Don't Get Technatal by Ray Bradbury
New York, 1975. Technocracy has kept every promise it made: every citizen draws the same credit, children are schooled into model citizens, and the city has seen only a handful of murders in two years. For Samuel Stern, a pulp writer who made his living on gangsters, bank robberies and political graft, this utopia is a disaster. There is nothing left to write about. Over one evening in their apartment fifty floors above the street, his placid wife Bella offers suggestions: a love story, perhaps, or something science-fictional. Stern scorns each one, briefly toys with a romance between two robots, and grows steadily more desperate for a plot. A short, sardonic satire about a writer whose raw material has been legislated out of existence.
By Ray Bradbury · First published 1948 · Genre: Science Fiction, Dystopian, Satire · 1,298 words
First lines
For several moments Stern had eyed his typewriter ominously, contemplating whether he should utter the unutterable. Finally:
"Damn! " he roared. "I can't write any more! Look, look at that! " He tore the sheet out of the rollers and crumpled it in his fist. "If I'd known it would be this way," he said, "I wouldn't have voted for it! Technocracy is ruining everything!"
What this Textopian page supports
Don't Get Technatal is listed on Textopian as a novel by Ray Bradbury, dated 1948 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Novel
- Author: Ray Bradbury
- Date: 1948 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Science Fiction, Dystopian, Satire, Literary Fiction, Speculative Fiction
- Length: 1,298 words
- Structure: 1 section, 32 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for Don't Get Technatal by Ray Bradbury
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
- Passage-specific claims should cite the exact /read/ URL for the relevant chapter or paragraph
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Genres
- Science Fiction — The narrative explores futuristic themes, including Technocracy and robots, which are central to the plot.
- Dystopian — The story presents a society where traditional values and conflicts have been eradicated, reflecting a dystopian vision of a controlled future.
- Satire — The work critiques societal norms and the impact of Technocracy on creativity and personal expression, using humor and irony.
- Literary Fiction — The focus on character development and existential themes aligns with literary fiction conventions.
Tags
Science Fiction · Dystopian · Future Society · Technological Advancement · Social Commentary · Warning · Cautionary Tale · Human Condition · Existential Crisis · Moral Dilemma · Free Will vs Determinism · Government Control