Alonni Wells 

December 7, 2025 

ENGL 112L 

Reflective essay on two readings  

Two stories that really stood out to me this term were Ray Bradbury’s “The Veldt” and “The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas.” Even though they are very different, both stories made me think about responsibility, morality, and how people sometimes choose comfort instead of doing what is right. “The Veldt” interested me because of how it shows the dangers of relying too much on technology. At first, the nursery in the story seems exciting, a room that can bring anything a child imagines to life. But as the story continues, it becomes clear that the parents have let the technology take their place. They give their kids so much freedom that they lose control without even realizing it. What challenged me was how easily this happened. The parents did not mean to create a dangerous situation. They simply wanted life to feel easier. This made me think about how technology today can sometimes replace real communication and closeness. The story showed me that when people depend too much on machines, they can slowly lose touch with one another. “The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas” challenged me in a different way. The story describes a perfect and joyful city, but all of its happiness depends on the suffering of one innocent child. The people in the city know what is happening, but most of them choose to stay because their lives are comfortable. What stood out to me was how realistic this idea feels, even though the story is fictional. It made me think about how, in real life, people sometimes ignore unfairness or suffering if it does not directly affect them. I also found it powerful that some people choose to walk away from the city, even though leaving does not solve the problem. It made me think about how doing the right thing can be difficult and uncomfortable. Together, these two stories made me think more deeply about the choices people make and how easy it is to ignore problems when life feels comfortable. “The Veldt” showed how technology can weaken relationships, while “Omelas” showed how people sometimes accept injustice because it benefits them. Both stories appealed to me because they pushed me to think more seriously about responsibility and empathy.