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The Fun They Had

Isaa Asimo

Aboutthe Author
saac Asimov(2nd Jan
1920-6th April 1992) was an American writer and professor of biochemistry at Boston
University. He was known for his works of science fiction andpopular science. Asimov was a
proliic wrlter
howrote or edited more than 500 books and an estimated go.000 letters and postcards.

Theme
The story isa science fiction that is delving into the differenceinthe education systems of the olden days and
the virtual form of education with the use of a mechanical teacher. He is expressing his vision of the future
technology, along with emphasis on the deterioration of human relationship.

Summary
The story "The Fun They Had" by Isaac Asimov is about the year 2157 when every child has
his own mechanical teacher, and schools like today, do not exist anymore. Asimov wrote this
story in 1951 for a syndicated newspaper page. Later, "The Fun They Had" was published in
"Fantasy and Science Fiction" magazine.
In the year 2157, the thirteen-year-old Tommy finds an old book. He and Margie, whois eleven,
find it strange that the words on paper do not move after having been read. Nowadays, they
only read stories on the computer screen. The book is about school which existed centuries
a
ago. Margie is very surprised that in the past, pupils had a person as a teacher instead of
same age learnt the
mechanical teacher, as they have. It was strange that all the children of the
same thing and went to a school room with other children. Margie wants to read more of the
book but first she has to learn with her mechanical teacher whose level is too advanced for her
and she thinks school in those days was much better than today. The procedure of learning
was facing problems
with the mechanical teacher is not liked by Margie, especially because she
system of education, though
with geography. Thus, she hopes that she could also enjoy the old
is to be on a one-to-one basis,
her mother has a different opinion. She feels that education
to appreciate only the fun,
according to the capacities of each child. Margie however, chooses
system of schools.
Combined learning and human relationship which existed in the old

Glossary
NCERT
Page-5 - express uncertainty or possibility;
exist - to be real or have the ability to be known; perhaps used to
MIrtual- not physically existing as such but made by software to
appear to do so; headed- give a title or
caption to something

Page-7
manner
Rsed -become blank or empty: loftily -to behave in an arrogant or haughty

Enitalong, deepadibl breath.expressing


sadnes$
127
were
the lessons were flashed on the screen and they had to answer the questions that
asked. A slot was provided in the machine to insert all their bomework and test papo
Why did Margie's mother send for theCounty Inspector?
Ans. Margie's mother sent for the County Inspector as Margie's performance in
geograpny
test was deteriorating. lnspite of repeated tests given by the mechanical teacher, there
seemed to be no progress.
3. What did he do?
Ans.
TheCounty Inspector took the mechanical teacher apart. He slowed up the geogay
section up toan average ten year level. Then he re-assembled the teacher back agaln.
ANhy
was Margie doing badly in geography? What did the County Inspector do to
help her?
Ans. Margie was doing badly in geography because the subject was set at a higher was
level
that she not to be
the mechanical teacher. The County Inspector told her mother age and
blamed for the drop in performance. He slowed down the level to suit Margie's
assured her mother that she was progressing satisfactorily.
5. What had once happened to Tommy's teacher?
a
Ans. Once lommy's teacher was taken away for nearly month because the history
sector
had blanked out completely.
6. Did Margie have regular days and hours for school? If so, why?
to attend her school at
Ans. Yes, Margie had regular days and hours for school. Margie had
insisted that little
the same time everyday except on Saturday and Sunday. Her mother
girls learned better if they learned at regular hours.
YMow does Tommy describe the old kind of school?
ago. They had a man to teach
Ans. Tommy said that the old kind of school existed centuries
them. All students went to a special building where they
were taught the same thing,
according to their respective ages.
8 How does he describe the old kind of teachers?
Ans. Tommy described the old kind of teachers to be people who did
not live in a house but
in a special building. The students would
go to this building to learn, where they were
ages. The teacher gave them homework and asked
taught, according to their respective
many children at the same time.
them questions. A teacher taught

IV. Answer each of these questions in two or three paragraphs. (100-150 words)
rooms that
1. What are the main features of the mechanical teachers and the school
Margie and Tommy have in the story? was a computer
Ans. Margie and Tommy had mechanical teachers to teach them. The teacher
were asked.
sCreen on which lessons were flashed/shown, explained, and then questions
Thereafter, tests were given. All work had to be submitted in punch code, which was
a was
learnt at the age of six by all. The completed work had to be inserted in slot that
provided on the machine. Assessment was done immediately. Every mechanical teacher
was adjusted according to the age level of the child. "The mechanical teacher lived in
the house of the student. It was programmed to flash on the screen at certain time
a
each day except on Saturday and Sunday. It never fell ill, would assign homework
so. In case, there was.
regularly, questioned and tested without being prompted to do
any mechanical fault, a County Inspector was sent for, to rectify the error.

129
did she thnk the old kind of school must have
L
Why did Margie hate school? Why
2.
Wbeen fun?
Ans. Margie's school was
a
computer sCreen in a room next to her bedroom. She haa
classmates and learnt from a mechanical teacher. Of late, Margie had started to ho
school more than ever as her performance in the geography test was worsening, and
shehoped that theCounty Inspector wouldn't be able to put her teacher back togeth
and she'dbe off with the subject for a while. She hated the homework and the tests th
that
she had to complete and submit systematically into the lot.
Shethought theold schools must have been fun. She liked the thought
from the neighbourhood would be that all the kide
laughing and shouting in the schoolyard, sitting
together in the schoolroom. They learned the same
thing, so they could help one
another with the homework and talk about it. Moreover,
the teachers were humans.
you agree with Margie
that schools today are more fun than the
story?Give reasons for your answer. school in the
Ans. I would agree with Margie
that schools today are more interesting
compared to the mechanicalschools.
In
and full of fun as
screen placed in a room Margie's days, schools constituted a computer
in the house. There was no
everyone studied
in their own homes. All interaction with other children as
work was
in a slot in
thecomputer screen. One can imagine done in punch code and submitted
been. Whenever we
think of a school, we think how boring the school
life must have
same age
study together and are of it as a building where
interact and also help one taught simultaneously by students of the
another with their studies. the same teacher/s. Students
Margie in her school They also laugh and play.
and teacher which could do none of these. There is no
creates a problem interaction between
Margie's problem in rectification student
in the form of with geography could not after assessment.
the County Inspector be addressed. It This is why,
to identify the required a humn h
come true becanse he recified
school. Her wish did not thefaut
strong disliking for the
How did they perform
old schools have?
SOon.
What kind ofa teacher did the of a human
theirtask:
10. a regular teacher in the form being. The old
The old schools had class where studentS of the schoo
Ans.
with their students in the same
teachers interacted and gave them homework. They lived age
studied. They taught them
lessons in a special
students went.
building where all the hours?
was Margie's mother particular about regular study
11. Why study hours because she thought
was particular about the regular ha
Ans. Margie's mother better. She also thouglht that ateacher
helped children learn
learning at regular hours every child's mind. That is why, mechanical teacher
"should be able to fit knowledge in
Sunday.
wason always except Saturday and

(100-120 Words: 6 Marks each


Long Answer Questions as mentioned
between the two types of schools in the lesson,
l What is the difference
The Fun They Had'? was a computer screen which was kept in a room
nev

Ans. The school in Margie's time, to insert all tests and homeworks in slot. Thev bad.
a

to her bedroom. Students had


a punch code which they learnt at the age of six. The mechanical
write them down in student
the tests in no time. On the other hand, in the old school,
teacher calculated in the playground. Students of the
and played
went to a school building. They laughed homework
talked to each other about
same age studied together:. They helped and
were humans.
More importantly, the teachers Margie
did Tommy find the real book? How was it different from the books that
2. Where
and Tommy use? printed
found the real book in the attic of his house. The real book had stories same
Ans. Tommy
pages were turned back, they had the
on paper. The words stood still and when yellow. After a book
on them. In time, the pages of the book turned crinkly and
words
Margie used, need not ever
be
is read, it could be thrown away. However, the e-books
on the screen. In case
thrown as it could hold millions of stories. The words kept moving
was called for, and he corrected any lault
there was any problem, the County Inspector
that was being encountered by the mechanical teacher
or the screen of the computer.
a
How would you comparea mechanical teacher to human teacher?
8. (Competency-based Question)
Ans. A teacher is a guide or a mentor who has the ability to understand human psycho°8
She should be able to interact well with the children and handle all their queries.
human
mechanical teacher, made of machines and wires, does not have an insight of the
psychology. As a result, they can simply give prior information without reading
with
psyche the student. human teacher knows a child completely. He/She works
of A

physical,
empathy, love, and care with the children. They work towards the mental,
intellectual, and emotional development of children, unlike the machine. that only
gives information.
A
Write a short note on the school system in The Fun They
. Had'.
Ans. Margie and Tommy are young school going children and
in the year 2157. Schoolspresent
teachers in the twenty-second century are entirely different from
the ones in
dav, Margie and 1ommys school is not in a separate special building
houses wherethe television or but a rooEach
their respectivesit placed.
study alone with the help the
mechanical teacher 1s
student has to and of mechanical teacher, a large black ugl

136

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