1. The Veldt and Literary Eras

2. Modernism – Literary Era (The Lottery) Modernization replaces or transforms traditions, collective identities, and past-orientations with revolutionary activities such as doubt, inquiry, individualism, and future-orientation. Marked by a strong and intentional break with tradition. This break includes a strong reaction against established religious, political, and social views. Belief that the world is created in the act of perceiving it; that is, the world is what we say it is. There is no such thing as absolute truth. All things are relative. No connection with history or institutions. Their experience is that of alienation, loss, and despair. Championship of the individual and celebration of inner strength. Life is unordered. Concerned with the sub-conscious.

3. Literary Era – Postmodernism Many postmodern used pastiche, which is to combine elements of other genres and styles of literature to create a new narrative voice. Topics dealing with the complex absurdity of contemporary life - moral and philosophical relativism, loss of faith in political and moral authority, alienation Employing black humor, parody, grotesque, absurdity, and travesty Strong use of irony - serious subjects, like wars and conspiracy theories, are depicted ironically and humorously. Avoiding traditional closure of themes or situations Condemning commercialism, hedonism, mass production, and economic globalism

4. Postmodernism Characteristics Continued Popular elements are detective fiction, science fiction, and war fiction, songs, pop culture references, and well-known, obscure, and fictional history. Intertextuality is the acknowledgement of previous literary works in a story. This is an attempt to make the reader aware of its functionality, and the presence of the author. Some postmodernists use temporal distortion, which is the use of a non- linear timeline. This is where the author jumps either back in time or forward through time. Many postmodern authors use paranoia in their novels. Thought process heavily influenced by anxiety and fear is Paranoia. Paranoid thinking includes persecutory beliefs because the person believes they are in danger or is threatened by something or someone.

5. RAY BRADBURY - BIO Born on August 22, 1920 in Waukegan, Illinois. As a child, he was a huge fan of magicians, and a voracious reader of adventure and fantasy fiction Bradbury decided to become a writer at about age 12 or 13 In 1934 he moved to Los Angeles, California. American fantasy and horror author. Did not want to be categorized as a science fiction author. Won a Pulitzer in 2004 Wrote for several hours every day. Published 30 books, almost 600 short stories, numerous poems, essays, screenplays, and plays. Wan an ideas consultant for the 1964 World’s Fair

6. RAY BRADBURY - BIO Graduated high school. Couldn’t afford college. Went and studied in the library. Wrote to support himself. Wrote short stories and sold newspapers. Futuria Fantasia was his fan magazine. 1941 wrote his first professional piece, “Pendulum” 1943 was a full-time writer 1947 published his first collection of short stories. In 1947 met and married Marguerite "Maggie" McClure. In 1950, Bradbury published his first major work, The Martian Chronicles. 1953 published Fahrenheit 451. This is Bradbury’s best-known work. He had a strong distaste for television, but he allowed for film adaptations of his works. Died in Los Angeles on June 5, 2012

7. “THE VELDT” Historical Context First published in 1950 in the Saturday Evening Post. Published in 1951 as the first short story in the anthology, The Illustrated Man. The story was a success with readers and critics. In the 1950s, new technology was changing the way Americans lived. Televisions, vacuum cleaners, new refrigerators and dishwashers were all appliances consumers wanted to make lives easier and more convenient. So "The Veldt" isn't just about TV and kids; it's about how we loved to buy handy gadgets without worrying about what they might do to our lives. But the thing is, "The Veldt" is not at all about how America was supposed to be. It's about how bad America could be—that is, if we let our gadgets take over our lives.

8. Vocabulary Check subsided 11 illusion 12 abstractedly 13 principle 14 joviality 15 neurotic 16 insufferable 17 persecuted 18 engrossed 19 thatched 1 recede 2 veldt 3 admiration 4 absurdly 5 jaunt 6 upholstery 7 tantrum 8 bemused 9 Emanations 10

9. Characters George Hadley Lydia Hadley Peter Hadley Wendy Hadley David McClean

10. Point Of View Third Person Objective How do we know?

11. Plot Overview Parents use technology to spoil their kids—and then the kids use technology to kill their parents (maybe). Lydia Hadley tells George that she's worried about the nursery The kids Peter and Wendy are spending lots of time in virtual Africa, with lions who always seem to be eating. George and Lydia worry that maybe they've spoiled the kids. George invites psychologist David McClean to come give his opinion. The doctor is in. David tells the Hadley parents that they messed up big time and need to turn off the nursery. The kids beg the parents to let them use the nursery one last time. And then the kids lock their parents in with the fake lions. When David McClean comes back, he sees the lions eating… something.

12. THEMES Technology Makes life too easy Different generations and the use of technology Family Technology influences familial relationships negatively This family represents a large portion of society and social/individual roles of a family unit. Dissatisfaction People are never satisfied Technology contributes to dissatisfaction Versions of Reality Reality can be lost Parents and children have different views of reality and control

13. Simile: When Wendy and Peter return home Bradbury describes them as having "cheeks like peppermint candy, eyes like bright blue agate marbles." The simile serves to emphasize the fact that these are two cute, energetic children who might be found in any typical middle-American family. Record 2 more examples of similes and explain their purpose.

14. Personification: Bradbury personifies the nursery and the house itself by attributing emotions to these inanimate objects. "'I don't imagine the room will like being turned off,' said the father. ‘Nothing likes to die — even a room’ ‘ I wonder if it hates me for wanting to switch it off?'" By turning the house into a living, breathing entity through personification, Bradbury heightens the tension and the threat. Now the parents are not only fighting their children, they are also pitted against a technological monster that is working to destroy them. Record 2 more examples of personification and explain the purpose of each.