Question

now said harrison, taking her hand, shall we show the people the meaning of the word dance? music he commanded. the musicians scrambled back into their chairs, and harrison stripped them of their handicaps too. play your best, he told them, and ill make you barons and dukes and earls. the music began. it was normal at first - cheap, silly, false. but harrison snatched two musicians from their chairs, waved them like batons as he sang the music as he wanted it played. he slammed them back into their chairs. the music began again and was much improved. harrison and his empress merely listened to the music for a while - listened gravely, as though synchronizing their heartbeats with it. they shifted their weights to their toes. harrison placed his big hands on the girls tiny waist, letting her sense the weightlessness that would soon be hers. and then, in an explosion of joy and grace, into the air they sprang! not only were the laws of the land abandoned, but the law of gravity and the laws of motion as well. they reeled, whirled, swiveled, flounced, capered, gamboled, and spun. they leaped like deer on the moon. the studio ceiling was thirty feet high, but each leap brought the dancers nearer to it. it became their obvious intention to kiss the ceiling. they kissed it. and then, neutralizing gravity with love and pure will, they remained suspended in air inches below the ceiling, and they kissed each other for a long, long time. 7. how does the imagery used describe the dance impact the tone of the text? underline words from the text to support your answer it was then that diana moon glampers, the handicapper general, came into the studio with a double - barreled ten - gauge shotgun. she fired twice, and the emperor and the empress were dead before they hit the floor. diana moon glampers loaded the gun again. she aimed it at the musicians and told them they had ten seconds to get their handicaps back on. 8. how does the above sentence shift the tone? it was then that the bergerons television tube burned out. hazel turned to comment about the blackout to george. but george had gone out into the kitchen for a can of beer. george came back in with the beer, paused while a handicap signal shook him up. and then he sat down again. you been crying, he said to hazel. yup, she said. what about? he said. i forget, she said. something real sad on television. what was it? he said. its all kind of mixed up in my mind, said hazel. forget sad things, said george. i always do, said hazel. thats my girl, said george. he winced. there was the sound of a riveting gun in his head. gee - i could tell that one was a doozy, said hazel. you can say that again, said george. gee, said hazel, i could tell that one was a doozy. 9. what is a possible theme of the story? a. the government is important in creating equality amongst all people. b. making everyone the same in all ways does not create true equality. c. freedom of expression and thought is not as important as equality. 10. analyze how the author uses the structure of georges disability to reflect the events of the story.

Explanation:

1. The imagery like "leaped like deer on the moon", "reeled, whirled, swiveled" creates a tone of joy, freedom and abandon. Words such as "explosion of joy and grace" emphasize the ecstatic nature of the dance.
2. The appearance of Diana Moon Glampers with a shotgun and the death of the dancers shifts the tone from one of joy and freedom to one of sudden violence, shock and oppression.
3. The story seems to critique forced equality. In the story, handicaps are used to make everyone equal, but it suppresses individuality and freedom. So the theme is that making everyone the same in all ways does not create true equality.
4. George's disability is in the form of mental - handicapping signals that shock him. This reflects the overall oppressive nature of the society in the story. Just as the society uses handicaps to control people, George's disability controls his thoughts and actions, preventing him from fully processing or reacting to the events like the death of his son (Harrison).

Answer:

1. The imagery creates a joyful, free - spirited tone. Words like "leaped like deer on the moon", "explosion of joy and grace" support this.
2. Shifts from joy and freedom to violence and oppression.
3. B. Making everyone the same in all ways does not create true equality.
4. George's disability, in the form of mental - handicapping signals, reflects the oppressive nature of the society that controls people's thoughts and actions.