Detailed Outline Format
Use the following bulleted format and replace with your own words.
INTRODUCTION:
All famous and short stories are planned before written. The reader will most likely plan out his or her story. Drawing out a story plot chart is a great way to plan out a story. Short stories written without a plan is like a building a house without blueprints. Exposition, Rising action and Characterization have to be well thought of before writing a story. “Harrison Bergeron” by Kurt Vonnegut was most likely written without planning because it is a terrible story. The story’s exposition was nearly 3 sentences long. The rising action within the story was so poor that it was boring to read and the climax had no importance. Furthermore, the characterization in this story was so bad that connecting to any of the characters was nearly impossible. “Harrison Bergeron” by Kurt Vonnegut was a terribly written story due to the fact that the story lacked quality rising action, exposition and characterization.
FIRST BODY PARAGRAPH
1. Because the story had was written without a well done exposition, it was very hard to understand what the author was talking about at times.
1. The author tells us near the beginning of the story that everyone is equal; that is clear but the author never tells the reader why society has come to the point where everyone is equal.
1. “All this equality was due to the 211th, 212th and 213th Amendments to the Constitution” (Vonnegut page 133)
2. At this point there was a clear given reason is to why everyone became equal. But there is no detail as to what these amendments are and why they were established. The background to why everyone has become equal is nearly equivalent as your parents answering a question with “because I said so”. There’s a reason behind the situation, but the reason has no detail at all. What are the 211, 212 and 213 amendments? ii. The book explains that Harrison Bergeron was taken away but it isn’t until the end of the story that the reader is told why.
b. “And it was that month that the H-G men took George and Hazel Bergeron’s fourteen-year-old-son, Harrison, away.” (Vonnegut 134).
1.
2. Prior to this quote the reader is never told who the “H-G” men are or what they do. For all we know the “H-G” men could be good guys. The reader is also not told what Harrison did to be taken away until near the end of the story. This can e very confusing and misleading because the reader may believe that Harrison was taken away for a good cause.
b. When stories are written with poor expositions it often leaves the reader guessing a lot as to what is happening in the story and that is not good.
SECOND BODY PARAGRAPH
3. The story had terrible rising action and no suspense; this being, the climax had no importance.
a. The rising action moved way too fast and too much happened in a short amount of time.
i. Harrison was throwing the ballerina in the air with ease. Diana Glampers, The head of H-G walks into the room and shoots Harrison. The TV shuts off and neither of his parents care. (Page 138) ii. Although this quote is paraphrased, all this happened within two short paragraphs. Within two short paragraphs the climax is here and gone. Harrison went from dancing to being killed. There was no suspense to this scene and the climax was very bland.
b. With terrible suspense, comes a terrible climax.
i. Diana Glampers shoots their son on TV, the TV goes out and George (his father) complains about the TV going out. ii. The climax at this point is so bland that the reader isn’t affected in anyway. After reading this story it may be hard to even be able to tell when the climax occurred. Harrison’s son was killed on TV and the only thing that he was concerned about was how the power went out. How is the reader supposed to be affected by the climax when the