Don't Get Technatal (Bradbury)

Disclaimer: This summary was generated by AI, so it may contain errors.

Ray Bradbury

Don't Get Technatal

Summary of the Short Story

Microsummary: A frustrated writer struggled to find inspiration in a technocratic society devoid of crime and conflict, eventually considering a drastic action to create a story.

Samuel Stern was a writer who struggled to find inspiration in a world transformed by Technocracy. He lamented the loss of crime, strife, and inequality, which had provided him with endless material for his stories.

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Samuel Stern — narrator; struggling writer; nostalgic for crime and conflict; sarcastic, desperate.

No more gangsters, no more bank robberies, no more holdups, no more good, old-fashioned burglaries, no more vice gangs!

His wife, Bella, tried to console him and suggested he write a love story, but Samuel was not interested in writing about love in a world where everyone was equal and there were no more scandals or heartbreaks.

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Bella Stern — Samuel's wife; knitting enthusiast; content with technocratic society; practical, patient.

Bella then suggested he write science fiction, but Samuel didn't like science either.

Why don't you write something science-fictional?

As he looked out the window, he saw robots working in the penthouse below and had an idea to write a love story about two robots. Bella dismissed the idea as ridiculous, but Samuel was desperate for a new story idea.

In a world where crime had become almost non-existent, Samuel's frustration grew. He felt trapped by the lack of interesting subjects to write about and believed that he would go crazy if he didn't find a story soon.

I just can't stand writing the stuff the people read today. Everything is science and education.

As he watched his wife looking out the window, an idea began to form in his mind. In a desperate attempt to create a new story, Samuel reached for his atomic gun.