Introduction
Building a world in which time is the main part of life, Harlan Ellison, in Repent, Harlequin! Said the TicktockMan!, rejects the blueprint of chronological storytelling and uses satire to illustrate the startling dependence that humans have on time.” Ellison disregards the principles of a customary time succession and goes about as a revolutionary to “proper” composing and ridicules the alleged eventual fate of humanity. The covering compliance of his new society recommends that time will ultimately annihilate the human idea of independence.
Discussion
All through the brief tale, Harlan Ellison utilizes unexpected subtleties, reinforcing the satirical component of the story. Ellison integrates parody in his work by furnishing the reader with the foundation right away, portraying what the world had become — a spot run by time principles instead of rules and guidelines; an authoritarian culture run by the “TicktockMan,” and his clock (Davidson 18). The author features the dire requirement for reliability later on; this fixation eclipses the requirement for the opportunity and individual articulation. The contradiction comes to impact here with the surprising switch of jobs between time and Man; time was once addressed as a device of Man. However, time now regulates every aspect of humanity, tying man to the dinging communal clock. The mockery and parody form with the presentation of the Harlequin since “he had become a personality,” which was something “they had filtered out many decades before” (Ellison 878). Pioneers and the privileged consider the Harlequin a “heretic,” whereas low income earners see the alleged deceiver as a “Jesus,” flouting conformity and uprising against severe time requirements.
Ellison portrays the Harlequin as a character, deducing the unexpected change in mindset. Ellison thinks about the Harlequin as a “Bolivar,” a “Robin Hood” to glaringly depict this difference between similarity and independence (Ellison 878). These inferences, combined with the relationship to the Messiah, offer descriptions of how the Harlequin was seen by the lower classes. Ellison forms this saint picture of the Harlequin and partners the verifiable setting and accounts of every one of these considered along with the story (Segaloff 107). The Messiah forfeited his life for the reclamation of Mankind; Robin Hood was a dark horse among locals, the Batman of the difficulty stricken, battling the distinguished rule. According to Segaloff, these references fortify the maverick position with each related figure addressing the battle for the everyday person, and the inclination for change and still the Harlequin is the same (110). Character implies the center of humankind, the one-of-a-kind characteristic that isolates every person from the following; the consistent variety in mental manners of thinking separates man from some other species.
Unexpectedly, in the obscurity future, the character demonstrates a danger to both effectiveness and the extremist framework that runs the world. That is to say, the character is outdated, but consistency is great (Parker 34). These unexpected subtleties set out by Ellison legitimize his firm conviction that singularity should surpass the constant weeps for similarity. Repent, Harlequin! is a satire of hierarchical hypocrisy, as the Harlequin resists coerced and induced subservience. In a world where the majority of people walk quietly to the tick of the universal clock, the chaotic and defiant Harlequin is unmistakably identified as the principal character in a cosmos of monotonous machinery (Bainbridge 61). Amusingly, the Harlequin is the last human in this future world, the main individual left with a still, small voice.
Indeed, even in Ellison’s initial entry from Thoreau’s “Thoughtful Disobedience, the Harlequin isn’t just noticed the legend in the story, yet the idea of common defiance is installed into the profundity of the text. This thought implies Thoreau’s allegory of walking to the beat of an alternate drummer and the occurrence of Thoreau’s night in prison for his refusal to cover personal assessment (Manglis 7). The thought individual idea demonstrates solid on the grounds that “A few, as heroes, patriots, martyrs, reformers in the great sense, and men, serve the state with their conscience also” (Ellison 877). The Harlequin exemplifies independence, and Ellison develops his personality’s every word and activity to legitimize the requirement for change in this faltering-bodied society.
The Harlequin addresses Harlan Ellison’s best apparatus while organizing the parody and mockery in his story; he fosters the entertainer of all characters — novel and odd — swimming against the standard. By portraying the Harlequin with an amusing character and lively discourse, Ellison molds him to voice Ellison’s own beliefs. He opens his entire brief tale with a statement from the Harlequin, which addresses change, as he challenges the majority, examines laborers, inquiring “why let the TicktockMan order them about?” accordingly testing rule and custom-based regulation (Ellison 884). Ellison recommends individuals “take their time” and appreciate “the sunshine, enjoy the breeze, and let life carry them at their own pace!” (Ellison 884). This maniac talks apostasies, lighting the sparkles of unrest by opening their psyches to reality, an old way of life, and an almost forgotten past when men were not enslaved. Ellison makes a defiant man voice his conviction that time should not control the existence of the man yet rather guide him to progress.
In any event, when the extremist government catches the Harlequin, this heathen ceaselessly opposes giving up until the end, announcing “he would rather be dead than live in a dumb world with a bogeyman,” like the TickTockMan (Ellison 885). When the Master Timekeeper’s understanding declines, the Harlequin proceeds with his protester tirade and raillery, announcing the tyrant “full of it” (Ellison 885). Ellison criticizes this TicktockMan as a “tyrant” because “he has no right to order people around and kill them if they show up late” (Ellison 885). Interesting and exceeding, the Harlequin is a “nonconformist” who does not “enjoy order,” in contrast to the groups of sheep, the obstinate boneheads that encompass him (Ellison 885). The exchange of the Harlequin furnishes the reader with an understanding of the inward being of this heathen; this man should kick the bucket since he undermines everything — the authoritarian machine, the inflexible construction of society, the time standard, the oppressive limitation, the finish of opportunity.
Ellison’s firm conviction that similarity ought to never block the requirement for uniqueness and opportunity reverberations in the Harlequin’s revolt. He exclusively steps up to the plate and stops the wrongs on the planet, underlining the possibility of distinction. By using discourse to construct the fictional character of the Harlequin, the reader sees that time governs man, allowing dependability to imprison his genuine corporeal distinctiveness, his personality (Hodgart and Connery 41). The Harlequin acts surprisingly to the people who adjust, inferring men should split away from the standard. Making a theoretical person put aside from society, the author assembles an insurgency to voice his conviction that independence must be victorious among the desire for congruity. In any case, it stays indispensable to take note of that “in every revolution a few die who shouldn’t,” and henceforth, the Harlequin is only the start, the match that makes some serious waves, a saint (Ellison 886). Ellison makes the Harlequin for one reason: to save the world.
Repent, Harlequin! is set in a future society when military labor forces, an obsession with time, a focus on mass consumerism, and totalitarian government have become the norm. According to Morel, the narrative comes to a close with the novel’s most significant analogies (35). As in George Orwell’s novel Nineteen Eighty-Four, the Ticktockman has the Harlequin sent to Coventry, where he is treated in a manner similar to Winston Smith’s (Ellison 886). Winston Smith, the main character, defies governmental authority and engages in an extramarital romance with Julia (Morel 85). The story’s warnings about the dangers of a totalitarian society resonated cruelly and responsively in England and the United States because of Julia’s betrayal throughout her torment and brainwashing (Morel 36). Ellison embeds Orwell’s whole novel into the entry with the subtext found behind Nineteen Eighty-Four. People who have read Orwell’s work will see that Harlequin is indoctrinated and broken as a consequence of his non – compliance. Taking a gander at the master plan, readers perceive Ellison’s bigger reason for his story and the harlequin-to caution readers of the obvious risks of congruity and the authoritarian government machine.
Specialists broadcast the Harlequin in his indoctrinated state and use him as an illustration of some other insubordinate figures. Killing him was impossible as the Harlequin would turn into an image to the majority, a danger to the controlled and organized society (Devlin 37). The downfall of the Harlequin is unavoidable. During his last minutes, he answers the Ticktockman’s requests with unrefined humor and mixed energy for his interesting person. The Harlequin neglects to achieve the change he wishes; however, “you can’t make an omelet without breaking a few eggs” since “that’s the way it happens” (Ellison 886). Regardless of whether just a little change is made, “then it seems to be worthwhile” (Ellison 886). Indeed the Harlequin did not succeed, but this brought him to trust. He switched around the positions; he carried a stop to the constant control and despot rule of the Ticktockman. The little things matter, and he said burning is the primary string of obstruction, the main development towards change.
By dissecting the unexpected subtleties and advancement of the Harlequin, the magnificence of parody communicates its thoughts through the story. Ellison effectively opens a terrible view of the alleged future, where distinction and opportunity stop existing. Humankind maintains one ideal time will not control the fate of the individuals who take a stab at significance. At the same time, conformity will not impede man’s actual light (McGuirk 213). Tragically, the world keeps on running down a despicable, winding way, and the most obscure cravings of manpower, covetousness, and disdain — are building its final resting place. In this manner, the timekeepers will keep slithering to the twelfth hour, and afterward, the ringers will toll, the chimes will ring, the ringers will thunder, man will cry, yet time will stand successful.
Ultimately, Ellison uses satire to bring his narrative to a close. The Harlequin submits to the Ticktockman’s torment and loses his perception of self, whereas the latter, who is in charge of society’s timekeeping, is 180 seconds late. Hodgart and Brian opine that this application of contextual satire is the seamless climax to a narrative about eradicating procrastination from society (17). It demonstrates the underlying duplicity of some civilizations and demonstrates how a lack of opportunities for self-expression may result in individuals losing their concept of self. Marm fits into society as a dumb laborer, somewhat robotically doing the chores required of him in his daily routines.
Conclusion
Ralph Ellison’s work is continuously imprecise in its grammar. This was an intended strategy by the author since reviewers in civilized countries noticed this work by pointing out its many grammatical errors. As a result, the narrative’s authorial goal might be inferred to be one of elevating the work’s profile. Ultimately, it suffices to say that Ellison’s Repent, Harlequin! Said the Ticktockman, is among the most metaphorically laden short tales ever authored. Using rhetorical techniques, Ellison conveys that rigorously enforced time pushes individuals to forsake their self-consciousness in society.
Further, the author suggests advanced societies may be on the verge of reaching that dreaded milestone. Ellison has expertly composed a deeper meaning into a short, entertaining, and thought-provoking narrative using rhetoric. Overall, numerous books and short tales succeed in disguising their plots as metaphors for contemporary life. Repent, Harlequin! Said the Ticktockman aptly encapsulates how society rigorously regulates time and the destiny that awaits civilization if it stays on this course.
Works Cited
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