Miniver Cheevy and Harrison Bergeron

The juxtaposition between Miniver Cheevy and Harrison Bergeron is ridiculous. Miniver Cheevy is written by someone who allows themselves to be constrained by modern limits and blames their misdoings upon society. Not only does Miniver Cheevy wallow in his self-pity, but he glorifies what he would have been like in medieval times. Realistically, Robinson is far more equipped to succeed in today's society than he ever would have been in an ancient one.

While Miniver Cheevy wails about his foul luck of being born in the wrong time period, Harrison Bergeron is born into a society infinitely more suppressing society than that of Miniver. To further Harrison Bergeron's misfortune, the society he exists in is terrible for him specifically. If Bergeron had been less gifted, he may have fit in well, however, he is bountifully blessed... or cursed.

Both characters have dramatically different reactions to their current situations. Miniver Cheevy adopts a defeatist attitude and consoles himself with drink. Harrison Bergeron does nothing to excuse himself, but takes his ideals even further by making an attempt to change the society he lives in to accommodate him. Of course Harrison Bergeron takes it to the extreme by making himself into a martyr, but it is still better than resigning oneself to misery as Miniver Cheevy elects to do.

We spend too much time living in the ‘what if’ and need to learn to live in the ‘what is.’

-Rev. Leroy Allison