Consider the characters of Hazel and George. Why isn't Hazel handicapped? How does George seem to feel about his handicaps?

Hazel and George Bergeron represent the typical American couple watching television together in the evening. Hazel wears no handicaps because she possesses "normal" intelligence, appearance, and strength. however, in Vonnegut's dark future, ‘‘normal’’ has become the lowest common denominator. It implies that one is incompetent, or unable to fathom anything beyond that which is superficial.

Harrison's father, on the other hand, bears multiple government-imposed handicaps which repress his ‘‘way above-normal’’ intelligence. George wears birdshot weights and a mental handicap radio in his ear that receives a "sharp noise'' transmission designed "to keep people ... from taking unfair advantage of their brains.'' He refuses to remove any of them, however, for he believes that any attempt to change the present situation will inevitably cause civilization to regress back into the ‘‘dark ages,’’ when there was competition. Thus, he is a willing participant in the government's attempt to control its population.