Symbolism In The Veldt

When it comes to disciplining children, people often say the way for a child to learn is for the parents to be laid back and let the child learn the lay of the land. On the other hand, Ray Bradbury disagrees with this theory. He believes that disciplining a child is vital to growth, and parents need to be respected by their children. Respect is not given to parents without discipline. Through the use of characterization, foreshadowing, and symbolism in the short story “The Veldt”, the author shows that in order to earn respect from children, parents need to implement disciplinary actions.
The Hadley’s children, Wendy and Peter, live without consequences or rules, and their resulting wild and outrageous behavior is reflected poorly on their parents, because they fail to discipline them. The Hadley’s HappyLife Home has created a sense of codependence for all of the family members, as this house “bathes and rocks and does everything for them,” and

This is because their parents don’t discipline or limit time the children’s time in the African Veldt themed nursery. This location was strategically chosen to symbolize the children’s behavior with the wild animals found in an African grassland. Bradbury describes the animals as, “The Vultures” which is a direct description of The Hadley’s children and their constant misbehavior. By Bradbury choosing to include this symbolism, it enhances the story by associating the bad behavior of the children to something equally as wild. Bradbury states that “The children thought lions, and there were lions.” By stating this the reader is able to make the connection that the children’s behavior resembles the African animals found in the nursery. George and Lydia Hadley lost a sense of control with their children, resulting in lack of obedience and respect. Ultimately, this symbolism allows Bradbury to show readers that the misbehavior leads to lack of