What events are included in the rising action of "Harrison Bergeron" by Kurt Vonnegut?

According to Freytag's pyramid, rising action begins after the inciting incident and ends at the story's climax. In the case of "Harrison Bergeron," the inciting incident occurs when a "news bulletin" interrupts a television program featuring ballerinas and ends when Diana Moon Glampers kills Harrison. Everything that occurs between these two incidents can be considered "rising action."

Here are some key events:

• The television announcer struggles to explain the breaking news—the escape of Harrison...

According to Freytag's pyramid, rising action begins after the inciting incident and ends at the story's climax. In the case of "Harrison Bergeron," the inciting incident occurs when a "news bulletin" interrupts a television program featuring ballerinas and ends when Diana Moon Glampers kills Harrison. Everything that occurs between these two incidents can be considered "rising action."

Here are some key events:

• The television announcer struggles to explain the breaking news—the escape of Harrison Bergeron—so a beautiful ballerina, who "was the strongest and most graceful of all the dancers," reads the report for him in her "warm, luminous, timeless" voice.


• Harrison tears the door "from its hinges" and breaks into the studio, causing a panic. He announces himself as "the Emperor" and then proceeds to tear "the straps of his handicap harness like wet tissue paper" and then snaps his head harness "like celery."


• Harrison goes to the dancers and chooses one to be his "Empress" and removes her handicaps. They dance as Harrison orders the musicians to play beautifully. 


• Harrison and the ballerina defy the laws of gravity and attempt to "kiss the ceiling," eventually doing so. They then "kissed each other for a long, long time" while floating in the air just below the ceiling.

Immediately after their kiss, Diana Moon Glampers enters the studio and shoots both Harrison and the dancer.