Sweet To The Sweet The Veldt Analysis

Aldous Huxley once said, “Children are remarkable for their intelligence and ardor, for their curiosity, their intolerance of shams, the clarity and ruthlessness of their vision.” This is no truer than it is for the children of Sweets to the Sweet, The Veldt, and Sredni Vashtar. These short story children are each neglected masters of manipulation which results in catastrophic events for their adults.
Though each child’s manipulation is different, they share a key similarity: The children were raised by less than stellar guardians. Sweet to the Sweet’s Irma Steever is raised by her father who is abusive and neglectful. Readers become aware of Irma’s father’s abuse when her nanny, Miss Pall says “He hates her. He wants her to be bad so he …show more content…
Their ability to manipulate is what these children share, their manner of manipulation is what makes them individuals. Irma plays innocent when she suddenly begins playing with dolls and her uncle becomes aware of this change. Irma’s manipulation is revealed when she says “Oh Uncle Sam, you’re so silly! Why, this isn’t a real doll…Why, it’s only candy!” (Bloch 33). To keep her uncle from getting a really good look at her doll, she pretends it is something that it’s not, and thus, Irma manipulates her uncle using her innocent appearance. Wendy and Peter turn the veldt that has so terrified their parents into something that they aren’t afraid of: “There was a green, lovely forest, a lonely river, a purple mountain, high voices singing, and Rima, lovely and mysterious, lurking in the trees with the colorful flights of butterflies…” (Bradbury 201). Wendy and Peter manipulate their parents with the very thing that has replaced their parents in their hearts. Finally, Conradin’s manipulation is revealed when he pretends to be oblivious to what has happened to his guardian: “Whoever will break it to the poor child? I couldn't for the life of me!" exclaimed a shrill voice. And while they debated the matter among themselves, Conradin made himself another piece of toast” (Saki n.pg.). Conradin just continues on eating as if he is unaware of what has just …show more content…
Irma has led her uncle to believe that the doll she holds so dear is really candy, now she must prove that the doll is truly just candy, “then, very swiftly, she slipped the tiny head of the image into her mouth. And bit it off. There was a single piercing scream from upstairs…” (Bloch 33). Irma his just literally bitten her father’s head off and is now rid of him for good. Wendy and Peter have not completely changed their parent’s minds about the nursery but have wormed their way back in for some final play time. It becomes clear that Wendy and Peter have taken advantage of this time when George says “Why, they’ve locked it from the outside… Mr. Hadley looked at his wife and they turned and looked back at the beasts edging slowly forward, crouching, tails stiff. Mr. and Mrs. Hadley screamed. And suddenly they realized why those other screams sounded familiar” (Bradbury 207). The nursery and their dangerous thoughts are what Wendy and Peter Hadley used to fully eliminate their parents. Conradin uses the simplest sounding way: “Do one thing for me, Sredni Vashtar…The thing was not specified. As Sredni Vashtar was a god he must be supposed to know… Conradin listened to the noises and silences which fell in quick spasms beyond the dining-room door” (Saki n.pg.). Conradin’s faith in Sredni Vashtar is what finally rid him