“The Machine Stops”
“The Machine Stops” is an amazingly prophetic tale of what happens when humanity surrenders completely to technology. The dystopian world painted by Forster tells us of a great Machine that everyone is effectively plugged into – literally – all day, every day. The Machine feeds, clothes, and entertains people, keeping them socially connected while also physically separating them from one another.
As you read, consider the following questions:
- Though this story was written more than 100 years ago, what parallels can you draw to what’s happening today with the Internet, mobile phones, social media, and so forth? Was Forster on to something?
- Forster is probably best known more for his novels, such as A Room with a View and Howard’s End, contemporary tales of life, social status, and romance. Compare this story to some of Foster’s other works. How do you think this story was received by his fans and critics at the time?
- How does the contemporary society that Forster lived in at the time contribute to this story? What are the societal, cultural, and historical influences present here?
- Can you draw a correlation between this story and others that we may be more familiar with in today’s popular science fiction? Which ones, and how are they similar?
- Consider the entirety of the story, and also consider specifically the ending. Is “The Machine Stops” a hopeful story, or a cynical and cautionary one? In what ways?
How long?
How long has it been since this story was published?