Technology: Friend or Foe?

Video Transcript:

Describing the story of a seemingly innocent nursery turned into a deadly African plain, “The Veldt” by Ray Bradbury explores the relationships between parent and child, and how technology can interfere with these relationships. Set in America in the 1950s, the futuristic setting of the story demonstrates the fear of technology, and shows the uncertainty that the population felt about rapid changes in the world. Bradbury highlights the dangers of technology and its potential to replace human relationships through the personification of the virtual reality room and the juxtaposition of real consequences that arise from a simulation.

 

Living in a completely virtual house, the children are allowed to play in their nursery, and they can create whatever setting they please. The parents of the children are concerned when they see the vision their children have created – a violent scenery of an African safari, and they decide to meet with a psychologist. He tells the parents that “before [the children] had Santa Claus now they have a Scrooge” (Bradbury 10). The reference to Santa Claus and Scrooge references the contrasting themes in the book of childlike innocence and violence, also shown in the juxtaposition of the nursery containing deadly lions. While the notions of Santa and Scrooge seem playful and wholesome, the comparison is speaking to the reality that the children view the room as “better” than their own parents. 

 

Choosing the parents to represent Scrooge creates the imagery of them as the villain in [5] their children’s eyes. Scrooge also is a character who refused to change his behavior or else face consequences. The parents also are faced with the potential to change throughout the story, as Scrooge was, which is explored later in the story Bradbury writes that “the room is their father and mother” (Bradbury 10). This more direct comment on the personification of the room further shows how human the technology has become. This speaks to many readers’ fears – that technology could become so realistic that it can actually replace humans, and human relationships[6] .

 

The effect of technology and its impacts is shown in how the family has “built [their lives] around creature comfort” (Bradbury 10). Technology has made the family too comfortable and unmotivated to do work that they previously did without the benefits of technology. While the house was invented to make their lives easier, it has turned into a burden. The psychologist notes that the family would “starve tomorrow if something went wrong [with] the kitchen” (Bradbury 10). This has turned fully capable individuals into helpless primates who cannot even feed themselves. Additionally, the phrase “starve tomorrow” shows the destructive and murderous nature of the house. This foreshadows the ending of the book, when starving lions] lead to the demise of the parents of the household by killing and eating them in the nursery. Ironic, as instead of parents starving, they are instead the solution to starving lions. 

 

This passage also speaks of the irony of the house replacing the parents as the children end up choosing the house over the parents. The parent’s helplessness is shown by the odd phrase chosen that they “wouldn’t know how to tap an egg” (Bradbury 10). This is a simple, primitive task and by taking away this ability depicts the people as completely helpless and completely reliant on technology. Therefore, when the children choose the house over their parents, it makes sense. The house provides for them in a way their parents cannot.. This complete control that the house has speaks to fear of technology surpassing humans, tying to Bradbury’s overarching warnings.

 

This moment in the story summarizes how technology has replaced the parents in their children’s eyes, and uses symbolism and personification to bring the technology to life. By showing how powerful the room and house has become, Bradbury warns of dangers of these technologies. If the room can become more important to children than their own family, there is little that technology cannot do. This comments on the climate of the time, in 1950s America where technology and consumerism were rapidly expanding in the United States. Bradbury’s story serves as a message to Americans to be wary of their quickly changing lifestyles, and to understand that while technology can bring good, it also can stand in the way of relationships and human interaction, and we should proceed with caution.

 

Works Cited

 

Bradbury, Ray. “The Veldt.” Jefferson Union High School District, 2016, https://www.juhsd.net/cms/lib/CA01902464/Centricity/Domain/256/2016_The%20Veldt.pdf. 

“The Ray Bradbury Theater – The Veldt .” YouTube, YouTube, 31 July 2015, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JHSaxHI3upA. Accessed 27 Nov. 2022. 

“A CHRISTMAS CAROL Clip – ‘Marley Was Dead’ (2009).” YouTube, YouTube, 14 Dec. 2020, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ycNuvNcymI. Accessed 27 Nov. 2022. 

NatGeoWild, director. How a Lion Pride Hunts Prey | Cat Attack-Tics. YouTube, YouTube, 7 Apr. 2021, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K7SR0_rhMSo. Accessed 27 Nov. 2022. 

“Iron Man 2.” YouTube, YouTube, 12 Aug. 2018, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ddk9ci6geSs. Accessed 27 Nov. 2022. 

“Jonathan_G_Meath_portrays_Santa_Claus.” Wikipedia, 2010, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santa_Claus#/media/File:Jonathan_G_Meath_portrays_Santa_Claus.jpg. Accessed 28 Nov. 2022.

“Warning Sign Gif.” Giphy, 2016, https://giphy.com/gifs/Y5wlazC8lSVuU. Accessed 28 Nov. 2022.

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