Final answer:
In Kurt Vonnegut's 'Harrison Bergeron,' the television breaks due to government intervention, symbolizing the climax of the protagonist's rebellion against oppressive societal equality imposed by the government.
Step-by-step explanation:
The television in the short story Harrison Bergeron by Kurt Vonnegut breaks suddenly due to government intervention. The government in the story enforces strict rules that require all citizens to be equal in every aspect, which includes the use of handicaps to limit individuals' abilities and the suppression of information. In the case of the television breaking, it is a result of Harrison Bergeron's resistance against the government's oppression, highlighting the extremes of control and the consequences of rebelling against it. The breakdown serves as a plot device to represent the climax of Harrison's fight against societal constraints.