* Satire: The story uses exaggeration and irony to critique a society that strives for absolute equality, even at the cost of individual potential and human dignity.
* Dark Humor: Vonnegut employs humor to highlight the absurdity and tragic consequences of this enforced equality. The handicaps imposed on Harrison, such as the weights and the earpiece, are both humorous and disturbing.
* Dystopian Dread: Underlying the humor and satire is a sense of profound unease. The reader feels a chilling fear for Harrison and the potential future of a society where individuality is suppressed.
The story's mood is not consistently one or the other. It oscillates between the ludicrous and the terrifying, creating a powerful and unsettling experience for the reader. It leaves us questioning the true meaning of equality and the dangers of achieving it at any cost.