The Veldt

Use these essay questions as writing and critical thinking exercises for all levels of writers, and to build their literary analysis skills by requiring textual references throughout the essay.

Differentiation Suggestion: For English learners or struggling writers, strategies that work well include graphic organizers, sentence frames or starters, group work, or oral responses.

Scaffolded Essay Questions

Student Prompt: Write a short (1-3 paragraph) response using one of the bulleted outlines below. Cite details from the text over the course of your response that serve as examples and support.

1. Setting plays an important role in Bradbury’s short story “The Veldt.”

• How does setting represent the characters’ internal and external conflicts? (topic sentence)
• Describe 1 situation that reveals the children’s internal conflict and how that conflict is represented in the setting. Then do the same for 1 situation that reveals the children’s external conflict.
• In your conclusion, explain why Bradbury chose to have the settings mirror the different conflicts.

2. The story mentions many different technologies, some beneficial and others harmful.

• What social and psychological problems do the technologies in “The Veldt” cause? (topic sentence)
• Describe 2-3 instances in which technology causes social and/or psychological problems.
• In your concluding sentence or sentences, take a position on which technology caused the most harm and explain why.

3. Despite being written in 1950, “The Veldt” is still relevant today.

• What themes in “The Veldt” encourage readers to consider their own dependence on technology? (topic sentence)
• Identify 2-3 technologies in “The Veldt” and explain whether each is beneficial and used wisely, or detrimental and abused.
• In your concluding sentence or sentences, explain why Bradbury’s messages about technology in “The Veldt” are or are not still worth considering in the 21st century.

Full Essay Assignments

Student Prompt: Write a structured and well-developed essay. Include a thesis statement, at least three main points supported by text details, and a conclusion.

1. George and Lydia Hadley respond to their children’s behavior in different ways. What do their reactions reveal about their character? How does Bradbury’s characterization of George and Lydia connect to one or more themes of the story? As you compose your essay, incorporate at least one example of how each parent responds to the children and explain what that suggests about their character.

2. In many ways, the Happylife Home has taken over the role of the parent. In fact, Lydia mentions that she feels like she has been replaced by technology. Taking into consideration all the roles of a parent, what aspects of childrearing are acceptable to entrust to technology? In what aspects of childrearing are human parents irreplaceable? As you compose your essay, consider how these questions connect to the themes of The Dangers of Spoiling Children and/or The Effect of Technology on Relationships and Artistic Growth.

3. Ray Bradbury often employs foreshadowing in his stories, and “The Veldt” is no exception. Why does Bradbury use this technique, and what is its effect? As you compose your essay, incorporate at least three examples of foreshadowing from the text and explain what each example accomplishes.