Interpreting: Carefully reread the passage. Write an
essay describing the tone Bradbury sets and analyzing
how he creates that particular mood.
"I don't know anything," he said, "except that I'm beginning to
be sorry we bought that room for the children. If children are
neurotic at all, a room like that-"
"It's supposed to help them work off their neuroses in a healthful
way."
"I'm starting to wonder." He stared at the ceiling.
"We've given the children everything they ever wanted. Is this
our reward-secrecy, disobedience?"
"Who was it who said, 'Children are carpets, they should be
stepped on occasionally'? We've never lifted a hand. They're
insufferable-let's admit it. They come and go when they like;
they treat us as if we were offspring. They're spoiled and we're
spoiled."
"They've been acting funny ever since you forbade them to take
the rocket to New York a few months ago."
"They're not old enough to do that alone, I explained."
"Nevertheless, I've noticed they've been decidedly cool toward
us since."
"I think I'll have Dave McClean come tomorrow morning to have
a look at Africa."
"But it's not Africa now, it's Green Mansions country and Rima."
"I have a feeling it'll be Africa again before then."
A moment later they heard the screams.
Two screams. Two people screaming from downstairs. And then
a roar of lions.
"Wendy and Peter aren't in their rooms," said his wife.
He lay in his bed with his beating heart. "No," he said. "They've
broken into the nursery."
"Those screams-they sound familiar."
"Do they?"
"Yes, awfully."
In this passage from Ray Bradbury's "The Veldt," the tone that he sets can be described as ominous and unsettling. The husband and wife are starting to question their decision to buy a high-tech nursery for their children, realizing that it may have negative psychological effects on them. Bradbury creates this mood through the characters' dialogue, which is filled with doubt, regret, and a sense of foreboding.
The husband's initial uncertainty about the nursery sets the tone for the passage. He expresses concern that the room may be causing his children to become neurotic, indicating a growing unease about the situation. As the conversation continues, the husband and wife reflect on their parenting choices and the behavior of their children, leading to a sense of anxiety and guilt.
The mention of the forbidden trip to New York further adds to the tension in the passage. The husband acknowledges that their children have been distant and cool towards them since they denied them the opportunity to take the rocket to New York. This event serves as a turning point in the relationship between the parents and their children, creating a sense of conflict and alienation.
The sudden appearance of screams and the sound of lions roaring adds a sense of danger and urgency to the scene. The wife's realization that their children are not in their rooms and the husband's realization that they have broken into the nursery heighten the sense of fear and apprehension. The familiarity of the screams adds a chilling element to the situation, suggesting that something sinister is at play.
Overall, Bradbury creates a chilling and unsettling mood in this passage through the characters' dialogue, the sense of regret and tension, and the sudden introduction of danger. The tone is one of suspense and unease, leaving the reader wondering what will happen next in this disturbing and mysterious story.