The Veldt

Bradbury provides very little description for any of the characters in “The Veldt.” For example, we don’t know what George Hadley looks like, or what he does outside of the home. The author’s only concern is how his characters contribute to the story’s central action.

George starts out as calm and unperturbable, brushing aside his wife’s misgivings about the nursery, but he gradually comes over to her side. He loves his wife affectionately, listens to her, and is susceptible to being influenced by what she has to say. He is a thoughtful and reflective man. Although George has spoiled the children in the past, including building an expensive nursery for them, he eventually comes down hard on them and forbids them to use the nursery again. George thus undergoes a major character transformation in the story. By story’s end, he fully recognizes the dehumanizing effects of the Happy-life Home. Yet George comes by this change of heart largely from the influence of his wife and his friend David McClean.

George tries to assert his authority over Peter, but this proves ineffectual because he has hopelessly spoiled both the children. Thus George, like Lydia to some extent, is a weak character lacking resolve and consistency.