the town, values nutrition and
proper living conditions for itself
Rolandino and the Boys: Takes responsibility of the
giraffe, children of the town, people threaten to kill his
giraffe because he was using it to bother the town,
young stubby boy, confident that there is a way he can
make the giraffe live in the town, emotional thinker
(because hes a young and doesnt know a lot about
logic or giraffes in general)
Mayor: Elected head of the town, emotional thinker,
threatens to kill the giraffe

Harrison Bergeron: Son of George Bergeron, people fear

him, escapes jail and takes over broadcasting studio, boy,
athletic, 7 feet tall, incredibly strong, believes handicaps are
not needed, says he is very powerful
George Bergeron: Father of Harrison Bergeron, believes
going against the law will corrupt society as it was before,
logical thinker
Hazel: Thinks she would make a good dictator, says that
George should take out birdshot from his handicaps; she
doesnt mind him not being equal to her at home where
nothing is competitive
Diana Moon Glampers: Dictator, kills Harrison Bergeron and
the empress ballerina, believes everyone should be
equal, or rather the same
Empress Ballerina: Dancer, more beautiful and better at
dancing than the other ballerinas

Setting

G: Late 1800s to early 1900s, in a cold

G: The year 2081, April, America, at George and

Describe the
main features of
the setting. How
does this setting
feel? How should
this setting feel?

environment where it only snows in the

Hazels house, and the broadcasting studio that

Winter. Takes place in the church, and the

Harrison had invaded.

town square, during night and day.

E: Reader feels the same as everyone else in the

E: Reader feels sympathetic towards the

setting, and feels as if their freedom is being

Giraffe for its mistreatment

suppressed.

M: The source of rules that come from this

M: The 211th, 212th, and 213th amendments to

setting are derived from the development of

the constitution make it so that everyone is

society over years, accompanied by religion.

equal, and handicapped by the Handicapper

S: The hierarchy in the society consists of a

General if they had any physical or mental

List some of the

important traits

Mayor, being the head of the town.

advantage over others.

I: You need an understanding of the societal

S: The society in this setting is organized to

structure, hierarchy in the town, and the time

make everyone equal, in both physical and

period, to be able to fully understand and

mental aspects, but the Handicapper General

experience the setting.

has the most power and control

I: You need knowledge of basic ethics to be able
to understand and experience this setting.

Conflicts

Character vs Society: The main conflict is that the

giraffes owner is dead, and now the giraffe has no one
to take care of it, so Rolandino and the boys take
responsibility for it and try to help it survive in the town,
however, the town does not co-operate and instead
disapproves of it

Character vs Society: Harrison Bergeron is a very powerful

person who is put in jail because he is overpowered
compared to the handicaps, he then escapes jail and takes
over a broadcasting studio, freeing every one of their
handicaps and allowing them their freedom, however, this is
illegal in the society, so he gets shot by Diana Moon
Glampers.

Plot

The characters took several steps to solve

Harrison Bergeron attempted to fix the problem

How is the main

problem solved?
What steps did
the character(s)
have to take?

the issue: fed it the mayors trees leaves, got by breaking into the broadcasting studio and

What are the

sources and
types of conflicts
presented?

it to sleep in the church, and tried their best

forcing everyone take off their handicaps and be

to help it survive, however, since the giraffe

free, however, he then got shot and died, which

died, that is disregarded, the problem was

means Harrison failed to solve the main

not solved.
The story is in 1st person.

problem.
The story is in 3rd person.

The giraffe will only live happily in its own

Society will never truly be perfect for anyone,

designated atmosphere, you cannot force it

there will always be rebellion in it.

Narrative
What is the
theme of the

story? What is
the author's
main message
for us?

to live where it doesnt want to / cannot live.

Making Comparisons
#2 Look for topics to write about

A comparison looks at how things are similar AND how things are different.
& THEMES
SOCIETY(OVERALL
COMMON TOPICS

SIMILARITIES

TOPIC)

THE SOCIETIES IN BOTH HARRISON

DIFFERENCES

BERGERON AND GIRAFFE WERE BOTH

has unlimited control and power over

DESIGNED TO BE VERY SENSITIVE TO CHANGE

the society in the setting, whereas, the

AND WERE MADE TO STAY THE SAME WAY

Mayor in the Giraffe has limited control

BOTH SOCIETIES IN BOTH SETTINGS HAVE

and power, and doesnt have control

SOMEONE ON TOP OF THEIR HIERARCHY

over the people

(HANDICAPPER GENERAL AND MAYOR)

Source of Rules

The dictator in the Harrison Bergeron

(Harrison Bergeron) The source of

The rules and ethics in Harrison

from the

rules and ethics (dictator and

Bergeron are made to control all of

Setting

legislation) are the reason

society strictly, and if anyone were to

Harrison rebels against society,

rebel or go against it, there would be

because he isnt accepted by the

serious consequences, whereas, the

society because he is far better

rules ethics in the Giraffe are not as

than everyone else

strict, and treated more as morals and

(Giraffe) The source of rules and

ethics rather than law (basically, the

ethics are the reason the Giraffe

rules in HB are more important than

ends up dying, since the society

the rules in the Giraffe)

was not used to the giraffe

including its needs to be taken
care of, therefore it was un-

People in the

accepted by society
Both hierarchies in both settings

In the Harrison Bergeron, the person at

society and

of both stories include someone at

the top of the hierarchy (Handicapper

hierarchy

the top, like the Handicapper

General) has full unlimited power and

General for Harrison Bergeron and

control over the people in the society,

the Mayor for the Giraffe, who are

whereas the Mayor in the Giraffe has

powerful, and important people

limited power compared to the

Handicapper General, and doesnt
have power over the people

Making Comparisons
#3 Writing a Comparison Paragraph
Topic Sentence identify the sources used, and the specific common topic of the comparison.
In Harrison Bergeron by Kurt Vonnegut Jr. and in The Giraffe by Mauro Senesi, the society is very reluctant to differences and
changes inside of it.
Point #1 an important similarity that is connected to the common topic and to theme.
The way the two societies express their reluctance to change is by having their societies to be structured to function and remain the
same way done in a similar fashion.
Proof #1A -- example from first story that demonstrates your point
In Harrison Bergeron, George describes, If I tried to get away with it, then other peopled get away with it-and pretty soon wed be
right back to the dark ages again, with everybody competing with everybody else. You wouldnt like that, would you? (Vonnegut Jr.).
Proof #2B -- example from second story that demonstrates your point
In The Giraffe, the speaker argues, Dam this town anyway, where giraffes can't live, because there's room only for the things that are
already here. (Senesi).
Explanation Sentence state how the proofs demonstrate Point #1
These quotes explain how societies in both stories function similarly; it shows that these societies are designed so that the people in
the society are to oppose differences and changes when it confronts them. Instead of trying to reasonably find a solution for them in
order and be inclusive, these two societies avoid reasoning with or helping people who have different opinions on how society should
work so that they can fit in. This intolerance of the society is one of the main causes that are responsible for the deaths of Harrison and
the giraffe.

Point #2 an important difference that connects to the common topic and to theme
The difference between how the societies in the stories are seen as reluctant to changes, is the contrast between severity of the
consequences one would receive for going against society. In Harrison Bergeron, being disobedient towards society is like breaking a
law; the person is considered a criminal and will promptly be punished. On the other hand, in The Giraffe, being disobedient towards
society is seen as abnormal, unethical, or rebellious; not illegal
Proof #2A example from first story that demonstrates your point
In Harrison Bergeron, it states, It was then that Diana Moon Glampers, the Handicapper General, came into the studio with a doublebarreled ten-gauge shotgun. She fired twice, and the Emperor and the Empress were dead before they hit the floor. (Vonnegut Jr.).
Proof #2B example from second story that demonstrates your point
However, in The Giraffe, the Mayor suggested with everyone else in the town, "We'll have to kill the giraffe.", was used as a warning
and no one received punishment for it (Senesi)
Explanation Sentence state how the proofs demonstrate Point #2
These quotes show that the society that Harrison is in is strict and unforgiving of people who contrast in ideas, appearance, or choice
from other people in the society, which resulted in punishment. Whereas, the society in the giraffe is in is more lenient towards
outcasts of their society and will leave them alone to suffer instead of bothering to immediately discipline them. The societies in
Harrison Bergeron and The Giraffe have a large influence on Harrison and the giraffe because of singling them out of the societies
based on their differences.
Concluding Sentence restate the topic and why the theme is important

The ignorance towards change and difference from others in a society is regarded important because its a major contribution
towards the suffering which leads up to the deaths of Harrison Bergeron and the giraffe.