"The Veldt" By: Ray Bradbury
Interpretive Questions: Be sure to answer all questions in complete sentences using quotes.
1.) Why do Peter and Wendy choose the nursery over their parents? They choose the nursery over their parents because the nursery entertains them and their parents don't. "This room is their mother and father, far more important in their lives than their real parents." (p. 102)
2.) Why have the children moved to “the long, hot African veldt” from “all the delightful contraptions of a make-believe world”? (p. 94, 95) The children move to Africa instead of “all the delightful contraptions of a make-believe world" (p. 94, 95) because they have a motive to kill their parents.
3.) Why does Peter say, “I don’t want to do anything but look and listen and smell; what else is there to do”? (p. 100) Peter says “I don’t want to do anything but look and listen and smell; what else is there to do” (p. 100) because he doesn't understand that there is other things to do except go into the nursery.
4.) At the end of the story, do the children know what they are doing to their parents, or is it just another fantasy for them? They know what they are doing to their parents because the children wanted their parents to die. " 'I wish you were dead!' " (p. 104)
5.) Why does the story end with peter and Wendy having a picnic and behaving politely toward David McLean? They are behaving politely to David McLean because now that their parents are gone they want to kill him to because he was the one who wanted them to move to Iowa. " 'Well, in five minutes we'll be on our way to Iowa.' " (p. 105)
6.) According to the story, are George and Lydia to blame for what happens to them? George and Lydia are to blame for their death for spoiling the kids with electronics and then taking them away. "And he marched about the house turning off the voice clocks, the stoves, the heaters, the shoe shiners, the shoe lacers, the body scrubbers and swabbers and massagers, and every other machine he could put his hand to." (p.104)
7.) Why does the story say that George is too busy to pay attention to the lions, even though he has heard them roaring and smelled their strong odors? He's not too busy but it says that he's too busy because he thinks it is fake.
8.) After returning from the carnival, why do Peter and Wendy deny that Africa is in the nursery? They deny that Africa is in the nursery because they want their parents to think that they are just playing. " 'Its not Africa', she said breathlessly. 'We'll see about this,' said George Hadley, and they all walked down the hall together and opened the nursery door. There was a free, lovely forest, a purple mountain, high voices signing, Rima, lovely and mysterious, lurking in the trees with colorful flights or butterflies, like animated bouquets, lingering in her long hair." (pg. 97)
9.) Why does George tell Lydia that they children are “spoiled and we’re spoiled”? (p. 98) George tells Lydia that the children are “spoiled and we’re spoiled” (p. 98) because they have every machine they could have so they don't have to do anything.
10.) Why do George and Lydia agree to “just another moment of nursery” after they have turned it off? (p. 104) They agree to “just another moment of nursery” (p. 104) because the kids are crying and screaming and they always give them what they want.
Vocabulary in Context:
1.) Reluctantly (p. 92)
Quote: " Reluctantly he locked the huge door." (p. 92)
Definition (based on context/in your own words): don't want to do it
Synonym: unwillingly
Sentence (underline the vocabulary word): I reluctantly turned off the TV.
2.) Preoccupied (p. 94)
Quote: "Preoccupied, he let the lights glow softly on ahead of him, extinguish behind him as he padded to the nursery door." (p. 94)
Definition (based on context/in your own words): busy
Synonym: engrossed
Sentence (underline the vocabulary word): I was preoccupied on my computer.
3.) Abstractedly (p. 95)
Quote: "The only flaw to the illusion was the open door through which he could see his wife, far down the dark hall, like a framed picture, eating her dinner abstractedly". (Pg.95)
Definition (based on context/in your own words): out of place
Synonym: daydream
Sentence (underline the vocabulary word): That bird was flying abstractedly.
4.) Insufferable (p. 98)
Quote: "They're insufferable-let's admit it". (Pg.98)
Definition (based on context/in your own words): unbearable
Synonym: unbearable
Sentence (underline the vocabulary word): Those candies are insufferable.
5.) Engrossed (p. 105)
Quote:" ' I think we'd better get down stairs before those kids get engrossed with those damned beasts again' ". (Pg. 105)
Definition (based on context/in your own words): busy
Synonym: preoccupied
Sentence (underline the vocabulary word): I was engrossed when I was watching TV.
Thinking Map:
Use textual evidence to show examples of when George or Lydia are being G/Good parents or B/bad parents. Include 5 examples and support with page numbers and opinion for each column.
George and Lydia are G/Good parents V. George and Lydia are B/Bad parents
1.) Why do Peter and Wendy choose the nursery over their parents? They choose the nursery over their parents because the nursery entertains them and their parents don't. "This room is their mother and father, far more important in their lives than their real parents." (p. 102)
2.) Why have the children moved to “the long, hot African veldt” from “all the delightful contraptions of a make-believe world”? (p. 94, 95) The children move to Africa instead of “all the delightful contraptions of a make-believe world" (p. 94, 95) because they have a motive to kill their parents.
3.) Why does Peter say, “I don’t want to do anything but look and listen and smell; what else is there to do”? (p. 100) Peter says “I don’t want to do anything but look and listen and smell; what else is there to do” (p. 100) because he doesn't understand that there is other things to do except go into the nursery.
4.) At the end of the story, do the children know what they are doing to their parents, or is it just another fantasy for them? They know what they are doing to their parents because the children wanted their parents to die. " 'I wish you were dead!' " (p. 104)
5.) Why does the story end with peter and Wendy having a picnic and behaving politely toward David McLean? They are behaving politely to David McLean because now that their parents are gone they want to kill him to because he was the one who wanted them to move to Iowa. " 'Well, in five minutes we'll be on our way to Iowa.' " (p. 105)
6.) According to the story, are George and Lydia to blame for what happens to them? George and Lydia are to blame for their death for spoiling the kids with electronics and then taking them away. "And he marched about the house turning off the voice clocks, the stoves, the heaters, the shoe shiners, the shoe lacers, the body scrubbers and swabbers and massagers, and every other machine he could put his hand to." (p.104)
7.) Why does the story say that George is too busy to pay attention to the lions, even though he has heard them roaring and smelled their strong odors? He's not too busy but it says that he's too busy because he thinks it is fake.
8.) After returning from the carnival, why do Peter and Wendy deny that Africa is in the nursery? They deny that Africa is in the nursery because they want their parents to think that they are just playing. " 'Its not Africa', she said breathlessly. 'We'll see about this,' said George Hadley, and they all walked down the hall together and opened the nursery door. There was a free, lovely forest, a purple mountain, high voices signing, Rima, lovely and mysterious, lurking in the trees with colorful flights or butterflies, like animated bouquets, lingering in her long hair." (pg. 97)
9.) Why does George tell Lydia that they children are “spoiled and we’re spoiled”? (p. 98) George tells Lydia that the children are “spoiled and we’re spoiled” (p. 98) because they have every machine they could have so they don't have to do anything.
10.) Why do George and Lydia agree to “just another moment of nursery” after they have turned it off? (p. 104) They agree to “just another moment of nursery” (p. 104) because the kids are crying and screaming and they always give them what they want.
Vocabulary in Context:
1.) Reluctantly (p. 92)
Quote: " Reluctantly he locked the huge door." (p. 92)
Definition (based on context/in your own words): don't want to do it
Synonym: unwillingly
Sentence (underline the vocabulary word): I reluctantly turned off the TV.
2.) Preoccupied (p. 94)
Quote: "Preoccupied, he let the lights glow softly on ahead of him, extinguish behind him as he padded to the nursery door." (p. 94)
Definition (based on context/in your own words): busy
Synonym: engrossed
Sentence (underline the vocabulary word): I was preoccupied on my computer.
3.) Abstractedly (p. 95)
Quote: "The only flaw to the illusion was the open door through which he could see his wife, far down the dark hall, like a framed picture, eating her dinner abstractedly". (Pg.95)
Definition (based on context/in your own words): out of place
Synonym: daydream
Sentence (underline the vocabulary word): That bird was flying abstractedly.
4.) Insufferable (p. 98)
Quote: "They're insufferable-let's admit it". (Pg.98)
Definition (based on context/in your own words): unbearable
Synonym: unbearable
Sentence (underline the vocabulary word): Those candies are insufferable.
5.) Engrossed (p. 105)
Quote:" ' I think we'd better get down stairs before those kids get engrossed with those damned beasts again' ". (Pg. 105)
Definition (based on context/in your own words): busy
Synonym: preoccupied
Sentence (underline the vocabulary word): I was engrossed when I was watching TV.
Thinking Map:
Use textual evidence to show examples of when George or Lydia are being G/Good parents or B/bad parents. Include 5 examples and support with page numbers and opinion for each column.
George and Lydia are G/Good parents V. George and Lydia are B/Bad parents
They are being good parents when
|
They are being bad parents when
They are being bad parents when They are being bad parents when They are being bad parents when They are being bad parents when |