Veldt

A common theme in The Veldt is the constant struggle for power between humans and technology. While the parents try to decrease their children's dependency on them, what they really end up doing is transferring their power to a machine. Therefore, whoever controls the machine holds the power. Technology leads to the demise of man in two separate ways in this story; one being the death of the parents, and the other being the dehumanization of the children.

This short story seems to support the opinion that mankind's obsession with technology is a bad thing. Just like Fahrenheit 451, also written by Bradbury, it points out possible consequences that could occur in a similar way if we keep technology so involved with our daily life. It seems to focus on the behavioral change in kids due to technology from the parent's point of view. The story is set in a futuristic time where technology literally ties your own shoes, dresses you, and tucks you into bed. It raised their children more than they did, and the parents did not find out until it was too late. The consequences may have been too severe to be believable, but who knows with the rapid change in technology. It could happen in the near future.

Another comment Ray Bradbury seems to make on real life is technology's ability to make kids rude and ungrateful. In the story the dad says he's going to turn off the automated technology in the house. The kids then proceed to throw a fit and end up killing their parents. This is seen in real life at a smaller degree, when kids end up swearing at their parents when they get their video games taken away and complain when actually have to do work at their jobs. Ray Bradbury satirized this very well and gives a plausible insight into what society might turn