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The Veldt: Science Fiction or The Inevitable Future

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In the past, families lived a technology- free life: waking up by the sounds of birds, communicating face-to-face, and walking in order to travel. Today, it is almost impossible to find means of entertainment not involving a colored screen. This demonstrates how modern technology has corrupted society. Despite the advantages of technology, it has contributed to an inactive population that is unable to think for themselves. Ray Bradbury was born on August 20, 1920 in Waukegan, Illinois. Bradbury won the Pulitzer prize in 2004 for his literary work, like “The Veldt.” The overall theme of Bradbury’s short stories and novels is that the world is undergoing a "too rapid and pervasive technological change"(Bradbury). “The Veldt” discusses a family of four living in a house in which everything is done for them. There is not one task that the “Happylife Home” cannot complete with its advanced technological aspects. Twins Peter and Wendy Hadley that live in the “Happylife Home” cannot even brush their own teeth without it being done for them. A technologically based society removes sense and common actions of humans; thus removing the original aspects of humanity that originated at the dawn of time. Ray Bradbury develops his theme that with the desire of technology comes suffering within his short story "The Veldt" through the use of irony, foreshadowing, and imagery.
In order to portray the theme of with desire comes suffering, Ray Bradbury uses irony. The Hadley family lives in a recently purchased mansion called the “Happylife Home.” This is an example of Bradbury incorporating irony into his short story. The “Happylife Home” was supposed to create the perfect, happy lifestyle for the the Hadleys, but this is clearly not t...

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...ecomes reality.

Works Cited
Bernardo, Jr., Anthony J. “The Veldt.” Masterplots II: Short Story Series, Revised Edition (2004): 1-3. Literary Reference Center. Web. 29 Jan. 2014.
Bradbury, Ray. “’The Veldt.’” .d.umn.edu. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Jan. 2014. .
Hart, Joyce. “Critical Essay on ‘The Veldt.’” Short Stories for Students. Ed. Ira Mark Milne. Vol. 20. Detroit: Gale, 2005. Literature Resource Center. Web. 30 Jan. 2014.
Kattelman, Beth. “Critical Essay on ‘The Veldt.’” Short Stories for Students. Ed. Ira Mark Milne. Vol. 20. Detroit: Gale, 2005. Literature Resource Center. Web. 29 Jan. 2014.
Stanley, Deborah A. “Mass Degradation of Humanity and Massive Contradictions in Bradbury’s Vision of America in Fahrenheit 451.” Gale. N.p.: n.p., n.d. N. pag. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 29 Jan. 2014.
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