Ray Bradbury: Crafting a Masterpiece with Science Fiction - Essay Sample

Introduction

Ray Bradbury is a science fiction author, who has written several stories that depict humans in a purely scientific setup. His short story, The Veldt, is one of his most popular science fiction narratives, which was published in 1951. In writing a successful novel, all aspects of tales must be integrated subtly to produce a masterpiece. For writers to have a compelling story, the elements of the plot, setting, characters, language, and diction must be coordinated well to enhance message delivery. Ray Bradbury has artistically used these elements in the writing of the short story, the veldt. The paper offers a formative literary analysis of The Veldt.

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The story is set in Happy Life home, which is inhabited by the Hadley's, a family of four. In this home, the machines do everything for the family, including washing dishes, doing laundry, cooking, and even dressing them. The house is highly automated, which raises our concern in Lydia as she wants it destroyed because it has made them less human and conventional. The house has a special room known as the nursery, where they have a big automated screen that shows an African setting of the tropics (Reid 44). The setting is hugely hostile and inhuman, as it portrays predatory, which affects the two children, as seen later when they revolt against their parents. This setting is vital, as the writer's purpose is to let the audience see the psychological effects of technology shaping human behavior.

The story follows a linear plot. As the story starts, Lydia is airing her concern about the two kids who are constantly at the nursery watching on the big screen, an African veldt. Lydia is also disturbed about the expensive household that cost thirty thousand dollars. According to her, that is not the life they ought to live, as life outside was more wondrous. When they go to the nursery, the lion roars, and Lydia is traumatized, thinking that the lion is after her. Later on, Georgia discovers on the nursery floor, his wallet that was chewed and had blood spots. It is, however not disclosed, on what circumstances the wallet was found, but this acts as a hint that all was not well in the nursery. The children become defiant and do not want to listen to their parents. It is clear that the pictures that they watch on the big screen affect them psychologically, and they no longer treat their parents with respect and affection. "We've given the children everything they ever wanted. Is this our reward- secrecy, disobedience?" (Bradbury 8) At this point, the writer is painting on the dangers of technology, when it replaces parental roles in bringing up the children. The couple gets more concerned about their children's behavior and screen obsession. The psychologist advises them that they should move to a different home, as the current one was harming them negatively, according to him, the nursery was destroying their minds.

Letter on, they find Lydia scarf with blood spots on it, which serves as a warning that the nursery was dangerous for them. Here also, the circumstances under which the handkerchief gets there are not told. The scene serves as suspense and foreshadows a hint to the audience that death was looming. Finally, George and Lydia come to a consensus to shut down their home and the nursery. (Bradbury 11) The children are against this idea because the nursery has become their home and their parents. The judge allows the children to go into the nursery, for the last time before they leave, and the children who are them enter the nursery too, And by the time the psychologist comes to pick them, the Lions on the screen have already devoured them. The children seem not to be disturbed that the veldts have already eaten their parents. On the contrary, they contently drink their tea and, surprisingly, offer David McLean a cup that he declines when he senses that the Lions could have eaten Lydia and George on the screen.

Ray Bradbury has carefully selected characters who develop the theme of the dangers of technology on the Minds of people. The characters have specific roles that make the message delivery effective. George Hadley is the father of the household who is obsessed with technology. He is loving, as he provides for his family by getting a house that has everything, but they need it. With time, he gets frustrated with the nursery and the home because he is a caring father. The Lions murder him from the screen. Lydia is a concerned mother as she is worried about the long-term effects that the nursery and happy life home will have on their lives. She asks her husband that they move out of that home. However, she does not make it out too since the lions eat her also.

Peter is son to George and Lydia, who is spoilt as he never listens to his parents. He is a brilliant technology, and he does not want the home shut down. He later conspired with his sister, and they tricked their parents into the nursery again, where they meet their death. Wendy is Peter's Twin sister. She is an emotional child who is dependent on the nursery. She is devastated when it is to be closed down. She conspired with Peter to get their parents killed so that they remain in the house. David McLean is the family's psychologist. Because he is an astute person, he can see that the home, especially the nursery, is ruining the children and is ready to help the family relocate to a better place.

Ray Bradbury predominantly exploited symbolism, dialogue, and foreshadowing in The Veldt. The nursery in happy home life is symbolic of technology as a whole. The nursery is a sort of cocoon that destroys the family because it feeds them with negative thoughts. The Lions in the big-screen represent their oppressive nature of and hatred the children have towards their parents. The dialogue is extensively used in the story.

Dialogue develops the theme of technology. George and Lydia have a conversation at the beginning of the story. The discussion proves that Lydia is devastated by what their home is doing for them. Dialogues help in disclosing the state of mind of the characters and enhance theme and clothes. The emotions of the characters are revealed, which brings about the tone and mood of a story. Foreshadowing is used in the story. When the judge finds his bloody wallet and Lydia scarf, it was a hint of the year impending death. Foreshadowing is appropriate in creating suspense within our location art

Conclusion

Ray Bradbury beautifully integrates the characters, the plot, and the setting, with the styles to produce a story that has themes that are informative and educating as well as forewarning lovers of technology (Fidlin, 1-12). According to him, technology should never replace parenthood, no wonder the two parents die and leave their kids at the mercy of the big screen. There is more to life than their technology, and thus symbolism teaches us.

References

Bradbury, Ray. The veldt. Dramatic Publishing, 1972.https://books.google.co.ke/books?hl=en&lr=&id=9YP_awFRqToC&oi=fnd&pg=PA3&dq=setting+The+Veldt,+Ray+Bradbury&ots=Pwii_GsOk-&sig=kevG6nzEXFk6m6KIDD3JiaK4Jhw&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=setting%20The%20Veldt%2C%20Ray%20Bradbury&f=false

Fidlin, Noah. "Dr. John Pennington ENG 305 27 Nov 2018 The Influence of Television and Advertisements on Ray Bradbury's "The Veldt. " (2018). http://english305.noahfidlin.knight.domains/presentation-portfolio/essay4/Reid, Robin Anne. Ray Bradbury: a critical companion. Greenwood Publishing Group, 2000.https://books.google.co.ke/books?hl=en&lr=&id=wvMEoM8gu74C&oi=fnd&pg=PR9&dq=significance+of+the+setting+in+The+Veldt,+Ray+Bradbury&ots=T_EdExAAEZ&sig=rFk5J12Oti2HnmuLrrDNmgaCza8&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=

Ray Bradbury. "The Veldt." (1950).https://repositorio.ufsc.br/bitstream/handle/123456789/163728/The%20Veldt%20-%20Ray%20Bradbury.pdf?sequence=1