Cuentos

English 122-3
Activity 6: “Super Toys Last All Summer” by Brian Aldiss (Film adaptation is A. I.: Artificial Intelligence
(Discussion Questions)1. In what kind of world are these people living?

2. What is a super-toy?
3. Henry Swinton is presenting a newkind of mechanical being, thefull-serving synthetic man. How is he different from the other mechanical “toys” in existence? Why is he neuter?
4. Why can’t Monica love David? What is herproblem?
5. What is David’s problem?
6. What are they going to do with David? Why?
7. What does the title of the story, “Super Toys Last AllSummer” mean?
Bonus questions: (3 extra points)
8. Identify:
David
Monica Swinton
Henry Swinton
Teddy
Synthank
Croswell Tape
Whologram9. According to the narrator, ¾ of the World population is overcrowded and starving: yet, the people in this story,who belong to the other ¼ of thepopulation, are well-fed and wealthy. How have they managed to control the overpopulation?
10. The problem this people have is not malnutrition butobesity. How have they been able to control obesity within their population?
11. What is the only problem this people have which they haven’t been ableto control?
12. Although the full-serving man is highly intelligent, there is a basic problem with him in terms of his conversation. What is thisproblem?
13. Aldiss has stated that most science fiction stories “look to the solar system, but his story looks lookis inward.” What does he mean?