Ray Bradbury’s book The Illustrated Man Essay

Ray Bradbury’s book The Illustrated Man is a compilation of short stories that leads from one story to the next. Each story is a continuation of a new one; thereby producing a chronicle-like book. Specifically, there are two stories in the book that really made an impact on me, and they are namely The Veldt and The Rocket. The two short stories is a continuation of the other. Basically, the two stories revolve around their respective families and how they cope up with the struggles of every day living and trying to fulfill their domestic duties. The two stories are very different from one another in a sense that love for the family (and achieving it, for that matter) is told in a different angle. Bradbury shows that in the end, there are still many things in the world that cannot be simply bought.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In the Veldt, the protagonist is portrayed by George Hadley. George Hadley is a very wealthy man. He is the father of Wendy and Peter and a husband to Lydia. Mr. Hadley is a very wealthy man; he works very hard to give the wants and needs of his family. Because of his richness, he built an automatic house for his family. Their house is one of the most ultra-modern houses that anyone can imagine. Consequently, he built this house in hope that it will solve some of their house problems since Lydia, Wendy and Peter does not want to do their household duties. Because of such, Mr. Hadley mounted different mechanical devices and machineries in their house. Literally, everything in the house is automatic—from the doors, comfort rooms, closets—everything. They even have a machine that helps the kids tie their shoelaces and the house can clean on its own; and even, the house can automatically take care of the children. Moreover, he installed a special nursery for the children in which the surroundings can be change anytime using their imagination. In the long run, the children and even Lydia becomes too dependent on the house and on the mechanical devices and machineries that Mr. Hadley installed. When Mr. Hadley found out about this, he tried to shut down all the machines in their house. Eventually, his wife and children found out about it and they became livid and angry to Mr. Hadley and it even came to a point that they almost want to kill him. This scenario happened because all the children and even Mrs. Hadley realized that it (the automatic house) became more important more than anything in their family.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   It just goes to show that the Hadley family became more interesting in their house more than anything in the world. They did not even bother to think about the things that matter most in life like love, respect and trust. Admittedly, there are certain things in life that cannot be bought by all the riches in the world. No matter how rich Mr. Hadley is, still, he was not able to show his love for his family. His work demanded too much from him and that is why, to maintain the wants (more than the needs) of his family, he worked too hard to give then all they want. He thought that by giving them an automatic and ultra-modern house, he will be able to fill the gap in their relationships. But what he did not realize is that in the end, his family became more dependent and accustomed to their automatic house. This only implies that a big house or even the most expensive or the most modern gadgets in the world cannot level up to the love that a family have. In the story, Mr. Hadley had barely enough time to spend with his family (that is why his family enjoyed too much the house). He did not have any quality and meaningful time with them. When he found out that the house he built is enough for his family, it is only then that he realized that he is missing too much of a good thing in his life. He realized that his wife and children does not love him anymore and would rather choose to be in their special nursery than spend some time with him. Because of such, he was rewarded by â€Å"secrecy and disobedience† from his children (Bradbury).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   On the other hand, â€Å"The Rocket’ is so much unlike the situation of the Hadley family. The lead character in the short story is named Bodoni. Naturally, his family does not have the amenities and means that the Hadley’s can afford. Their living condition is also so much different from the Hadley’s yet he is able to please his family’s wants and moreover, their needs. His family’s ultimate dream is to visit the planet Mars. To satisfy this dream, he works very hard just to satisfy their daily needs and in the hopes that he can save enough money so that he can bring all his family to Mars someday. After six years of hard labor, he was ready to tell his family of what their dreams have become; and because of this, the entire family got excited but they only got disappointed when he told the truth that he was only able to make three thousand dollars—which is barely enough to take one member of the family to Mars. With this reality in sight, the family got sad and just decided that they now do not want to go to Mars. Instead, the family debated and in the end, Bodoni decided to just buy an old rocket. He fixed the rocket and explained to his family that even though the rocket cannot fly to Mars, they can always inside it and just use their imagination about travelling to Mars. With his brilliant, Bodoni became â€Å"the best father in the world.† (Bradbury)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   There is a very big difference in the family lives of the Hadley’s and Bodoni’s. In the Hadley’s case, he decided to build an automatic house for his family because he is very rich and he does not have enough time for them. He thought that by giving them that house, he will be able to show his love for his family. He showered his family all the material things that his money can buy. In the long run, the actual circumstance became his worst nightmare. The house became undoubtedly became the replacement of his absence in the house. Additionally, the special nursery in which Mr. Hadley built for his children became the author’s symbolism of Mr. Hadley’s absence. The house and the room became his substitute for his affections. When he wanted to shut it down, the children became angry at him because they already view the house as everything they ever needed. The children thinks that it is enough for them and they do not need nay love from their mother, especially their father because the house provides everything for them. What they do not realize is the fact that their father loves them dearly and only has the best intentions for them. It just so happened that he is too busy working. When he realized that the house seemed more important for the children than him, he decided that he wanted his children back but it was too late, the children already hates him. This story only shows that no matter what or how many material things you give or shower to your love ones, love and quality time cannot be bought by such things. What is more important is the time that you will be able to spend with your family and how you will be able to show your love for them. Money is easy to earn but love takes forever. Meanwhile, it is the contrast for the family of Bodoni. Even though they are not as rich as the Hadley’s, Bodoni works very hard just to achieve a life-long family dream which is to travel to Mars. He works night and day so that all the family members can go outer space but unfortunately, after six years of hard labor, he was just able to earn to take only one family member to Mars. After which, they just decided to buy an old rocket. Their rationale for buying it is that, every one in the family can fit and enter the rocket anytime they want. They just have to use their imagination to take them to Mars. In this story, family love is expressed obviously and so dearly. Even though he barely made earnings form his job, Bodoni was able to spend some quality time with his family. Because of this, his family (including his wife and children) understands him and even considers his plan to abandon their dream—but in the end, they gained something more important than seeing Mars—that is, they were able to share the love they have for each other by sharing   the same activities and discussing matters that involve the family. In the part wherein they discussed and deliberated on whether to buy or not a rocket, it shows that family opinion matters in their household. This means that every voice in the family is considered and is important. Through this, they were able to express their love, respect and commitment for each other and the future of their family. They were one in achieving their gamily dream and indeed, they were able to achieve it in a very special way.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   These two stories is typical scenario in our society these days. Many parents work so hard just to secure the material needs of their family and their family. The consequence of this lifestyle is that, parents then spend less time with their children and so much quality hours are thrown away. Practically speaking, there are many parents who cannot attend their children’s recitals, etc. because they have emergency meetings in their office. Because of such, they become guilty to children and to make up for those absences, they give them all their material needs and wants. What they fail to see and accomplish is that more than any material thing that the world and money can give, deep in the hearts of their children is a heart that longs for a real and euphoric kind of love and happiness. Then, there are also the kind of family in which they lack everything the world can offer (just the basic necessities) but they are the ones who are the happiest in the world. For them, money, wants and desires are not their priorities because they know in their hearts that they a gift of something so priceless that not even the richest man in the world can buy. They have the purest form of love for each other. For this kind of family, they only survive on the basic needs and the hope and love that they have for each other. It is therefore important to cherish every single moment that opportunity gives us to spend time with our love ones for we may never know what the future holds for us. We must think of it as if it is the last hours that we will be able to spend with them. Work Cited: Bradbury, Ray. â€Å"The Veldt.† The Illustrated Man. William Morrow, 1997. Bradbury, Ray. â€Å"The Rocket.†Ã‚   The Illustrated Man. William Morrow, 1997.