Ray Bradbury (1950)
THE VELDT
RAY BRADBURY BACKGROUND

Ray Bradbury: a master of science fiction
whose imaginative and lyrical evocations of the
future reflected both the optimism and the
anxieties of his own post-war America.
1950S SOCIETY

Following the horrors of the War (atomic bomb, mass
produced weapons and machinery) many people were
wary about technology.

During the 1950s ‘white appliances’ (hoovers, fridges,
TVs, dishwashers etc…) were being mass produced and
sold. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MB7asgcOXB4

‘The Veldt’ is a story that deals with what could happen
if we give technology too much power in our lives- a very
topical issue in today’s society!
DISCUSSION

How often do you use technology?

Watch the following clip
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z7dLU6fk9
QY

Fold a jotter page in half. On one column detail
the advantages of technology and on the other
the disadvantages.
LET’S READ!
Let’s Watch!
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uhOfCN7xRc

CHARACTERISATION
George Hadley Traditionally 1950s men would have ruled their
family. George, however, seems weak and
inefficient. He thinks that he has done the best
thing for his family by providing endless technology
yet it is the thing that destroys them. By the end of
the story George does try to exert some control
over his children but it is too late- he has been
replaced by technology in his children’s eyes.

GEORGE HADLEY- QUOTATIONS



Highlight/ underline anything said by/ about George that
you feel is important in understanding his character.
i.e. “"But nothing's too good for our children,"
George had said.”
Analysis- George genuinely believes that he is providing
for his family and giving his children the best. He has
bought into the idea behind the technology yet is too
preoccupied to see the potential for harm.
"You know how difficult Peter is about that. When I
punished him a month ago by locking the nursery for
even a few hours - the tantrum he threw! And Wendy
too. They live for the nursery."
"It's got to be locked, that's all there is to it."
"All right." Reluctantly he locked the huge door.

This suggests that George lacks control over his family.
Wendy and Peter seem to have authority over their
father and influence the decisions he makes. He wants
to avoid confrontation which his children rather than
take control.

"I suppose I have been smoking too much."
"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.”
George appears to struggling to adjust to modern
life and has to drug himself in order to cope with
day to day life.

It seemed that, at a distance, for the past month,
he had heard lions roaring, and smelled their
strong odour seeping as far away as his study
door. But, being busy, he had paid it no attention.

“Seeping" suggests the sinister way in which the
children had become obsessed with the African
Veldt. George, however, was too busy working and
allowing the nursery to do his job- parenting- to
notice that Peter and Wendy had become
obsessed.

"You're just in time for supper," said both
parents.
"We're full of strawberry ice cream and hot
dogs," said the children, holding hands.
The children do not rely upon their parents for
even their most basic needs like food. Family
structure- sitting eating dinner together- has
diminished in this technological world.
“I don't remember any Africa," said Peter to Wendy. "Do
you?"
"No."
"Run see and come tell."
She obeyed
"Wendy, come back here!" said George Hadley, but
she was gone.”

Peter is the dominant male of the family. Wendy
responds to his orders over her fathers. The children
have little respect for George.

“I'm beginning to be sorry we bought that room
for the children.”

Although George had been in awe of technology at
the beginning of the story he is starting to realise
the potential for harm and fears the room. He has
no idea why his wallet was in the nursery and
believed his children are more advanced users of
the technology and therefore more powerful than
him.

“They come and go when they like; they treat
us as if we were offspring. They're spoiled and
we're spoiled.“

Offspring is another term for child which
suggests that the children act in a dominant
way towards their parents. The children have
been spoiled by their parents but the whole
family had been spoiled by technology.

“This room is their mother and father, far more
important in their lives than their real parents.”

Technology has become so integral in this
futuristic society that the unimaginable has
happened…children no longer neer nor want
affections, love or basic care from their
parents. Family structure has collapsed.

“Mr. and Mrs. Hadley screamed.
And suddenly they realized why those other screams
had sounded familiar.”
The children had been fantasising about their parents
death at the hands of the lions. The intense heat
represented their hatred for the parents who gave them
everything. The destructive way in which their parents
were destroyed highlights the violent ends the children
would go to in order to protect the technology their lives
revolved around.
CREATING OUR QUOTATION BANKS

Based on our class study of George, complete
the quotations/ analysis maps for Lydia and
Peter and Wendy.

Remember to select the most interesting
quotations and include some explanation of the
quotations and why you found it to be of
importance.
THINKING ABOUT THEME

The ‘theme’ of a story is the main message the
author wants the readers to consider.
1) In pairs, discuss what Bradbury’s main
message is in this story.
 2) Skim read through the story, highlighting any
quotations that you think make this message
clear.

THE DANGERS OF TECHNOLOGY
Quotation
“His wife paused in the middle of the kitchen and
watched the stove busy humming to itself, making supper
for four.”
“A miracle of efficiency selling for an absurdly low price.
Every home should have one.”
"Walls, Lydia, remember; crystal walls, that's all they are.
It's all odorophonics and sonics, Lydia.”
"That's just it. I feel like I don't belong here. The house is
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?”
“So George Hadley, bemused, sat watching the diningroom table produce warm dishes of food from its
mechanical interior.
"We forgot the ketchup," he said. "Sorry," said a small voice
within the table, and ketchup appeared.”
"Matter of fact, we're thinking of turning the whole house
off for about a month. Live sort of a carefree one-for-all
existence."
"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 myself a bath?
Analysis
THE DANGERS OF TECHNOLOGY
Quotation
"I don't want to do anything but look and listen and smell;
what else is there to do?"
“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 come along and want to shut it off. No wonder
there's hatred here.”
“Why, you'd starve tomorrow if something went wrong in
your
kitchen. You wouldn't know how to tap an egg.
Nevertheless, turn everything
off. Start new. It'll take time.”
"What?"
"- that they could become real?"
"Not that I know."
"Some flaw in the machinery, a tampering or
something?"
"No."
The house was full of dead bodies, it seemed. It felt like a
mechanical
cemetery. So silent. None of the humming hidden energy of
machines waiting
to function at the tap of a button.
Analysis
STRUCTURING A CRITICAL ESSAY

Carefully Read the Critical essay question.
Choose a novel or a short story with a message
which is still relevant today.
 Show how the author’s portrayal of events and
character(s) highlight the author’s message.

INTRODUCTION

T.A.R.T
Title- ‘The Veldt’
 Author- Ray Bradbury
 Relate to question- message still relevant today.
 Theme- Over reliance on technology.

EXAMPLE

‘The Veldt’ by Ray Bradbury is a harrowing tale
that deals with the extent to which we rely on
technology. Written in the 1950s when the mass
production of items such as televisions was new,
Bradbury captures a fear of how much people
could come to depend upon such goods. This is a
theme which is equally significant in today’s
society where people are accused of being
dominated by computers, mobile telephones and
other electronic devices.
MAIN BODY PARAGRAPHS
 We
will create PEAR paragraphs.
 Point
 Evidence
 Analyse
 Relate
to question
EXAMPLE


Similarly to parents today, George thinks that he is giving his children
the best opportunities by allowing them access to new technology.
“"But nothing's too good for our children,"
George had said.”

George genuinely believes that he is providing for his family and
giving his children the best. He has bought into the idea behind the
technology yet is too preoccupied to see the potential for harm.

This is a current theme in today’s society as many parents endorse
the educational purposes of technology yet do not realise the
addictive qualities such devices have on young people.
TASK!

P- Peter seems to suffer from extreme withdrawal symptoms
when his father takes away his access to the nursery.

E- "You know how difficult Peter is about that. When I
punished him a month ago by locking the nursery for even
a few hours - the tantrum he threw!

A-

R-

Complete this PEAR paragraph.
TASK!

P-

E- It seemed that, at a distance, for the past month, he had heard lions
roaring, and smelled their strong odour seeping as far away as his
study door. But, being busy, he had paid it no attention.

A- “Seeping" suggests the sinister way in which the children had become
obsessed with the African Veldt. George, however, was too busy working
and allowing the nursery to do his job- parenting- to notice that Peter
and Wendy had become obsessed.

R-

Copy and complete this PEAR.
COMPLETING THE ESSAY

In this essay we will aim to have 7 PEAR paragraphs.

You already have 3.

Select a further 4 quotations from your grid/ mind maps that you feel
are relevant to this essay question.

Complete these PEAR paragraphs individually.

Remember to analyse in as much detail as possible and clearly link
back to the essay question.

You will need a conclusion that reiterates the wording of the essay
question.
PEER ASSESSMENT

Read through your partner’s critical essay and comment
upon the following:

Is there an introduction, 7 PEAR paragraphs and a
conclusion?
Is each paragraph introduced with a clear point?
Have relevant quotations been selected?
Does your partner analyse these quotations in depth?
Has your partner linked all of their comments back to
the essay question?




TIMED CRITICAL ESSAY

Now that you understand the structure of a
critical essay you must prepare to write one
under timed conditions.

In the exam you will have 45 minutes to
produce a critical evaluation to an unseen
question.
CREATING QUOTATION CARDS

Select 10 quotations that you find to be highly important
from the grid & mind maps.

They should be quotations that really help you to understand
Bradbury’s theme.

Write the quotation on one side of the card provided.

Bullet point your analysis on the opposite side of the card.

Homework- Learn these quotations and analysis.
TIMED CRITICAL ESSAY QUESTION

Choose a novel or a short story which deals
with the effects of evil or war or deceit or a
breakdown in society or a breakdown in
relationship(s).

Show how any of these negative pressures
affects the main character in the novel or
short story and go on to show whether or not
she or he tackles it successfully.