Name: _________________
The Veldt by Ray Bradbury
Vocabulary
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veldt: Any of the open grazing areas of southern Africa
odorophonics: an idea made up by Bradbury; a system capable of reproducing selected scents
that fool the human nervous system.
sonics: relating to sound
nursemaid: a female servant in a rich household, generally one who cares for young children
televised: instead of calling home on a phone, the children “televise” home, sending a message
over the television
telepathic emanations: thoughts
illusion: a misleading image presented to the vision (something that seems to be there, but is
really not)
joviality: good humor, jolliness
Rima: fictional heroine of W. H. Hudson's 1904 novel Green Mansions: A Romance of the
Tropical Forest
flue: chimney
neurotic: having a nerve disease
neuroses: functional disorders in which feelings of anxiety, obsessive thoughts,
compulsive acts, and physical complaints without evidence of disease, in various degrees
and patterns, dominate the personality.
insufferable: too extreme to bear
intersperse: scatter between other things
Questions for “The Veldt” by Ray Bradbury
PLOT
Exposition
Setting
Characters
Conflict
Rising Action
Climax
Falling Action
Conclusion
1.
In what ways are the Hadley’s a typical North American family?
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2. What is the significance of the change of program in the nursery, from innocent fairy tales to the
appearance of the lions?
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3. What explains the hatred that the children feel for their parents?
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FOCUS ON NARRATIVE ELEMENTS
4. Define foreshadowing. Identify and explain 3 specific examples of foreshadowing in the
narrative.
Example of Foreshadowing
Explanation
5. Evaluate the end of the story. Why is the last line as follows: “A cup of tea?” asked Wendy in the
silence.
a. What point is Bradbury trying to make?
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FOCUS ON CHARACTERS
6. Lydia quotes an old saying, “Children are carpets, they should be stepped on occasionally.”
Identify the figure of speech used in this saying and explain what the saying means. Why does
Lydia quote it at this point in the story?
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7. Compare and contrast what George and Lydia Hadley give their children and what the children
really need.
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What do George and Lydia Hadley give their
children?
What is the result of this discrepancy?
What do the children need?
FOCUS ON THEME
8. Peter says, “I wish you were dead!” George responds by saying, “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.”
Define what it means for George to “really live”.
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9. What is the theme of the story?
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Focus on Technology
10. 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?
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11. Obviously, such detachment that leads to killing one’s parents is an extreme case. What other
negative behaviours manifest from dependency on virtual reality?
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12. What concerns do parents have today about their children? Are these concerns legitimate?
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Focus on Genre
13. How is this a DYSTOPIAN story?
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Compare and Contrast
Early 1950s:
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 twentyeight participating New York City restaurants.
American children play with the Slinky toy and the
Candyland board game.
Today: