The VelDt (Short Story) Author: Ray Bradbury ENG4U – Ms. Sharpe

Question 1 What aspects pf contemporary family life do the “Happylife Home” and the nursery satirize? What exactly have the Hadleys “purchased” for their $30,000 (plus $15,000 extra for the nursery)? What do the amenities of the “Happylife Home” offer them?

Question 2 In what ways has the house infantalized the Hadleys? How does Bradbury depict this as dangerous? In addition to not having anything to do, why else does Lydia say that she feels like she doesn’t belong in the house?

Question 3 This story is in many ways also a classic Gothic horror story (which often portray “sick” or dysfunctional houses and/or families). What clues are readers given throughout the story that something “very bad” (to quote David McClean!) is going on in the nursery?

Question 4 How is childhood represented in this story? What are the effects of the house and nursery on the children? In what ways does Bradbury depict these effects as dangerous (to the children, to society)?

Question 5 What does the story suggest as the source of the children’s murderous hatred for their parents? How are George and Lydia shown to have failed their children?

Question 6 In which ways is the Hadley family a typical North American family?

THEME What do you think the main message is of this story? What theme or themes are present?

Focus On Technology The rise in the popularity of television had a direct influence on Bradbury’s story “The Veldt,” which was written in 1950. At the time the story was written, many American families were acquiring their first television sets, and no one was sure exactly how this new technology would impact the relationships among family members. Some people were afraid that watching too much television would lead to the total breakdown of the family unit. This fear is directly reflected in “The Veldt,” but in the story, Bradbury heightens the odds by creating a machine that not only allows children to detach emotionally from their parents, but one that can also physically destroy parents, as well. What is it today that creates virtual reality words in the ids of its users? What are other current technologies that create generation gaps?

Downfall Of Technology Obviously, such detachment that leads to killing one’s parents is an extreme case. What other negative behaviours manifest from dependency on virtual reality?

Genre Using your knowledge of dystopian worlds, how could this story be considered “dystopian”?

Compare and ContrAST Early 1950s: Today: The minimum wage is $0.75 per hour.   Pulp fiction magazines are widely read, but their popularity is on the decline due to competition from television, comic books, and the paperback novel. Approximately 23.5 percent of American households own a television set. All sets are black and white. Businessman Frank MacNamara and his friend Ralph Schneider introduce the Diners Club card. This is the first credit card in history, allowing members to charge food and drinks at twenty-eight participating New York City restaurants. American children play with the Slinky toy and the Candyland board game.