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'Repent, Harlequin!' Said the Ticktockman

Harlan Ellison · 1965 · Short Story

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It satirizes bureaucratic control and the dehumanizing effects of rigid societal structures, advocating for individual rebellion and spontaneity against oppressive conformity.

What it is

In a dystopian future where punctuality is enforced by the omnipresent Ticktockman, a rebel named Everett C. Marm, the Harlequin, disrupts the rigid societal order with playful disobedience. His actions challenge the system's control over time and individual freedom, leading to a confrontation with the authorities.

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