How we cite our quotes: (Paragraph)
Quote #1
"But nothing's too good for our children," George had said. (12)
Ah, the problem of being a good parent: George wants to make his kids happy and, of course, that means giving them stuff. Good stuff. It's fun to imagine George giving the kids everything they ask for at this stage in "The Veldt": "you want a nuclear bomb, Peter—only the best bomb for you!" That would be a much shorter story, but basically the same.
Quote #2
"You know how difficult Peter is about that. When I punished him a month ago by locking the nursery for even a few hours—the tantrum he threw!" (45)
Only kids and Senators can really throw tantrums correctly. (Peter is not yet a Senator). But even though Peter is still a tantrum-throwing kid, he's also totally in charge here.
Quote #3
At dinner they ate alone, for Wendy and Peter were at a special plastic carnival across town and had televised home to say they'd be late, to go ahead eating. So George Hadley, bemused, sat watching the dining-room table produce warm dishes of food from its mechanical interior. (63)
If you're not sure what to write a paper about, you might want to re-read this quote: the kids use technology to break up the family dinner and to give orders to their parents. Dad isn't happy, and he's not in charge. And at the center of it all, we have the house making the family dinner. This is Exhibit A in the argument that technology messes up family roles. (Exhibit B is when the kids use the nursery to kill the parents. Actually, maybe that should be Exhibit A.)