The Machine Stops by E.M. Forster
In a future world where humans live underground and are entirely dependent on machines for their survival, the Machine Stops has become the sole authority. People spend most of their time in small, isolated rooms, interacting with each other through video screens. The story follows Vashti, a devout follower of the Machine, who is content with her life underground. However, when her son Kuno asks to visit her, she is forced to confront the possibility that there may be more to life than what the Machine provides. As the story unfolds, it becomes clear that the Machine has become a tyrannical force that controls every aspect of people's lives. The inhabitants are reduced to mere automatons, devoid of individuality and free will. The narrative explores themes of technology-induced isolation, the dehumanizing effects of a society controlled by machines, and the importance of human connection and experience.
By E.M. Forster · First published 1909 · Genre: Science Fiction, Dystopian, Philosophical Fiction · 14,722 words
First lines
Imagine, if you can, a small room, hexagonal in shape, like the cell of a bee. It is lighted neither by window nor by lamp, yet it is filled with a soft radiance. There are no apertures for ventilation, yet the air is fresh. There are no musical instruments, and yet, at the moment that my meditation opens, this room is throbbing with melodious sounds. An armchair is in the centre, by its side a reading-desk -- that is all the furniture. And in the armchair there sits a swaddled lump of flesh -- a woman, about five feet high, with a face as white as a fungus. It is to her that the little room belongs.
An electric bell rang.
What this Textopian page supports
The Machine Stops is listed on Textopian as a novel by E.M. Forster, dated 1909 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Novel
- Author: E.M. Forster
- Date: 1909 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Science Fiction, Dystopian, Philosophical Fiction, Speculative Fiction, Short Story
- Length: 14,722 words
- Structure: 1 section, 294 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Very Easy (5th Grade or below)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for The Machine Stops by E.M. Forster
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
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Discussion starters
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Similar titles
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- The World That Couldnt Be by Clifford D. Simak
- Mr Spaceship by Philip K. Dick
- The Disciplinary Circuit by Murray Leinster
- Critical Difference by Murray Leinster
- The Prisoners Of Hartling by J. D. Beresford
Genres
- Science Fiction — The narrative explores a future society dominated by technology and its implications on human existence.
- Dystopian — The story presents a bleak vision of a world where human connections are severed by reliance on machines.
- Philosophical Fiction — The themes delve into existential questions about humanity, isolation, and the nature of progress.
- Speculative Fiction — The work speculates on future societal developments and their potential consequences.
Tags
Dystopian · Science Fiction · Utopian · Critique of Technology · Social Commentary · Future Society · Human Condition · Isolationism · Loneliness · Alienation · Totalitarianism · Government Control