The Veldt Author: Ray Bradbury Name of Story:
1.
Setting
Place 1.
Happyhome [hadley’s house]
2.
The nursery/African Veldt
Time  The future – how do we know this??
Weather conditions
Social conditions

 Hot in the veldt/africa
 Ocean was cool (breeze)
 Wealthy family
 George believes he can buy happiness
Mood/atmosphere  Tense, scary, suspenseful.
2.
Plot
Introduction  Lydia has some concerns about the veldt/nursery, and she asks George to call the psychologist to come in.
Rising Action  McClean is called in and says the veldt is not healthy for children and should be shut down
 George threatens to shut down nursery
 George finally shuts down the nursery
 Parents get locked in nursery by children
Climax
Falling Action
 George and Lydia get eaten by lions in the veldt
 McClean watches lions finish feeding
 Vultures dropping down in the veldt
Denouement  Kids get what they want and pretend nothing happened
 Offer McClean tea while he waits for George and Lydia
3.
Conflict (please include supporting details)
Type of Conflict: External (Hadley parents vs technology, children)

Kind of Conflict:
 Man Vs. Machine – parents vs. Happyhome
 Man Vs Man – Parents vs. Children
4.
Characters
Character Characteristics
(protagonist/antagonist/ supporting)
George Hadley protagonist
1) Father of Wendy and Peter
2) Reliant on technology/his money (buying
Happyhome/hiring psychologist)
3) Little control over his children
Lydia Hadley protagonist
Peter Hadley antagonist
Wendy Hadley antagonist
David McClean supporting
1) Mother of Wendy and Peter
2) First fears something wrong with the nursery – wants to get a psychologist
3) Alienated – “I feel like I don’t belong here”
1) spoiled by parents and have little use for them
2) reliant on technology
3) change his mind after meeting with McClean
4) has no remorse
See Peter
1) Psychologist – hired to study effects of nursery on children
2) Tells Hadleys the truth about what the nursery is doing to their relationship with children
3) Tells George to get rid of the nursery
5.
Point of View (please include supporting details)
 Third person omniscient – narrator reports events to reader i.
Follows George all of the time – he is in every scene except the end

6.
Theme (please include supporting details)
 Man vs Machine i.
George and Lydia Vs Happylife Nursery
 Illusion vs Reality – George believes there is a difference/separation between illusion and reality and agrees to turn on the nursery once more.
George believes the lions are nopt a threat
 Alienation i.
the children from parents ii.
children from Veldt/nursery
 Revenge – children get revenge on their parents because they didn’t get their way, despite being used to getting it
 Consumerism i.
George believes he is providing the best money can buy for his family
 Dystopia i.
A dystopia is where people leave fearful, dehumanized lives ii.
Opposite of utopia (perfect world) iii.
Misuse or reliance on technology – the Happyhome/nursery and parents letting technology raise their children iv.
Dream home turns into nightmare