Many ideas or events can shape a writer and his/her story. Historical and cultural occurrences also help to structure theme. My own view is that Bradbury incorporates science fiction in “The Veldt”, but also in his other works to show society’s fear of the unknown during the 1950’s and that freedom is sacred to the society’s people. The society’s freedom is their knowledge and that shouldn’t be taken away or denied.

“The Veldt” is Ray Bradbury’s story written in 1950 and was in the prime of the Cold War. Also around this time period, the technology world was rising and being understood enough to make new inventions. These inventions consisted of the microwave and continuous improvements to past inventions, such as the television and the radio. Although these technologies were exciting and fascinating, the public had their doubts, which came from the war, too. The fear society had about technology is reflected in Bradbury’s story’s, and where there is war, there is always fear of freedom.

Although most of the technology in the 1950’s was not advanced, Bradbury creates new technology in his writings that are said to be made in the future. For instance, in Bradbury’s book “Fahrenheit 451”, the society burns every book they find. Filler said it best with, “The problem is that if you carry out it consistently, wherever one turns, there is always someone who might be offended, so in order to protect the freedom of all in their ‘pursuit of happiness,’ nothing controversial can be expressed, and so all controversial ideas must be eliminated”. The freedom to have your own ideas and be creative is taken away by new technology and this is what I believe Bradbury’s goal in his science-fiction writings are saying. Now instead of reading, the families watch three-to-four walls of a television in which they are able to interact with. In doing this, the freedom for the ability to think on your own is vanished and the society controls what and how you think. If the people were to try and rebel, they were set on fire, too.

Just like “Fahrenheit 451”, Bradbury has a similar theme in “The Veldt”. The children in this book had a nursery with walls that came to life. Whatever the children would think about, the walls came to life and interacted. Televisions became more popular in the 1950’s and were brought into homes. Once the TV’s were in, they began to be the center of attention. Fewer and fewer books were read and the priority of the family became entertainment. This became an issue for the families, because the children would not expand their knowledge. Instead just waste away in front of technology.

When “The Veldt” was published in the 1950’s, the society was worried about the technology not only taking away the freedom of the society, but also the freedom of the children. Since the children were the only ones controlling the nursery walls, the parents had no say. Soon, the children saw the nursery as their new parents. The kids spent so much time in the nursery that they became mesmerized. Technology took over and the children lost their freedom to think how they want to think, and instead were shown on the walls (Television) what the nursery wanted the kids to think. Also, the nursery began to shape the children a different way than how the parents wanted. 

The nursery is the society’s fear of the unknown. The technology is already shaping the children which are the leaders of society tomorrow. Is the technology endangering the entire world? The technology is endangering the society to the extent of everyone watching and consuming the same TV shows in this time period due to lack of multiple stations. Therefore, freedom is taken away because everyone thinks the same way. Technology was a scary idea in the 1950’s; alongside television were the improvements in war equipment.

The war side of Bradbury’s writings is incorporated into his books and staying in line of the freedom theme. I agree with Galeyev, “I understand now what attracted us in your fantasy books: the defense of personal rights of freedom, of individuality; contempt for spiritual egalitarianism, being aim of the powers that be and of the mob, who choke themselves on their irrepressible desire to paint all in one color”. The soviets and other outside countries were unable to read these books by Bradbury when they were first published due to conflicting war nations and their strict power against being different. Countries felt threatened by freedom of books and technology in return creates likeness of people. The people could not think for themselves. Therefore, once the other country’s people were able to get ahold of them, these countries had personal experiences with them. 

Other influential, historical factors that I believe to have played a role in Bradbury’s writings was the Holocaust. The burning of the books in “Fahrenheit 451” is a symbolic way of getting rid of freedom in individuality. Hitler wanted only one type of person, therefore, killing off the rest of the humans if you didn’t fit his criteria. This theme is also reflected in “The Veldt”. The children killed their parents, and their freedom, by giving the parents over to the nursery. The children sacrificed knowledge for an image on the wall. 

Theme is in every piece of writing whether it is clear or underlining. Bradbury writes most, if not all, of his books in the science-fiction genre where future technology is addressed. Through his works, Bradbury incorporates science-fiction in order to show the fear of the unknown in the 1950’s. My own view is that Bradbury also portrays society’s want for knowledge and how technology can take that away. Historical and cultural occurrences and events are used by Bradbury to influence his words and allow a deeper meaning to surface than just technology. Instead, technology is the key for a deeper theme about the importance of knowledge and individuality. 

 