Analysis Of Super Toys Last All Summer Long

“How do you tell what are real things from what aren’t real things?” (Aldiss 446)

Since antiquity the human mind has been intrigued by artificial intelligence hence, such rapid growth of computer science has raised many issues concerning the isolation of the human mind.

The novella “Super-toys Last All Summer Long” is written by Brian Aldiss in 1969.

Aldiss’ tale depicts the paradoxical loneliness of living in an overpopulated world.

With the expansion of technology the narrator addresses the relationship of human beings with “super-toys” and the reality challenged when such artificial intelligence is introduced in a human world.

The story is fixed some time in the future. Monica Swinton a twenty-nine year old woman of “graceful shape and

Nonetheless by assuming that David is her real son, she had tried to love him like a mother should.

When the introduction of the serving-man was proceeding David notes, “her face was blank,” and “its lack of expression” scared him. (Aldiss 448)

Here we recognize that David had no awareness that Teddy and he were super-toys and Monica’s heedless appearance scared him, possibly he could detect her melancholy but he didn’t comprehend why.

Interestingly, while she stood there, Aldiss describes that “time might have stopped, as it had stopped in the garden,” this indicates how day-to-day remained the same for both the mother and child. Monica is so disoriented with her thoughts that she could barely put herself together to connect with the child in a devoted way. On the other hand, the child feared that how the garden never changes she too might never be happy with him nor understand how he feels about her. He felt she was illusory, whereas Monica had to deal with the reality of her artificial child.

David finds it difficult communicating with her hence, attempts to express his feelings by writing to her but at the same time he fears that she won’t be able to apprehend what he is trying to

Their mansion is complimented by a “friendly illusion of eternal summer”.(Aldiss 445)

The eternal summer in the garden also was the innovative technology deceiving reality. This is where reality strikes, when artificial things are forced to consider real. Summer is the season for warmth, play and carefreeness. Alas, Monica has neither of these. The world is cold and crowded and she stands aloof from her artificial son.

The roses in the garden are something the serving-man remarks on “roses occasionally suffer from black spot . . . It is always advisable to purchase goods with guarantees…” (Aldiss 450) Here Teddy reports directly to the need for replacement of such false reality in order to omit imperfections. The rose is initiated earlier as a symbol for Monica, when she plucks one and shows it to David, and at the end he picks one as a reminder of her. And Teddy senses the importance of the roses for the mother and the child as he tries to bond