“The Veldt”

Ray Bradbury

• Ray Bradbury, recipient of the 2000 National Book Foundation Medal for Distinguished Contribution to American Letters, the 2004 National Medal of Arts, and the 2007 Pulitzer Prize Special Citation

• Died on June 5, 2012, at the age of 91 after a long illness. He lived in Los Angeles.

• Throughout his life, Bradbury liked to recount the story of meeting a carnival magician, Mr. Electrico, in 1932. At the end of his performance Electrico reached out to the twelve-year-old Bradbury, touched the boy with his sword, and commanded, Live forever! Bradbury later said, “I decided that was the greatest idea I had ever heard. I started writing every day. I never stopped.”

http://www.raybradbury.com/

SCIENCE FICTIONRAY BRADBURY’S WORLD

“To boldly go where no man has gone before.” Captain Kirk on Star Trek

SCIENCE FICTIONDEFINITION• Noun: Fiction based

on imagined future scientific or technological advances and major social or environmental changes, frequently portraying space or time travel and life on other planets.

WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE?SCIENCE FICTION

• Futuristic• Science based• Technology focused• Life on other planets• Space and/or time

travel

FANTASY• Magic and

magical, imaginary worlds

• Supernatural phenomena

• Wizards, witches, sorcery

• Steers clear of scientific themes

PAUSE FOR A CAUSEIn your journal, write your response to the following questions on the short story “The Veldt.” Be prepared to share your answers with your group.

“THE VELDT”Pause For a Cause: page …11.What is a veldt?2. Why does George Hadley’s wife, Lydia, ask him to come into the nursery?3. What’s different about this nursery compared to what you know a nursery to be?

“THE VELDT”Pause For a Cause: Page …24. Why do George and Lydia have very different reactions to what happens in the nursery?

Page…45. Who controls the nursery?

“THE VELDT”Pause For a Cause: Page …56. What happens when the children are asked about the state of the nursery?

Page…67. There are several references made regarding screams coming from the nursery. Make a prediction about who you think is screaming.

“THE VELDT”Pause For a Cause: Page …68. What item is found in the nursery? What literary element is displayed by the revealing of this item?Page…79. George states that he wants to turn the house off. What literary element is displayed here? Why does Peter react the way he does to this news?

“THE VELDT”Pause For a Cause: Page …810. Who is parenting the children in the story? ExplainPage…911. What new item is found in the nursery and to whom does it belong ?

“THE VELDT”Pause For a Cause: Page …1012. The Hadleys were given some advice from David McClean. Did they follow it? What happened as a result?

“THE VELDT”Group Discussion In your group, share your answers to

the Pause for a Cause questions Discuss the literary elements found

in the story What was the climax? Give 2 examples of personification

Ask each other questions that you still have

Share your predictions

“THE VELDT”Pause For a Cause Answers1. An open grassland in southern Africa2. She feels like something isn’t right about

the scene, but isn’t sure3. Answers may vary, traditional nurseries are

for babies and are calm, quiet, and peaceful4. George is merely entertained and stills

believes the lions to be fake crystal walls; however, Lydia is afraid because it feels so real

5. The children control the nursery with their thoughts.

6. They deny there being an African veldt7. Answers will vary

“THE VELDT”Pause For a Cause Answers8. George’s wallet- foreshadowing9. Personification- Peter is upset because the nursery has become his parents10. The nursery is parenting the children. It does everything for them that their parents should do.11. Lydia’s scarf12. David McClean told them to turn off the nursery and go on vacation. They allowed the children a few more minutes in the nursery, and as a result they were eaten by the lions.