The Detriments of Technology Overkill in The Veldt by Ray Bradbury

“Three very interesting stories indeed,” I said to the rest of the class, another student commented “So all of the stories show a technology caused dystopia in different ways. “TWCSR” shows how humanity can be driven crazy and power hungry enough by technology to kill each other and only leave a frail house that gets destroyed anyway, “The Veldt” shows how technology can control everyday life enough to make humans less human to the point of psychotic murderous thoughts in children for the smallest of reasons, technology providing the successful murder, and last but not least “The Pedestrian” which states that people are brainwashed by technology most likely placed by the government, to keep the masses controlled in an unhealthy way.” “I’d say that about covers all of it” The teacher commented happily. The stories “TWCSR” “The Veldt” and “The Pedestrian” all show through skillful foreshadowing and symbolism.

“All kinds of creative possibilities are made possible by science and technology which now constitute the slave of man, if man is not enslaved by it” as quoted by Jonas Salk during a speech about the technological advances in modern medicine in the 1950s. In the short stories by Ray Bradbury, he illustrates how the characters are struggling to live with the futuristic capabilities of technology. “The Pedestrian” focuses on a man named Leonard Mead who is the only person in society who does not use the technology in his home, his hobby is to walk. However, he is viewed as an outcast. “The Veldt” focuses on how George and Lydia Hadley figure out how their children’s nursery is powered by their mind and how they use it to have a tragic advantage over their parents in the end. While technology can let people connect to others much more efficiently, Ray Bradbury shows how the characters in his short stories “The Pedestrian” and “The Veldt” prove how technology is capable of isolating people from reality.

Technology is everywhere. There is not a single circumstance that can be done without relying on technology. People have become greatly dependent on using technology, that without it the world would crumble. Sometimes technology can be an exceptional tool for learning and assisting in everyday life, but when there is a point where it takes control. Bradbury would say there is a fine line between useful and overused. This is proven in the short story “The Veldt”. Through the use of personification and setting, Bradbury conveys the idea that the overuse of technology can lead to the separation of family.

In the present day of technology virtual reality is becoming a new trend. The ability to explore places without going there for real. Ray Bradbury famous author of predictive science fiction wrote a short story on the use of technology in such a way. The Veldt by Ray Bradbury tells the story of a family of four, two kids and their parents. The story focuses on a piece of technology known as the nursey which create virtual scenery for the kids, but the parents begin to suspect something wrong is going on with it. Ray Bradbury does a fantastic job of conveying the sense of detachment of the family due to the presence of the nursey and the house’s technology. The Veldt does good job of satirizing technology and its consequence on family interaction or human interaction in general.

Have you ever thought how much of your life is distracted and even controlled by technology? Ray Bradbury emphasizes how this debilitating distraction can manifest in the future by writing about it in the “The Veldt.” Bradbury uses imagery and characterization to allude to the fact that the use of tech as a supplementary parenting technique can cause child development problems in many forms. In the beginning of the story, Bradbury uses imagery like “…you could feel the prickling fur on your skin…your mouth was stuffed….” Which gives the impression that the difference between reality and technology are unrecognizable. Ray Bradbury uses imagery and characterization to allude to the fact that the use of tech as a supplementary parenting technique can cause child development problems in many forms.

They are so dependent on the Happy Life Home that their own parents are rendered valueless to them. On the other hand, perhaps consumer technology is just too powerful and addictive. Bradbury’s story might as well describe today’s culture, in which children and parents alike watch TV during dinner, text message during conversations, and are constantly distracted by their technology. One would rather be in front of a screen than another human being.

Most often, people can be seen walking with their heads down, immersed in the technology in front of them, ignoring the whole world. Societies often contain a lot of technology, allowing people to use it in helpful or hurtful ways. Some technology can be lifesaving, but there is also technology that can destroy life in less than a second. Most often, people seem to not understand what technology is doing and how it is impacting their lives. Instead, they are blinded by the few positives of technology that actually hurt the society more than they can recognize. In Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury, the society is heavily dependent on technology. Technology has a negative impact on the characters in Fahrenheit 451. People in the society become addicted to the parlor walls, cars go so fast that they don’t see anything outside and the mechanical hound instills fear in people.

Peter and Wendy’s parents supply them with an abundance of technology, which makes the children dependent on it. George and Lydia were admiring their technology filled house, “which clothed and fed and rocked them to sleep and played and sang and was good to them” (1). The house has many devices that perform everyday tasks for the children. This causes the children to rely on technology, and therefore the children never learn how to complete simple daily tasks by themselves. Likewise, when Lydia was considering shutting down all technology throughout the house, George complained, “But I thought that’s why we bought the house, so we wouldn’t have to do anything?” (5).

Throughout the years technology has changed drastically, it started out small and then increased little by little. Many cultures around the globe are influenced by technology. In every aspect of technology, the world is influenced in superior and inferior ways which includes self driving and the house featured in Ray Bradbury's short story ¨The Veldt¨.

Before technology such as the Happylife Home was integrated into the Hadley’s life, George was in charge of the household and his children were obedient. The question of Hart is, “what has happened to George, once ruler and lord of his household?” (Hart), is technology has taken over his position and the children do whatever they want. They do not care about respecting their parents because technology is so superior compared to them. An example of the disobedience is shown during a conversation between Peter, Wendy, and George; “‘Run see and come tell.’ She obeyed. ‘Wendy, come back here!’ said George Hadley, but she was gone.” (Bradbury). Peter is telling his sister Wendy to come over where he is and she obeys. After that, Wendy’s dad tells her to come outside of the nursery but this time she does not obey. George tries to get his kids to obey him more than the nursery but fails miserably. Her level of respect for her brother is higher than the respect to her father’s. This displays how harmful the nursery is for the children.

Nowadays technology plays a huge role in society, but what is that role? A question that rises is whether it affects the American families in a positive or negative way. Technology seems to be helping people in a lot of aspects, but also it seems to be a big problem in the American families. In other words it has its pros and cons. Most people in America appear to be drowning in a big paddle of technology where phones, video games, computers, internet and a lot more of electronic devices are the priority or the main thing that Americans need to have to be satisfied. In these days people see technology as a luxury instead of looking at it as a necessary. Maybe this generation cannot see how technology is affecting society, but people from other

In the following paper I am going to attempt to discuss the hindering effects of technology. How technology affects the laziness of our children, desensitizes our otherwise compassionate human race, and may eventually lead us to our doom. Also in this paper I will attempt to discuss some benefits of modern technology as relating to family and communal prosperity. Since the invention of Eli Whitneys cotton gin back in the 1800s men have had their brains full steam ahead on the idea of technology and its advancement into our everyday lives. Leading us up to the present day where we can have a hot cooked neucro meal at the push of the button. Our music no longer has to be cranked by hand, in fact our latest CD players can hold

I think that technology has had both positively and negatively impacted the family life in our society. But I think the positive effects out way the negative ones. In this term paper I will focus on how cell phones, internet, and home security systems. These are only a few of the technology that has affected family life. I will first talk about the positive effects then I will explain the negative effects.

Technology has more negative effects on today’s society than positive. Due to technology in the past few decades Canine Shock Collars have been increasingly popular. Students in school pay more attention to texting than they do their classes. Violent addictive video games have made their way into American homes. Parents encourage their children to not text as much, but them to face the problem of constant communication. The Internet gives the students easier ways to cheat in school, and reinforces laziness. Internet Porn gives every bored male a chance to look at the seediest film in the comfort of his own home. Technology has taken the innocence and mystery away from the American family.

Technology helps teenagers and adults ignore the stress of work, homework, and money. Technology also supports our life choices. Everyday people experiment with how they can change himself, or the world around them to enable “comfort.” The scientist that created the cure demonstrates this throughout his experimentation. “It wasn’t the most noble of genetic experiments...Just because I benefited from sloppy handiwork doesn’t mean the rest of us will. Because we