Student Question

What is the meaning of the quote "Children are carpets, they should be stepped on occasionally" in The Veldt?

Quick answer:

In "The Veldt," George Hadley's quote "Children are carpets, they should be stepped on occasionally" signifies his regret over not being stricter with his children. He believes their unchecked imaginations and desires have caused the technologically advanced nursery in their house to display unsettling and fearsome African scenes. This indicates that George blames the children for the nursery's eerie behavior.

Expert Answers

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When George Hadley says that "Children are carpets, they should be stepped on occasionally," he is communicating that he blames his children for the fear he feels surrounding the strange behavior of the technologically advanced nursery in his house in "The Veldt." The nursery is programmed with screens, temperature controls, speakers, and even connections to the brains of the people in the room, responding to their emotions and showing them whatever scenes they want. The story is driven by the Hadley parents' dislike of the Africa scenes their children have been conjuring, which scare and unsettle the adults. More specifically, George is saying that he thinks that if he'd been more strict with his children, the nursery wouldn't be acting in such unsettling ways.

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