Skip to main content

How does technology, as a theme, influence "The Veldt"?

Several of Bradbury's works include themes relating to technology, and a surface-level analysis might portray him and his themes as ascetic or having Luddite tones, because technology is typically depicted in a negative light. Even in personal interviews, Bradbury has spoken against technology in a way which only seems to support a direct interpretation of its thematic treatment in his stories. However, a more nuanced view would articulate that Bradbury doesn't target technology itself, but...

Several of Bradbury's works include themes relating to technology, and a surface-level analysis might portray him and his themes as ascetic or having Luddite tones, because technology is typically depicted in a negative light. Even in personal interviews, Bradbury has spoken against technology in a way which only seems to support a direct interpretation of its thematic treatment in his stories. However, a more nuanced view would articulate that Bradbury doesn't target technology itself, but the use of technology as a substitute for human interaction and an excuse for apathy. In "The Veldt", this theme is compounded by the message that technology can actually supplant love and morality in the undeveloped minds of children, leading to horrors that we would normally attribute only to sociopaths.


George and Lydia seem to generally agree, from the start of the story, that the house has outdone itself, and rather than being a pleasant way of freeing up their time, it has robbed them of the comfort they found in caring for each other or doing mundane chores; they feel unnecessary. This is compounded when they consult McClean, who states,



You've let this room and this house replace you and your wife in your children's affections. This room is their mother and father, far more important in their lives than their real parents.



It is suggested that it's normal, at some point in their development, for children to develop murderous thoughts about their parents, but until the invention of something like the nursery, children would not have been able to manifest it so clearly or so incessantly. Technology has corrupted and infantilized them. 


Finally, the Hadley's death by lions, which are supposed to be illusory and incapable of such a thing, suggests that the house and its technology has somehow transcended its own imposed limitations; the house has become almost magical or godlike, implying that technology of sufficient power cannot be fully controlled.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Can you analyze the poem "Absolution" by Siegfried Sassoon?

Sure! Siegfried Sassoon fought in World War I and was wounded in battle; he spent much of his life speaking out against war, and these pacifist feelings are easy to see in his poems. This one, "Absolution," was published in 1917, the same year that Sassoon was hospitalized for what we know today as post-traumatic stress disorder. "Absolution" is a short poem that contains three stanzas of four lines each. The word "absolution" means "forgiveness," and... Sure! Siegfried Sassoon fought in World War I and was wounded in battle; he spent much of his life speaking out against war, and these pacifist feelings are easy to see in his poems. This one, "Absolution," was published in 1917, the same year that Sassoon was hospitalized for what we know today as post-traumatic stress disorder. "Absolution" is a short poem that contains three stanzas of four lines each. The word "absolution" means "forgiveness," and the v...
Post a Comment
Read more

How and why does James Gatz become Jay Gatsby? Describe the young Gatsby/Gatz.

James Gatz, a poor Midwestern boy of probable Jewish lineage, becomes Jay Gatsby, a presumed WASP and wealthy socialite, when he moves to New York City and acquires his fortune. It is wealth that has allowed Gatz to transform himself into Gatsby. However, those who know his background (e.g., Daisy and Tom Buchanan) never allow him to forget that he is nouveau riche -- that is, an upstart who has just recently made his fortune,... James Gatz, a poor Midwestern boy of probable Jewish lineage, becomes Jay Gatsby, a presumed WASP and wealthy socialite, when he moves to New York City and acquires his fortune. It is wealth that has allowed Gatz to transform himself into Gatsby. However, those who know his background (e.g., Daisy and Tom Buchanan) never allow him to forget that he is nouveau riche -- that is, an upstart who has just recently made his fortune, whereas they arose from well-to-do families. Gatz became Gatsby through determination and discipline. At the end of the novel, the narr...
Post a Comment
Read more

In chapter one of The Great Gatsby, what advice does Nick's father give him? How does this make him a good person to tell this story?

Nick says that his father advised him that, before "criticizing anyone," he "remember that all the people in this world haven't had the same advantages" as Nick.  As a result, Nick claims that he is "inclined to reserve all judgments," presenting himself to the reader as a fair and dispassionate arbiter of character, and thus, a reliable narrator.   The problem is that Nick immediately reveals himself as anything but reliable, as he then launches... Nick says that his father advised him that, before "criticizing anyone," he "remember that all the people in this world haven't had the same advantages" as Nick.  As a result, Nick claims that he is "inclined to reserve all judgments," presenting himself to the reader as a fair and dispassionate arbiter of character, and thus, a reliable narrator.   The problem is that Nick immediately reveals himself as anything but reliable, as he then launches into a discussion of how pe...
Post a Comment
Read more