Repent Harlequin essays

Repent Harlequin essays Repent, Harlequin! Said the Ticktockman The story, Repent, Harlequin! Said the Ticktockman, by Harlan Ellison illustrates a futuristic society governed by time. In 2389, when the story takes place, man has become so obsessed with punctuality, that if one does not posses this quality, he can be punished by death. Those who become heroes and strive to save the world from destruction by the clock become enemies by the world because they are non-conformists. This is the case for Everett C. Marm, or better known as the Harlequin, who tries in vain to transform the unacceptability of the regulations. Harlan Ellison introduces to us the idea of serving society in various forms. The reader sees that many in society have transformed into that which society believes. There are many ways in which people respond to society, some follow without question and others do what they feel is right, despite the consequences. Ellison uses specific examples of imagery, diction, and characterization to illustrate the importance of refor m in society. Ellison used imagery to display the Harlequins rebellion as well as the societies actions and thoughts. In illustrating the robot-like lives of his society, Ellison wrote, He could hear the metronomic, left-right-left of the 2:47 shift, entering the Timkin roller-bearing plant in their sneakers... he heard the right-left-right of the 5:00 AM formation, going home. This quote shows the punctuality of the people, as well as the organization of the strict society they live. The shift was not 2:45, but rather exactly 2:47, not sooner or later. In addition, the workers that were arriving took steps left-right-left whereas the ones going home walked right-left-right. This allegorizes exactly how over-organized society was. There was so much control over the people that they no longer did what they wanted to, or ...