The problem child is a common character in fiction and is often presented traversing between the real and the fantasy world. Quite often, there is a distinct disconnection between the children and the parent with the former making personality adjustments as a result of the parents’ negligence. Notably then, the problem children are capable of introducing changes that are uncalled for leaving their parents looking ridiculous and irresponsible. This essay undertakes a critical overview of Robert Bloch’s “Sweets for the Sweets,” Ray Bradbury’s “The Veldt,” and Saki’s “The Open Window” to unearth the common trends in the characters involved and the consequences of allowing the children to stray into the unreal world.
There is the tendency by the problem child to subconsciously enter the unreal world in an attempt to solve its problems as is the case in the three stories. In “Sweets for the Sweet,” Giselle strives to stay in the real world by shunning Halloween. However, she receives a visit from the dead who pose as harmless kids out to play games. Disgusted by their stubbornness, she rudely rebuffs them earning their wrath. Considering that her parents believe in Halloween, they should take the blame for the unreal world that she finds herself in. In “The Veldt,” Peter and Wendy are introduced into the fantasy world by their parents’ undoing after buying the Happy Life Home. The house allows them to live a hustle-free life with the machines that perform all the chores. The nursery, on the other hand is programmed to present the illusions of the children’s imaginations and thoughts. Unfortunately, the house ends up taking all the parental responsibilities making the parents look like unwelcome housemates. Eventually, it is the house that matters to parents such that they would choose it over them. Vera, on the other hand, creates her unreal world by fantasizing that her uncle died while on a hunt. She tells the story to the stranger so articulately that he believes it and takes to his heels when they return. It is notable that Vera is out for some fun because she tells a different story to explain the man’s hurries departure.
Delegate your assignment to our experts and they will do the rest.
The automated house, especially the nursery, has nurtured the Hadley children into stubborn manipulators who scheme against their parents. Although it was created with good intentions, it is apparent that the children’s minds have been corrupted to a point of fantasizing about their parents being devoured by lions in an African jungle. The parents on the other hand, are repelled by the tantrums thrown by the children every time they shut down the nursery and have to let the children have their way even in full knowledge of the impending danger. Notably then, they lament the idea of acquiring the house in home that it would give them a better life because it is the opposite that happens.
Parental negligence is a major issue that plagues the problem children as is the case in “The Veldt.” The Hadley couple is misinformed that their money could help take care of all their children’s needs. Unfortunately the mechanized house has made it clear that the parents will merely make suggestions to the children with the latter being given more liberty to choose the lives they desire. At ten they are going out on their own and have even expressed wishes to visit New York without their parents. The plastic world, in this light, has blinded the children to the real world out there leaving them unaware that they would need someone to look after them. Negligence is also present in “The Open Window” where Vera, the problem child is left to attend to the visitor as she waits for the rest of the family in her aunt’s home. Out of negligence, she has adjusted to embrace their absence as something that is almost eternal. From her story about her uncle’s tragedy, the reader and the visitor are compelled to believe that Mrs. Sappleton lives in denial after losing her husband and brothers. However, it is revealed towards the end that the tragedy is a creation of her own mind for the purpose of repelling the visitor. “Sweets to the Sweet” also characterizes the parents as negligent highlighting it as the root cause of Giselle’s problems. Her parents are not keen on her safety and have to leave her alone and attend a Halloween party. Their instructions, more so, are ill advised because they instruct her to open up to strangers and share her candies with them. It is not surprising, therefore that she ends up dead for refusing to play the candy game. The parents would have acted more responsibly instead of forcing her to assume adult roles by looking after herself and the house while they have their fun.
Indeed, the problem child will make attempts to fit in fantasy world in belief that it will remain immune to the problems facing it. Sometimes the fantasy world is introduced by the parents who harbor the idea that they know what is best for their children. The parents of the problem child are also noted to be negligent, always sufficing their role in upbringing with material wealth. Eventually, the child develops to a point where it has to make its decisions. This leaves the adults in a compromising situation because the child may end up in danger due to hasty decisions that are inspired by childish perception of a better life.
