The Veldt

The dangers of overusing technology is the overarching theme of “The Veldt,” and indeed of much of Bradbury’s science fiction. Bradbury wrote his stories at a time of expanding innovation in technology, with particular attention devoted to gadgetry that would improve domestic life. Many commentators in the post-World War II years began to worry about the physical and psychological effects of the new technology. Bradbury makes a brief allusion to the new interest in space exploration with his reference to a “rocket to New York” (246); for the most part, his technological fantasy centers on the home.

George reminds Lydia that they bought the Happy-life Home “so we wouldn’t have to do anything” (242). Various machines in the house cook meals, tie shoes, brush teeth, clean up, and convey people pneumatically up the stairs to their bedrooms. There is little left for human beings to do except sit passively and watch what the machines are doing. Peter complains, “I don’t want to do anything but look and listen and smell; what else is there to do?” (248). In this new technological order, Human beings are reduced to mere spectators. Thus, one of the major effects of technology, in Bradbury’s view, is that it encourages laziness and makes people spoiled.