Discussion Topic
Conclusion for "The Veldt"
Summary:
The conclusion of "The Veldt" reveals the tragic consequences of overreliance on technology and lack of parental control. The children, Peter and Wendy, have become so attached to the nursery's virtual reality that they use it to orchestrate the deaths of their parents, George and Lydia, highlighting the story's themes of family dysfunction and the dangers of technological advancements.
What's a good conclusion for an essay on "The Veldt"?
A good conclusion for any essay should involve a strong final statement that completes the narrative theme and train of thought that has been established by the author in the thesis statement. That thesis is, of course, up to the individual writer, but I think a fairly straightforward thesis for "The Veldt" might address the dangers posed by the rampant use of technology to supplement or replace human interactions.
While some advise restating the thesis in the conclusion, in practice I find this to be a bit pendantic and unnecessary. It is probably better to articulate a complete statement that summarizes and emphasizes the main points made in the essay, but does so in a way that was not possible at an earlier point, such as by citing evidence or building on previous statements. One might conclude an essay on "The Veldt" by stating that the lack of...
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explanation for how and why the parents died in the nursery is entirely acceptable, and in fact necessary, because it builds upon and supports the unexpected nature of the relationship between the children and parents; danger sneaks up on us and our acceptance of the status quo blinds us to it.
A conclusion in response to a prompt such as this should also, at least in my opinion, make a claim for further action, such as by advising a means by which the writer's point can be fulfilled. For example, if we are arguing that technology when used to casual excess will reveal severely detrimental effects, we might suggest that exposure to virtual reality be restricted, perhaps by age or by the amount of time per day, in order to avoid the apparent confusion between reality and fantasy that the Hadley children experienced.
What could be a conclusion for the short story "The Veldt"?
Assuming that you are to write a different conclusion from the one that Ray Bradbury provides in his short story, you will want to be sure that your conclusion has verisimilitude; that is, your conclusion will need to be in line with the sequence of events in the plot. And, you will want it to be cleverly written and not just a pedestrian conclusion that describes the lions attacking Mr. and Mrs. Hadley.
Perhaps, then, you can somewhat imitate the direction that Bradbury takes his readers in his conclusion that has a break between it and the rest of the narrative. For instance, David McClean is due to return in half an hour to help the Hadley get to the airport, so you will need to have him arrive as does Bradbury. However, you can have something different occur when the two children call their parents to the nursery. For instance, maybe the parents have picked up something of Peter's that he has left in the kitchen and they carry it with them when they answer the distress calls of the children--"Daddy, Mommy, come quick--quick!"
So, instead of the just the parents being killed, Peter is also mauled by one of the lions who associates the new article brought into the veldt as belonging to him, making Peter a part of the "hated." Then, when David McClean comes over, he finds Wendy crying instead of having a picnic lunch in the center of the open glade. McClean can ask her why she is crying and she sniffles, "It wasn't supposed to be like this!" or something that will lead to McClean's perplexity about what has happened. Add whatever details you want, then. Maybe the nursery doorway closes suddenly at the end. (Hopes this helps to spur your own ideas. Refer to the links below to help you, also)