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Comparing the Pandemic to The Machine Stops

The “Machine Stops” by E. M. Forester is similar to what is currently happening during the Covid-19 pandemic. In this story, the disease is replaced by toxic gases in the Earth’s atmosphere. Throughout the story, characters remain in their own machine isolated from each. This is similar to social distancing. Instead of staying in a machine, we just remain in our own houses and are not supposed to go to someone else’s house. In the story, people are able to contact each other, and they use a technology which seems like video chatting software. This closely resembles what we use to communicate: Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Facetime etc.

Another parallel is the reason they remain in the machines and are not able to go to the surface of the Earth because there is supposedly toxic air. What reminded me even more about the difficulties of not going outside is how Kuno, a younger individual, wanted to go outside and had a harder time keeping himself inside, while an older person, Vashti, and is less likely to go outside and is more likely to stop younger people from trying to go out. This is similar to how younger people tend to be the ones who are more reckless during this pandemic while older ones are the more cautious. In the story, it is forbidden to go to the surface of the Earth, and although it is not illegal to go outside here, it is stricter in other states and there are more consequences in other countries.

In the story there are remote lectures that people are able to watch right from their machine. This is exactly what we do in school. We are learning through zoom and it’s not just us, but most colleges in the nation as well. One thing they do emphasize throughout the story is how the technology is not perfect, but instead it’s sufficient. I think this is like online school, where it’s possible to learn, but not ideal. Overall, I think this story’s setting, elements, and characters are very similar to our current situation.

Comments

  1. Romaisa AamerMay 18, 2020 at 4:32 PM

    I never thought about how similar our situation now is to "The Machine Stops"; everyone is in isolation from each other and can't go outside. Instead of communicating in person we resort to using technology. However, in the story everyone is in isolation voluntarily. When I read the story I never once thought anything similar would ever happen soon, but here we are.

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  2. UnknownMay 25, 2020 at 5:15 PM

    Your post highlights a number of interesting comparisons between life in Forster's "The Machine Stops" and our current moment. The parallels are eerie, and I've thought about the story a lot over the last 10 weeks. While your post points out that, like in "The Machine Stops," many countries are requiring people to stay inside their homes, it's also interesting that in our current moment, outdoor spaces have been found to be safer than indoor ones. The comparisons between the video lectures and online learning are also interesting; you're absolutely right that it's certainly not ideal, but I do hope that education continues to promote original thinking (unlike in the Machine) and that we can make online education more engaging than the passive reception of information we see in the story. And I'm glad that these social changes won't be permanent. I'll be glad to resume teaching in-person as soon as we're able. :) -Ms. O'Brien

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