The Veldt and The Gift

The Veldt

In this story, 2 children decide to kill their parents when the parents threaten to turn their smart house off. By doing so, they would all have to do everyday chores instead of letting the house do it for them. Like clean, cook, even tie their shoes. Things like you and I find quick and simple would seem like a huge task to them. The children have become overly dependent on the smart house, since it allows them to laze around. Although, the breaking point was when the father decided to turn off the nursery, which is practically what these 2 children live for.

It wasn't the house that made the kids messed up in the head, so much as the parents willingness to give their children anything they want. There are many smart houses in use today. Most are to help the elderly, who have had certain conditions that prevent them from doing certain tasks, with daily life. Although none have been blamed for psychologically devious children. If it isn't the smart house at blame, nor is it the parents, then what? It only leaves the kids to have messed up themselves.

The first ever smart house was made in Peterborough in the United Kingdom. With a price tag reading 92,000 sterlings, or $180,176.65 for the technology alone, only upper class citizens could afford this lavish lifestyle. If a house is so smart, would it be capable of turning against you? That's something to consider before purchasing a smart house.







The Gift



In this story, a family takes a trip into space on Christmas. The family wants to bring along gifts for their son, but they are faced with a dilemma when the gifts exceed the weight limit. They decide to continue on the trip while leaving the gifts behind. Arriving in space, the child realizes that he is without gifts and compromises, he wants to view the heavenliness of space through the 1 viewing window. The parents ponder about what they're going to do for their child for Christmas, and decide to bring him to the window as his present.

There is a theme in this story that can easily be interpreted, Christmas isn't about extravagent fixtures, and expensive presents. A gift can be simple, and still mean a lot. Even looking into space through a window. Although, a space trip right now isn't for the people who live paycheck to paycheck. A trip into space can cost up to $200,000 for a fleeting visit of 2 hours to the final frontier. With this soaring price, there are already 200 takers that are willing to be sent into space. Although, the maximum capacity for 1 of these flights is 6 passengers, and that's still crammed in to the shuttle. So this is no luxury trip, although it's amazing to be able to look down at Earth from so far away. But, the fantasy depicted in Bradbury's book may not be in the distant future. Technology is constantly being upgraded, soon we will be looking at Bradbury's book as a non - fiction story.