Which of the following excerpts from "Harrison Bergeron" best illustrates irony?
“If you see this boy,” said the ballerina, “do not—I repeat, do not—try to reason with him.”
“He is a genius and an athlete, is under-handicapped, and should be regarded as extremely dangerous.”
“My God—” said George, “that must be Harrison!”
“Gee—I could tell that one was a doozy,” said Hazel.
"If you see this boy,” said the ballerina, “do not—I repeat, do not—try to reason with him."
The excerpt that best illustrates irony from "Harrison Bergeron" is:
“He is a genius and an athlete, is under-handicapped, and should be regarded as extremely dangerous.”
This statement is ironic because it suggests that someone who is intelligent and physically capable should be considered a threat. In the dystopian society portrayed in the story, equality is taken to an extreme, where individuals are made to be equal by handicaps imposed upon them. The fact that someone not handicapped is seen as dangerous and a threat to the society reveals the irony of the situation.