Literary Devices in The Veldt
Symbolism, Imagery, Allegory
Setting
An Automated HomeLadies and Gentlemen. We present you with our latest product, the Happylife Home! For just $30,000, you can revolutionize the way you live your life! No longer will you have to sla...
Narrator Point of View
We're flies on the walls of the nursery, folks, because "The Veldt" is told from a third person point of view:"Go to bed," [George] said to the children. (116)That's a simple sentence that tells us...
Genre
Science FictionSome people argue that Bradbury isn't a science fiction writer because his science is all made up. Like "odorophonic" and "mental tape"—those aren't real things based on scientific...
Tone
DreadfulWhen you start reading a story where the first conversation is about something vaguely wrong, you might feel a little… anxious. (Unless the people are clowns discussing something wrong wi...
Writing Style
Metaphors If you've read Bradbury or our learning guides about his work, you might know that he likes his metaphors and similes. (Check out the guides to Something Wicked This Way Comes and Fa...
What's Up With the Title?
When it comes to the title of this story, Bradbury sure had a lot of ideas to choose from. The whole thing takes place in the Hadley's house, so why not "Happylife Home"? Or it could have been call...
What's Up With the Ending?
The kids win, which makes this a tragedy. (Unless you're the kids. Or the lions.) That's what's clear about the ending: 1) George and Lydia get lured into the nursery; 2) the lions get them; 3) the...
Tough-o-Meter
Bradbury usually writes pretty clearly. He's fond of using a noun, plus a verb, plus a little something extra just for fun. For instance: "The lions came running at them" (32).But to be fair, the g...
Plot Analysis
I've Got a Bad Feeling About This"The Veldt" can be read as a story about how George Hadley changes his feelings about technology. At the beginning, George thinks the nursery is the cat's meow (o...
Trivia
Bradbury used the automated house in several other stories, such as in "There Will Come Soft Rains" (in The Martian Chronicles), where the house is really the only character; and in "The Murderer,"...
Steaminess Rating
Whatever you would do with a virtual reality room is your own private business. In "The Veldt," the kids use the room for some good clean fun: killing their parents. Not only that, but the adults s...
Allusions
"Wonderland, Alice, the Mock Turtle" (72) are references to Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland (1865) "Aladdin and his Magical Lamp" (72) are references to The Thousand and...