In Harrison Bergeron, the restrictions placed upon people certainly do not elevate them. In the story, those with natural strength, talent, and intelligence are deprived access to their positive traits by government-mandated restrictions. The titular character, Harrison, is one example of a person heavily restricted by law: he carries three hundred pounds of scrap metal to restrict his strength, wears giant earphones blaring static to interrupt his thoughts, and wears thick glasses that make him half-blind and unable to focus. Although Harrison shows fantastic skill and strength once he removes his handicaps, and even declares himself the "Emperor," this triumph is short-lived. Harrison is denied access to his natural talents for most of his life due to his handicaps, and after the brief period in which he is freed from his restraints, he is shot dead on television by a government employee. In this story, the impediments people experience greatly limit them, rather than improving them.
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