Literary Elements
What is the name of the high-tech, African-inspired environment created by the nursery walls?
The Veldt.
What is the name of the two children who have become more emotionally attached to the nursery than to their own parents?
Peter and Wendy.
What is the problem that Lydia Hadley first brings to George’s attention at the very start of the story?
The nursery is "stuck" on an African Veldt and feels too real.
What is the overall feeling of the story, created by the constant sounds of screaming and the smell of blood?
Scary (or Ominous/Tense).
What is the primary motivation for the children to trap their parents in the nursery at the end of the story?
To prevent their parents from turning off the house and the nursery.
What is the action George takes that causes the children to throw a massive tantrum and ultimately plot against him?
He turns off the nursery (and threatens to shut down the whole house).
What is the "Happylife Home" a symbol of in this story?
The danger of relying too much on technology.
What is the term for a character like George Hadley, who undergoes a change by finally realizing the house is a mistake and deciding to shut it down?
A Dynamic Character.
What is the trick the children use to get their parents into the nursery for the final time?
They scream for help, pretending to be in danger so the parents run inside.
What is the irony of the children’s names, Peter and Wendy?
They are named after innocent characters from Peter Pan, but they are actually murderers.
What is revealed about the children’s characters through their "cool" and "flat" voices when they speak to their parents?
That they have become cold, emotionless, and detached (or lack empathy).
What is the realization David McClean has when he sees the lions feeding in the distance and notices the children having a calm picnic?
He realizes the parents have been killed (or that the children are completely remorseless).
What is the author's attitude toward the parents letting the house raise their children?
Critical (or Warning).
What is the role of David McClean, the psychologist, whose observations help the reader understand just how far the children’s mental states have devolved?
The Foil (or a catalyst for the story's climax).
What is the final, eerie gesture Wendy makes toward David McClean at the end of the story that shows the parents are gone?
She offers him a cup of tea.