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In "Harrison Bergeron", how does the author use parallel structure in paragraphs 51 and 53?
Quick answer:
In "Harrison Bergeron," Kurt Vonnegut employs parallel structure in paragraphs 51 and 53 to emphasize key actions and traits of the protagonist. The repeated use of the noun-verb pattern, such as "Harrison tore," "Harrison thrust," and "Harrison smashed," creates a rhythmic and forceful narrative flow. Additionally, the repetition of phrases like "I am the Emperor" underscores Harrison's power and urgency, highlighting his dominance and control during his brief moment of triumph.
First, let's look at parallel structure. Parallel structure is a literary device that uses patterns of words or phrases in order to show equal importance or give equal emphasis to multiple parts of a story.
You can use parallel structure by repeating single, similar words, as Vonnegut does in writing: for example, "crippled, hobbled, sickened". These similar-sounding words create a rhythm for the story and also add emphasis to each word as it is repeated.
There is also parallelism in saying: "Harrison tore the straps," "Harrison thrust his thumbs," and then "Harrison smashed his headphones."
In this case, there is repetition of the subject and verb. Saying Harrison tore, thrust, and smashed gives a very different effect than if Vonnegut were to write "Harrison tore, he thrust, he smashed." Using Harrison's name adds more of a punch and shows the power that Harrison commanded.
Finally, we can look at the...
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repetition of "I am the Emperor," which happens twice, to show Harrison's urgency. It is then echoed in a later paragraph in, "I am a greater ruler than any man who ever lived!"
The use of "I am" three times denotes power, and it shows the reader exactly how much control Harrison Bergeron has in that one short moment of victory.
References
I may have a different copy of the text than yours, so I am not sure we are seeing the same paragraphs; however, I will try to answer the question as best as I can.
Parallel Structure as a grammatical and rhetorical strategy uses words or phrases that are similar in structure to enforce or enhance a main idea. Parallel structure is used in speeches as a way to capture the audience by its rhythm. One of the most famous uses of parallel structure was in MLK's "I Have A Dream Speech."
In Harrison Bergeron, Vonnegut uses noun-verb as the pattern when he writes "Harrison tore...Harrison thrust...Harrison smashed." The reader gets a sense of rhythm in the use of parallel structure here; also, Vonnegut's choice to use the proper noun, Harrison, repeatedly instead of the pronoun "he" puts emphasis on Harrison himself.