“The Machine Stops,” the dystopic, futuristic story by E. M. Foster wrangles my mind into a knot. On one hand, this fictional piece has many unrealistic qualities, such as human’s incapability to live on the surface of earth. However, in contrast, the underlying concept of a machine that occupies human worship is far too real. The machine, to some extent, resembles our humanity’s addiction to technology. Indeed, the two main characters of this story, Vashti and her son, Kuno, have differing opinions on the necessity, power, and appliance of the machine. While Vashti views the machine as a flawless piece of man’s invention, Kuno is more suspicious of its facilities, stating, “its hum penetrates our blood, and may even guide our thoughts” (13).
I was reminded of the climatic statement, “The Machine stops” (same as the title) in section 3. In the denouement of this story, I begin to realize that Foster may have intended readers to leave with the same sense of suspicion to technology as Kuno had, or at least a measured amount of caution towards channels of communication that diminish the human experience.