In the short story "The Veldt" by Ray Bradbury, George and Lydia Hadley build their two children, Peter and Wendy, an automated nursery that carries out all the functions that parents would perform for their children. In addition, the nursery can replicate reality, and the children have set it to resemble an African veldt, a grassland where lions live. The parents believe they will live a life of ease with well-functioning and loving children, but they don't realize that by allowing the house to do everything for their children, they permit the house to become the children's parents.
Here is an explanation of the evidence:
Evidence A: "You've let this room and this house replace you and your wife in your children's affections" is a quote from David McClean, the psychologist the Hadleys call in to consult with them after they realize that their children are fixated on the veldt. The parents also hear strange screams coming from the veldt. In this quote, David McClean tells the parents that the nursery is carrying out all the functions a parent should perform for his or her children. Therefore, the children have come to love the room more than their parents, from whom the children feel distanced, as they have little normal interaction with their parents.
Evidence B: "Don't let them do it!" wailed Peter at the ceiling, as if he was talking to the house, the nursery. "Don't let Father kill everything." He turned to his father. "Oh, I hate you!" Peter says this after George Hadley turns off the nursery at the advice of David McClean, the psychologist. Peter and Wendy are filled with rage when their parents turn off their nursery because, to Peter, the nursery represents "everything." In fact, Peter addresses the house rather than speaking to his parents because the house is more real to him than his parents are. The nursery means more to him than his parents do, and he will gladly see them dead if it means he can return to the nursery he loves.
As George and Lydia Hadley have spoiled their children so greatly, they find it impossible to then have their children to pull the plug on their automated room. Instead, it is clear that the children have become so close to the nursery that it has replaced their parents in their minds.
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