What Is Ellison's Repent, Harlequin

While the words of “’Repent, Harlequin!’ said the Ticktockman” are new, the story is familiar. The ending is predictable; the reader knows that the Harlequin will be caught and the simple order of the dystopian society will be restored. The predictability of the conclusion is not a fault of Ellison’s writing, rather a merit. Ellison uses in depth characterization balanced with ironic outbursts and a mismatched plot to create a story that is predictable, for the right reasons, but memorable, for the wrong reasons. In order to break free of time and its clutch on humanity, Harlan Ellison advises the reader to become to the Harlequin. Through satire and lack of structure, Ellison alerts the reader of the winding road down which society is headed,

The Harlequin consistently challenges the masses, and interrogates workers, asking “why let [the Ticktockman] order you about?” thus challenging rule and common law (8). He suggests the people “take [their] time” and enjoy “the sunshine, enjoy the breeze, [and] let life carry [them] at [their] own pace!” (8) The Harlequin opens their minds to the truth, an old lifestyle, a nearly forgotten past, a time when men were not slaves. Ellison creates a rebellious man to voice his own belief that time must not control the lives of the man, but rather guide him to success. The dialogue of the Harlequin provides the reader with insight to the inner being of this “Robin Hood” (2); this man must die because he threatens everything — the totalitarian machine, the rigid structure of society, the time standard, the abusive restraint, the end of

She wants to conform, she wants to belong. This strong desire to be like the rest of the totalitarian society is evident to the reader, and it is why it is not surprising that she turned the Harlequin in. When personality “had [been] filtered out of the system many decades ago,” it is hard to form lasting meaningful relationships (1). If everyone acts the same it is hard to care about someone specific; it becomes easy to turn on a person when they become unpleasing. The Harlequin was affecting pretty Alice’s life and she had had enough. Pretty Alice became selfish, but the Harlequin knowing her lack of personality, pushed her to