For both options, you must quote an actual line from the text. One response is asking/answering a question about that line, while the other option is just diving into some analysis/observations/connections that you can make for that line.
As always, make sure that you also respond to a classmate's comment and DO NOT repeat lines!!
Make sure that when you respond to a classmate that you are adding on to what has been said. DO NOT only compliment or repeat their analysis, but add another quote or contradict what they are saying.
Also, make sure that you comment before 11:59pm, and make sure that you use proper grammar and punctuation-- this is formal writing, with a conversational tone/structure.
"The only flaw to the illusion was the open door through which he could see his wife, far down the dark hall, like a framed picture, eating her dinner abstractedly."
ReplyDeleteThis line really stood out to me because it felt to me as if the character was so lost in the illusion of the room that he could barely see out of it. George speaks of his wife as if she’s a “framed picture” showing that while he’s in the room, the line between reality and illusion are blurring. His wife eating dinner, what’s actually real begins to seem like a deception in comparison to the much more dynamic environment of Africa surrounding him. All of this made me think a lot about the quote we read in class because since there was a lack of excitement in real life, George, like his kids, seemed to forget about reality when he entered the room; a new, thrilling veldt that felt so real-in a way, it could even feel more real than eating dinner with his wife because he wants to believe in it. When the kids, Wendy and Peter, think and then project Africa onto the nursery it’s because they can get a sense of adventure and experience things they can’t in their own real lives. Herein lies the controversy over whether technological advancements are helpful or harmful; because Wendy and Peter want to believe in and even live in this alternate reality of Africa which the nursery allows them to do, they lose sight of what’s real and turn to technology for love over their parents. Overall, I thought this was line was so interesting because it gave a lot of insight into how easily technology can deceive someone and made me think about whether or not it’s okay to live in an illusion as opposed to reality if technology offers you the chance to.
I agree with what you are saying. I also think that Ray Bradbury is trying to show us what happens if you get to caught up in the technology and illusions. By telling us that his own two children got to a point where they thought more of the nursery than him, Ray is showing us how "back-stabbing" technology can be. By giving his children too many machines, I think, George shows them how important technology is, making them think more of it then him.
DeleteI totally agree with you and I love when you said "the lines between reality and illusion are blurring" because it totally sums up the story of The Veldt. George tries convincing Lydia and himself that the nursery is only a mere projection of their children's thoughts and nothing that could cause physical harm, but it appears that they do end up dead because of the "illusion." As you said, technology can be very deceptive. I believe that in this case, it causes more harm than help. The entire family doesn't want or even doesn't know how to perform simple tasks because machines do it for them, and as David McClean said, "you'd starve tomorrow if something went wrong with your kitchen" (179). Also, Wendy and Peter don't have close relationships with their parents because George and Lydia didn't have to do the activities that all parents should, thanks to their technologically advanced house. There needs to be more definite lines between technology and reality, so people don't lose sight of the importance of human relationships and other basic skills.
DeleteI agree with you and I would like to add on that Ray Bradbury most likely wants to show what happens if you get to attached/caught up in technology. Basically movies and tv can rot your brain make you think things that are not actually true. Sometimes it can take over your brain and your imagination. When George gives his children all these machines he notices how important technology really is and what it does to a person.
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ReplyDelete"Lord how did we ever get in this house? What promoted us to buying a nightmare? 'Pride, money, foolishness'" (181).
ReplyDeleteThere were a couple of reasons why this line stood out to me. The first: we are able to infer that even though living a life were there is practically a machine for everything, and may make life easier, it does not make it better. When George wanted to turn off all of the machines in the house for a month, Peter and Wendy would not stand to tolerate this idea. Furthermore, when George explained why he turned off the painting machine, he had to make it clear that he did this so that his children would be able to learn how to draw all by them selves. This shows that even though having a lot of machines to do almost everything for you can make life easier, by doing this you do not gain any knowledge of how to do it on your own. I think Ray Bradbury is trying to show us that by having to much technology, we become overdependent on the machines and do not learn how to do anything by yourself. He is teaching us to find a balance between using technology, and working this out on your own.
That's really interesting and I definitely agree with all that you said about finding a balance between doing the work yourself and depending on technology. When I read the line you chose it also made me think a lot about the ethics of marketing and mass production of technology. To the average consumer, like George and his wife, a nursery that can stimulate and safely entertain children for almost indefinite periods of time may seem on the surface like a brilliant invention. But as shown in the text, something that appears helpful can easily become very harmful. I think that Bradbury is trying to spread the message of readers to not necessarily be critical of technology, but to hold on to the idea of reality vs. an illusion and to know the difference between hand-writing an essay or typing up an essay and to be aware of any future consequences dependence on technology may bring. Also, I think he's trying to tell readers not to instantly fall for a technological product because as you talked about in your paragraph, when people are given the choice between learning something for themselves and having technology complete something like a painting for them-they're very likely to chose technology without even thinking about how that's taking away a skill they could learn for themselves. Overall, I think Bradbury and this quote and what you said really all connects to the idea of self-awareness and knowing the helpful and harmful aspects of technology.
Delete"He's a wise one for ten. That I.Q. of his--"(179)
ReplyDeleteLooking back at that sentence after reading the whole story reveals a lot about the children of this future. In the months leading up to this day, ten year olds were conspiring together to kill their very own parents as a way to keep the golden prize--- the house and nursery. In growing up with the technology of the house, as Dr. McClean says, the nursery becomes Wendy's and Peter's true parents. The lack of affection from another human being may be the cause of their detachment of sympathy for those who brought them into this world. That combined with the natural intelligence of those in the future leads to a generation of human cyborgs. This scenario is playing out in many homes on a very subtle level. Teens, enraged by the forced absence of phones and the Internet, turn against their parents through disobedience. I feel that after a few generations, the need for approval we seek from our parents will disintegrate and technology will be our go to source of knowledge and wisdom. Eventually this will lead to the complete betrayal of our parents. By this time, it won't be a normal case of rule breaking but a serious case of neglect. The crazy thing, though, would be that this would be society's constant norm. Technology would become the equivalent to food, water, shelter, and detachment from survival will awaken the animals in people to attack those who take these necessities away from us.
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DeleteThat's a very interesting point, and I agree with you. Just to add on, it explains various times throughout this short story how meaningful this room is to the children. This explains why the room is the 'golden prize' to them. Also, the room is something so different and so unique, that the children will basically do whatever they can to acquire some type of ownership/relationship to it! Furthermore, I thought this was interesting, because I realized how much one person, especially a child, will do to acquire something they want. They developed a full plan just to get something and get what they wanted!
DeleteI agree that the children have a lack of affection for their parents, I think the reason of this is because they are surrounded by technology everywhere and all the time, and little time interacting with other humans. They had a choice between their machines and parents and they chose machines because they rely on the machines everyday for everything and they don't interact with their parents very often. It is also very crazy to think that we are already relying on technology for most things compared to a decade ago. We may call this science fiction but if you pay attention you can see how it can come to reality.
Delete"...but most of the time what fun for everyone, not only your own son and daughter, but for yourself when you felt like a quick jaunt to a foreign land, a quick change of scenery. Well, here it was" (171).
ReplyDeleteI chose this quote because it really stood out to me. It really laid the foundation for the whole story. I thought it was interesting how Ray Bradbury portrayed this room as an 'escape from reality'. Also, the way he described it as a completely different, foreign place was really interesting to me. It almost makes you want to go into this room and see what's inside of it. Furthermore, I really enjoyed the way that Bradbury made it seem like the nursery was a 'fun' place, as opposed to a 'fascinating' place. This is another way that the author makes you want to go inside of this room and explore it! These are the reasons why I chose this quotation and why it stood out to me.
Jennifer, I understand where your coming from, but I disagree with you. I think that Ray Bradbury is saying the increased use of technology and how its taking control of everything. The room is there as a way to show the terrors of technology and how how it can ruin ones' life. Just think about the ending of the short story. I think overall, Ray Bradbury is trying to say how as we go more into the future, the less knowledge we are receiving and less activities we are doing.
Delete"We have given the children everything they have ever wanted."
ReplyDeleteGeorge and Lydia obviously spoil their children, however, they really just want what is best for them. In real life, plenty of chidren are being spoiled by their parents. Because this story has more technologies, the spoiling is heightened. When Peter says, "That sounds dreadful! Would I have to tie my own shoes instead of letting the shoe tier do it? And brush my own teeth and comb my hair And give my self a bath?", he definitely won't survive if he were forced to live like us. Even the most simplest of everyday tasks like brushing his teeth, or the most private tasks like bathing, he cannot do. There is also a lack of parent and child bonding. Not only is the lack of bonding taking its toll on the kids, but the parents are affected as well: like when the mother talks about how she wants to do motherly things, or when she says to George that he seems to feel unnecessary. They want to do these things parents are supposed to do, but the feel that technology has gotten so advanced that it would do a better job than them. As I said, they want what's best for their kids, and because they feel technology, because of its precision and reliability, is best, they make sure their children have more than enough of it.
I completely agree with you. The house has become the parents George and Lydia could never be. It brings up the debate of quality over quantity. Would you rather have an affectionate bond when you could have an artillery of machinery listening to your every command? This continues to perplex my mind because it's scary how much this can become our future, yet stopping the advancement of society would also be an insane thing to do.
Delete"But nothing's too good for our children," George had said (172).
ReplyDeleteIn "The Veldt," a family contradicting technology. This family attempts to be the ideal family that society has created. For instance, the children should listen to their parents. However, they are not able to maintain this status because of technology. Technology has made this life chaotic for this family. The household maintenance is not done by Lydia and George is not present as a dominant person. The adults in this family is not taking action toward their children, leaving them to make up their own rules. I honestly fear that technology may ruin the rules and the normal family I've have lived with. I believe that this family is set up as a miniature version of society. If this family crumbles under the use new technology, it shows how the modern day world may be. Children can use technology to their advantage and eventually certain actions that they do can destroy a family.
I like this statement, Ramisa! It's essay-worthy!
DeleteThis makes me wonder if getting away from technology would actually be a solution, because the family isn't skilled in any way. "They don't even know how to tap an egg." So, what should they do? What should society do?
Maybe use simpler technology instead of none at all.
I completely agree with your point. The children were left to make up their own rules due to the parents' lack of action. Soon enough, the children were even acting like the parents themselves as Bradbury says, "they treat us as if we're the offspring"(177). It's as if the children were forced to grow up without true parental figures in their lives, leaving them in charge. As they use technology to their advantage, they were able to destroy their family, which appeared to be their goal for a while.
Delete"I don't want to do anything but look and listen and smell; what else is there to do?" (178)
ReplyDelete"Instead of being handled and massaged, we're going to live" (181).
I felt the need to use two quotes because I think they really show the difference between the parents and the children in this story. Both of these quotes reflect opinions on what living truly is. The adults have the opinion that to live, you have to achieve something. You can only live by doing your own laundry and being self-sufficient. However, the children associate living with a much more basic idea: the senses. Simply being animate (seeing, breathing, touching, smelling, etc.) is enough to say that someone is living.
I thought that it was interesting how the adults, who have learned the concepts of responsibility, associate living with thriving. Children only associate it with being alive. It shows how being more mature can affect people's ideas.
I think the reason why the adults want to change what they are doing because they have been living like that for much longer than the children have been living their and they are the children are only in their adolescence while the adults have already matured. Adding on to that, children like to do much less work than adults because their still growing up and haven't matured or seen/experienced all of their surroundings or society.
DeleteI agree on your idea of being more mature can affect people's ideas. However I have a question. Yes the parent's wanted everything for themselves and their children. But if they knew they wanted to live a normal life, why would they give their children this much of technology in their growing life, that they had become almost fully dependant on the things they have? Would it be the parents fault for giving the children access to the technology or is it the children's fault for not doing things on their own & relying too much on the technology...
Delete“This is very bad. My advice to you is to have the whole damn room torn down and your children brought to me every day during the next year for treatment (179)”
ReplyDeleteQuestion: Is David McClean telling the truth about the situation?
Answer: I don’t really think he is telling the truth because as a reader I could tell that he was just making up a lot of stuff just to impress George and sympathize with him. Also, he doesn’t point out any specific thing that is wrong with the nursery/house, he just speaks about his only feelings as a psychologist. All in all I believe that he wants to make money off George knowing that he is very rich by telling him to make his children attend treatment everyday next year. David specifically says to bring his children to him not just any psychologist and he tells him to bring them every single day for a year which is an extreme number of visits.
"I feel like I don't belong here. The house is the wife and mother now and nursemaid. Can I compete with an African veldt? Can I give a bath and scrub the children as efficiently or quickly as the automatic scrub bath can?" (172).
ReplyDeleteThrough reading this line, I began to understand some of the ideas Ray Bradbury holds concerning the future and the rapid growth of technology. In the story, the main character George admits his feelings of unworthiness compared to the household machines that perform activities to make his children's lives easier or more entertaining. George and his wife, Lydia, are almost useless with all of the technology in their house. They are less entertaining than the nursery, which can bring your wildest dreams to life, like the disturbingly realistic African veldt. They are less effective than the "automatic scrub bath," so why should they even be in their children's lives? While the latter task may be considered trivial, I believe the touch of another person is vital, especially for children. Bathing is an intimate and personal activity, and to have a machine do it instead of a loving parent is denying the child of something very important. The technology that replaces the roles of George and Lydia impedes their children's sanity because Wendy and Peter don't understand the meaning of family or human relationships, which I conclude causes their horrific behavior of basically murdering their parents. Controlling the expansion of modern technology is important because we still need and desire personal actions and human touch.
I really like your point about controlling the expansion of technology. It's so hard to stop the vast technological advancements taking place now and there will surely be many new pieces of technology in the future and the world scenario Bradbury wrote about in the Veldt could actually become real. I think it's so interesting to think about how technology could fulfill and even replace the role of a parent, which is such a vital role in a child's life, and it really made me think about whether or not kids can see the importance of the people around them and doing things themselves instead of relying on technology because eventually they might turn to technology as opposed to love, and lose the very thing that makes them human.
DeleteI agree with your point that they feel unwanted. It is a basic human desire to want to feel useful. George and Lydia feel that they are not needed, and they have no role in their family. This want to feel needed relates back to catcher in the rye. Holden always wants to feel needed, and is upset when society rejects him, just like George and Lydia are rejected by their children.
Delete"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."
ReplyDeleteThis line stands out to me because it shows that the parents do so little that their children respect the machines more than them. The machines gave them food, excitement and everything they will ever need, their parents only make barriers and punishments in their eyes. Their children expect everything perfect for them without them doing work which causes them to be very spoiled and when something isn't perfect they overreact to it because they haven't learnt to deal with the smallest things. Their real parents have become pests to them, when they are trying to do what is best for them.
The house has become their ultimate fantasy and they live in it everyday, which makes it seem normal. This causes them to want more without realizing what they already have. Their parents realize that it is not good for their children to keep getting everything so they end what they have but they don't listen because they don't see their parents as their parents anymore.
You can’t necessarily blame the parents here because they are just as much victims as the kids are. Its not that the parents have done “so little’ but that the technology does “so much”. The kids have adapted to the technology doing everything for them that they don't have a mind for themselves anymore. The result to this is that they do whatever they can to keep the nursery safe. So as soon as their parents present themselves as a threat to the nursery and claim they will shut it down, the kids automatically think of eliminating them. This is because there life is centered around this place and they’d do whatever to keep it running.
DeleteI slightly agree with you but I would like to add on and say, that this quote shows how technology is mostly viewed positively but on how its challenging the positive look on technology of whether its good or not. This quote affects me because, it shows how the kids love the nursery more than there parents which doesn't happen in today's world. It shows how they see they view the nursery more as there parents then there actual birth parents.
Delete"And although their beds tried very hard, the two adults couldn't be rocked to sleep." (177)
ReplyDeleteThis quote shows that technology is not always a savior or is going to help a situation. The beds rocking them to sleep shows that even thought that they have a very futuristic bed, it still does not perform it's specific function which is to put the user to sleep. This sort of goes along with other messages in the book, like that technology can make or break humanity or even our wold. This is also the message of other Si-Fi authors at the time such as Philip K. Dick, who wrought short stories about the future as well. The purpose of this quote is to send the same message as other authors and short stories at the time.
I sort of feel fifty fifty about the claim that technology is doesn't help the situation. In this case I think that technology really can express different ideas and viewpoints in these kids' opinions. That room really is like a protection or a seal to protect them from the social norms in their world. Technology can be bad but it can be a virtue as well in this case. For example this quote: "George, turn on the nursery, just for a few moments. You can't be so abrupt..." At first her opinion about the nursery was similar to George's but something caused her to change her mind. I think that it was that the kids are developing smarts and their creative thinking that can change the world.
Delete"One of the original uses of these nurseries was so that we could study the pattern left on the walls by the child's mind, study at our leisure, and help the child. In this case however, the room has become a channel toward---destructive thoughts, instead of a release away from them..." (179)
ReplyDeleteThis line really stands out to me because it portrays how the kids have used this Africa as a help to stretch out their imaginations. It shows how the illusion is like their getting away from the real-life world and all the stress and normality with no difference that surrounds them. It shows how maybe adults think of how kids express themselves and how they don't want difference. They don't understand from a kids' view about the situation of imagination. I can kind of connect this to Holden in Catcher In the Rye because both of the kids in "The Veldt," really want to be different and not let social norms adapt them and make them change as a result.
I strongly agree with you and I also believe that having the kids use this Africa resource, does expand on their imaginations. Is there a specific quote that you can find to answer the fact that you were saying Holden and these kids relate?
Delete“Why you’d starve tomorrow if something went wrong in your kitchen” (179).
ReplyDeleteThis line stood out to me because it is straight forwardly showing how the characters in the short story have grown dependent on technology. In our society today we use technology to help us write essays and correct our mistakes, we use technology to cook our rice and to communicate/ socialize. But in this book it has gotten to the point where they have had it for so long that they have grown accustomed to it and don't know themselves how to perform the basic things that there technology does for them. In other words, they forgot to do the things the technology does for them because they are so used to NOT doing it. I love how this line says “starve” and not “be hungry” because its simply saying that they depend on technology so much that they don't know how to function without it.
I agree and think the word choice really drove the point Bradbury was making. These children no longer know how to fend for themselves. I also wonder if the kids would have been able to adapt had the house been turned off, or if they would just be completely lost.
DeleteI definitely agree with you. I really like how you wrote about them using "starve" instead of "be hungry." I think that their use of "starve" emphasizes that they really wouldn't be able to function without technology. The over exaggeration shows that they wouldn't know what to do without it, because they immediately assume the worst.
Delete“Everything. Where before they had a Santa Claus now they have a Scrooge. Children prefer Santa’s. 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. And now you came along and want to shut it off. No wonder there’s hatred here. George you’ll have to change your life. ”(179)
ReplyDeleteThis piece stood out to me the most because I find the way they worded it quite fascinating and especially since in this portion of the text it is referring to how David and George are saying that they are spoiling their kids, but to the max of spoiling. This is also saying that they take everything in as an advantage, and now the room and house are starting to “replace” the family. What also stood out to me was that David said, “George you’ll have to change your life”, and I am wondering if David is going to guide his through the steps of changing his life.
i disagree with you and mr bradbary this is not spoiling them but is an extra hand. he over dramatizes it all. just like siri is an extra helping some say its skiping a step but its not. as for the spoiling part isn't every child spoiled?
Deleteis technology going to hurt or harm us in the future?
ReplyDeletei disagree to this mesege in the short story. i think that if something like this were to really happen it would not play this affect. i use tech every day, infact everyone of us is using it tonight by having this connection through the blog- it s helping not harming."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."this quote i disagree i feel like its not replacing them but is extra support just like listening to books.
I disagree with this idea, the technology they used is suppose to help the family become happier and feel closer, they really feel scared, nervous and distant. The technology is being used incorrectly by the family. While this is not the technologies fault, it still adds to the fact that the children were not loved enough by the parents, and the fact that the children do not respect their parents enough to listen to them.
Delete"'Don't let them do it!' wailed Peter at the ceiling, as if he was talking to the house, the nursery. 'Don't let Father kill everything.'" (p.179)
ReplyDeleteThis line stands out to me because it shows just how deeply the technology of this time has affected this family. When Peter is yelling at the ceiling, instead of saying dad, he uses the word father. Peter using the word father instead of dad shows just how disconnected the parent and child relationship is. Father is a more distant and disconnected word. When you are just a father, you don't have to be a dad. Peter and Wendy have this disconnection because they feel that their parents have not shown them the same level of affection that they have put into the nursery. I also noticed that were Peter disconnects with his father, he connects more with the nursery. He yelled at the father not to kill the nursery, and yet helped the nursery kill his own biological family. Peter and Wendy have no problem trusting and supporting the technology over their family.
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ReplyDelete"You look as if you didn't know what to do with yourself in this house, either. You smoke a little more every morning and drink a little more every afternoon and need a little more sedative every night. You're beginning to feel unnecessary too (172)."
ReplyDeleteThis quote stood out to me because I think that it really shows what modern technology has done for us. Not just electronic technology, technology in medicines and other substances. Like George, we have become so reliant on it that without it, we are almost irrelevant. In terms of George, he is becoming reliant on cigarettes and alcohol and sleeping medication so much that he can't function properly without it. He is made up of sleeping medication and alcohol and cigarettes and he is not himself without them. In addition, technology has taken over Lydia and Georges' jobs as parents in that they don't have to do the things that parents should do for their kids such as, bathing them, tying their shoes, and brushing their teeth. The technology has made them become "unnecessary" to their kids. In 2014, technology has also made us almost "unnecessary". We no longer have to call people because we can text them. We know longer have to handwrite because we can type. We no longer have to gather water for ourselves because it comes straight out of pipes. We no longer have to walk anywhere because we have trains, cars, bikes, scooters, even wheelchairs. Since we have become so reliant on technology, are WE even needed to do simple tasks anymore?
I can agree with what your saying in that we have become to dependant on technology and i liked the quote you used to back up your topic. I do feel that there is to much reliability on technoligy and that people no longer really have the need to do anything by themselves anymore... if people became a little less reliable on technology and did things themselves the world could be a much better place. Also what you were saying about not being able to do simple tasks anymore without having to rely on the help of some gadget i totally agree. If one can no longer do simple tasks anymore then what will come to the world and humans maybe at when there is a time where the is no more technology.
Delete"I don't want to do anything but look and listen and smell; what else is there to do?"
ReplyDeleteIs technology taking away from the way we experience our lives?
When George Hadley was telling his son Peter that he was going to turn off the house, Peter became very angry. George tried to convince him that life will improve when away from technology and the things that make their lives so effortless. Peter replies with "I don't want to do anything but look and listen and smell; what else is there to do?" This shows that he has no interest in putting any effort into his life. He is content with being completely inactive as everything is done for him. I think this is a possible reality in our world. Technology is great, to a point. If technology starts doing so much for us that we lack basic skill, there is a huge problem.
Kyle, I also thought about how this relates to our world today. While I don't think our world will become like this, it is a scary thought and in a way we do rely on technology to do small things in our lives, like relay some info to a friend quickly instead of talking face to face, which it seems we rarely do today, unless its forced. Technology isn't a bad thing, but its blown out of proportion in this story.
DeleteI completely agree with you. As helpful as technology is, there definitely has to be a limit to what it allows us and others to do. There still needs to be an element of work; an element of effort, like you said. As we've seen with George and Lydia's kids, technology didn't help them in the slightest; it transformed them into despicable little things, that couldn't really do anything for themselves except for expecting to get everything they wanted. Looking at technology close up, one wouldn't find many flaws in it; they would look at the basic function, and only consider the ways it would help people. However, looking at the big picture, and what technology does in the long run, there is definitely a lot that could potentially be very harmful. Humans only really consider the zoomed in perspective of technology; they don't think of how little effort they're putting into things. Now, this could be viewed as a very attractive aspect of technology, but there is something lacking in that, as we've seen in "The Veldt."
Delete"They live for the nursery."
ReplyDeleteThis quote forced me to ask the question of why exactly do they "live" for the nursery? I found that the reason they 'live' for the nursery is because thats what they have been brainwashed to do. Its what they look forward to at this age in time. Without this technological advancement I wonder what their lives would be like, what would would they look forward to, what would shape their life? Its so hard to think of an answer and that makes the whole story somewhat depressing, but almost like a small part of what our world is becoming. Everyone looks forward to their next Instagram post or when the new iPhone is coming out, but not many people count down the days until a new board game comes out.
You make a very strong point here that people are brainwashed by technology here. I agree with you though. In your writing, you could've also put how the children had a craving and addiction to their power in the nursery. They had sacrificed their parents for the sake of the nursery because of their "brainwashed" minds. If they didn't have the nursery, what would they have to live for? Nothing. Just as many people rely on technology today to do many things for them, and to entertain them more than other people can. That is what the kids have shown in their actions towards their parents.
Delete"Can I give a bath or scrub the children as efficiently of as quickly as the automated scrub bath can?"
ReplyDeleteThis quote illustrates how humans want to feel needed. George and Lydia are beginning to feel irrelevant now that their house does everything for them. All the feelings of hard work and reword associated with raising their family is gone. It's like they sent their children to a virtual orphanage. They want to feel like they are important in the lives of their children. They don't want to feel replaceable, even though they have actually been replaced by their technology. The children actually want to feel needed too. Since the nursery is their whole life, when George locks the nursery, they feel their father is rejecting everything that they are. Their whole existence revolves around their nursery, and they feel unaccepted when their father disproves of the nursery. Everyone in this family just wants to feel needed, but all these technologies take away the hard work and reword system that human life revolves around.
I totally agree with you! I wrote about something very similar and I think you're right. George and Lydia obviously have a very technologically advanced house, and in a way it is negatively affecting the two of them in which you stated above. They feel like they're not needed and in even simpler terms, they are bored. They have nothing to do because their house is doing virtually every possible thing the average person would do themselves today.
Delete"Don't let them do it!" wailed Peter at the ceiling, as if he was talking to the house, the nursery. "Don't let Father kill everything." He turned to his after. "Oh, I hate you!"
ReplyDelete…
"I wish you were dead!"(181).
This quote out of many stood out to me. Throughout the short story, George and Lydia seem to have bought this house so that could provide everything for themselves and their kids Peter and Wendy. With all the privileges that the children had, they took advantage of them. At some point it obviously got out of hand where the parents had finally decided that it was time to live a normal happy life without all the technology that they had access to. Going back to the quote, where Peter started threatening his Father that he wishes that he was dead, it shows how technology took their lives. It shows that technology became something so attached to the children to the point when they face the fact that they can't have it anymore, they freak out. I agree with the parent's decision of taking the nursery away from them and also the whole house. I agree with the actions that they are taking to live a normal life, doing everything on their own. If you relate this to today's society, we are all going to be in Peter's and Wendy's shoes when technology is eventually going to be taken away from us. That's why today we need to learn how to do things ourself but also appreciate the advantages we have, because one day we might not be able to have them.
"Don't let them do it!" Wailed Peter at the ceiling, as if he was talking to the house, the nursery. "Don't let Father kill everything. " He turned to his father. "Oh I hate you!" (181).
ReplyDeleteIt is clear that the love that the children had for there parent's is replaced with love they now have for the technology. You can see this by Peter threatening his own father to not turn off the the house/machine. Clearly, Wendy and Peter are so attached to the technology and have become detached from there parents; instead they are engaged in the action of there nursery which had become their world. And, sadly it has absorbed the hatred expressed by the two children, who later then lock their parents into the veldtland. The parents have spoiled there children way to much which causes Peter and Wendy to not see there parents as parents. They see them in the way of the house being there parents instead so thats why they loto their parents them up. Clearly, there is a tremendous conflict occuring between the children and their parents over the children's apparent obsession with the nursery. However, at the same time, this quote points to a much deeper and more important conflict concerning the nature of reality. Brabdury shows us with a future world where technology has become so modern that what is unreal and fake is becoming more real than reality itself.
"This room is their mother and father, far more important in their lives than their real parents."
ReplyDeleteIn "The Veldt," technology has taken away from the meaningful, real-life feelings and events people, without as advanced technology, experience and cherish. The spoiled children in this short story have practically been raised by technology, without any real dilemmas to have to genuinely deal with. They don't know how to express affection, or much else, as a matter of fact, and this is in result of the amount of surreal things they've become attached to, like this transforming room. They haven't truly experienced human affection, because their parents decided that, since technology could do all the work for them, they were off the hook. Thusly, their kids grew into snobbish, demanding, spoiled brats that couldn't take no for an answer and ended up killing their own parents. There was an absence of nurture in their childhood growth process, and this left a very negative impact on them as a whole. Technology deducted from what these kids could have been, if they had had a childhood with human interaction, instead of interaction with illusions.
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DeleteI agree that technology has replaced Wendy and Peter's parents and that they have become spoiled and demanding. I disagree, however, that the parents bought the technology because the wanted their parenthood to be easier. I think the parents bought it because they believe that technology can do a better job of raising their kids than them. Throughout the story,they indicate that they want what is best for them.I also think that they feel pressured by society to use this much technology.
Delete"'In this case, however, the room has become a channel toward- destructive thoughts, instead of a release away from them'"(179).
ReplyDeleteThis quote stands out to me because it shows how the children turn towards a materialistic item constructed around technology, instead of their parents. As David McClean stated, the room has become mother and father to Wendy and Peter, unlike their actual parents. I would like to connect back to the quote we discussed in class. Ray Bradbury himself said, "It's lack that gives us inspiration. It's not fullness." The lack of George and Lydia Hadley being true parental figures in their lives triggered the inspiration to find something to fill the void; they found it in the nursery. They found it in the technology. When George threatened to take away the house, he threatened to take away what would be their surrogate parents, their source of comfort. The reaction from the children was violent, violent enough they resorted to killing their parents (inspired to do so almost). Technology filled the void they had in their lives, and they grew so attached, so dependent it couldn't be ripped away from them.
I never thought of connecting it back to the quote that was presented in class! It was very well done and I do agree with what you said. These kids, who I believe were probably mad because of how dangerous and crazy their reactions were. I understand that you can be spoiled but how can your mind be that attached to something? This goes towards the last part of the reading and how they acted with the psychiatrist.
Delete"The lions came running at them. Lydia bolted and ran. Instinctively, George sprang after her."(171)
ReplyDeleteThis line stands out to me because in the beginning of the story Lydia was talking about the lions in a sort of disgusted way. She clearly was nervous about seeing the lions and now she would have to run away from them because they were coming at her. I don't know but the line stood out to me as it was karma or something. It seemed like it was meant to happen or she deserved it. It was a very weird thing that she heard a scream about a minute ago and then the lion looks directly at them and chase them down. I feel like they did something to trigger the lion I just don't know what it was.
"Maybe I don't have enough to do. Maybe I have time to think too much. Why don't we shut the whole house off for few days and take a vacation?" (172).
ReplyDeleteThis line really stood out to me because it is a prime example of what we were talking about towards the end of class today: Is "too much" technology a bad thing? I think this quotation revealed a lot about that question. Even though the modern day world doesn't have the extensive technology that is shown in this short story, the same thoughts can be applied for today's society. Here Lydia is, noticing how technology is almost weakening herself in a way. Technology is doing virtually everything for her. Therefore, she has practically nothing to do. Even though technology can't do EVERYTHING for us, the industry is still developing, and soon enough technology might do just enough tasks for us that the human race will undergo the same experience that Lydia here is going through.
What is the nursery?
ReplyDeleteThe nursery is a space enclosed inside the house in which the children Peter and Wendy can "play" in. They can think of many creative things within this play area, like living in Africa with the lions. Whatever they come up with in this play area, comes to life and becomes real as George said. The children haven't thought of anything other than living in Africa, which has influenced George and Lydia to want to close up the nursery so they could go some place else. The children don't like that idea so they end up locking their parents outside the house, and leaving them to the lions.They have done that before, and they seem to plan to do it to whoever it is that wants to stop them from playing.
Reuben-- this is only plot! Ask a question that digs deeply into character motivation, big ideas that Bradbury is trying to get across, or is rooted in interesting lines that stand out to you.
Delete"We've given the children everything they ever wanted, is this how we are rewarded?" (pg 176)
ReplyDeleteI choose this quote because it really connects back to what we were taking about in class today. We were talking about whether it is right to just have evreything layed out infront of you or is there a point where you need to get up and do things on your own. In this quote they talk about giving the children everything they ever had and now they feel betrayed almost and let down like as if they shouldve done something different in the first place...
I think its an interesting connection because I do feel that if you have everything handed infront of you in life you are less motivated to get up and do things yourself. All you really want to do is just lay back and use the what you have. I feel when you dont have a lot put out infront of you have a drive to improve and push yourself out of those conditions. As in this qoute when they got everything they have now they are feeling dissapointed and let down almost, its interesting in a way to what we talked about in class today.
Two things(quote+ a question)
ReplyDelete1. "We were, for a long while. Now we're going to really start living. Instead of being handled and massaged, we're going to live."
The way George looked at death, as not only the termination of life itself, but the fact that they had no purpose or anything to do in this time as a way of death. Its so sad hoe Peter states prior to this about how he is scared of the fact that no one will be able to tie his shoes, because he only knows of the machines doing it for him. The world presented in this shirt passage is so unimaginable where you cant do simple things like that. IN our society today, little kids are rewarded for being able to tie heir shows by themselves, and become less and less dependent, but in this case, this is just sad. In the kitchen, the wife didnt cook either. Cooking, which is a quality praised in women, yet is no shown here. Everything is mechanic here, not human effort done. Period. It all seems dead to me. No one is doing anything productive, nothing on their own, just living off of what technology gives you, doesn't that make them feel empty? That's why now these parents wan to change, to live, to grow and to be able to do things on their own, to be busy, to have a purpose.
2. The ending-What happened to the parents?
I came up with a couple of different theories:
a. Lions ate the parents despite the fact they were fake
b. The lions became the parents
c. This is the therapy going on with the kids at the end.
d. They wished for the parents to disappear since they can do that..
e. The kids made the parents forget about all this somehow./ restarted everything like a system as if the house has rebooted.
or... The ending is based on what YOU imagine it will be. You were in with the parents when they were trapped, what did you imagine happened. The ending is open to the audience to guess, since there is no scene with the parents, just things that are apart of Africa and the kids sitting calmly with the psychiatrist. However, what is definite is that Peter and Wendy got what they wanted, they won, they cannot handle a lose, they would sacrifice anything for the nursery.