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Jonice Jackson

Mrs. Field

LNG 322

15 February 2011

No True Perfection

Who defines perfection, the individual or the collective? Perfect is something

most strive to be, but what happens when there is only one definition of perfection?

When a person willingly allows another to define him, he submits himself to

oppression; however, when he goes against his society, he is able to find a truth

that society tries to hide. The society’s in Rand’s novel, Anthem, Niccol’s movie,

Gattaca, and Vonnegut’s short story “Harrison Bergeron” all try to be what they

think is perfect. This causes conflict for the main characters Equality, Vincent, and

Harrison because the vision they have of perfection is different from their society’s.

In order for a society to reach “perfection,” certain things about the individual

will be oppressed. Harrison and Equality everyone is supposed to be as “…good as

anybody else…” However, that is not true, because some people are favored over

others, and Harrison and Equality aren’t one of the favored. Their society holds

them back from reaching their full potential. In worlds like these “no one exceeds

his potential,” but for Vincent and Equality boundaries are set for them, by society,

so they won’t go on and be more than is expected of them. How can a society

claim to be perfect if it deprives the people within it from being happy? This leaves

the people within the society no choice but to go against everything there society

has ever taught them about life.

Harrison, Vincent, and Equality realize that they are deprived, and have no

choice but rebel to against society, and do what they think is right. Equality and
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Vincent are not as brazen as Harrison is, but they too want to tell society to “…

watch me become what I can become.”(5) When these three men start rebelling

from society they “…[tear] the straps of their handicaps…”(5), both figuratively and

literally. They stop following the rules of society and start to “… [follow]

preference…” (53). By doing this, they all realized there is a deeper meaning to life

than there society wants them to know. The strength that lies inside the three

characters is best said in Vincent’s comment to Anton: “I saved nothing for the

swim back.” Each optimist lives every day thinking about his ultimate goal – his

reason for being.

Once Harrison, Equality, and Vincent make it through the obstacles of their

society, they are able to find their life meanings. They have found happiness, and

stand on the “…threshold of freedom…” knowing that they are able to live in their

own perfection. Knowing that the truth of perfection needs to be passed to others in

society, each of these three characters find a way to “…[lend their] dreams…” to

others, so the truths of their society will be known. One word that best describes

each of these men is the name used for Equality by Liberty: “…unconquered” (56).

These men have not changed because their society wants them too, they stayed to

true to themselves and their life goals.

Harrison, Equality, and Vincent represent the people in society who challenge

the beliefs of others in order to find their life meaning. They are able to define

perfection in their own words, only after they are to break through the boundaries

of society. Every society is different, but alike in one way – they are all flawed.

When a society is unable to accept its imperfections, it limits the potential of

everyone within it.