About the Author
Isaac Asimov was a famous American writer born on January 2, 1920, in Russia, but he grew up in the United States. He passed away on April 6, 1992. Asimov wrote over 500 books, mostly science fiction stories that imagine the future with robots, space travel, and new technology. He was like a teacher in his writing, making big ideas fun and easy to grasp. Besides stories, he wrote about science facts for kids and grown-ups. "The Fun They Had" was first printed in 1951 in a children's magazine. Asimov loved mixing real science with "what if" questions, and this short tale shows his worry about how machines might change everyday life, like school.
What’s the Story About?
This is a quick, dreamy story set in the year 2157, way in the future. Kids don't go to school like we do today—instead, they study alone at home with a big machine called a mechanical teacher that gives lessons on a screen, like a computer but smarter. The story starts with a girl named Margie, who's 11 years old and hates school. Her mechanical teacher is strict and gives her tough tests on subjects like geography, which she keeps failing.
One day, her neighbor Tommy, a 13-year-old boy, finds something amazing in his attic: an old printed book with real paper pages that you turn by hand! In the future, books are just videos or digital files, so this is like finding treasure. Tommy shares it with Margie, and they read about how schools used to be in the old days—back in the 20th century. Kids all went to a special building together, sat in rooms with 20 or 30 friends, laughed and shouted, and learned from a human teacher who was kind and explained things nicely. There were no machines bossing them around; it was full of games, talks, and fun during breaks.
Margie gets excited imagining that life. She pictures all the kids helping each other with homework and playing outside. At the end, while her mechanical teacher fixes a problem in her schoolroom (which is just a corner of her bedroom), Margie wonders what it would be like to go to a real school with friends. She sighs, wishing for "the fun they had" in those old times. The story makes you think about how technology can make things easy but take away the joy of being with people. It's short, like a bedtime tale, but it sticks with you, asking if machines are really better than friends and teachers.
Who’s Who in the Story
- Margie: The main girl, 11 years old, with curly hair and dimples. She's smart but bored with her home school. She dreams of fun, group learning and feels jealous of kids from the past. Think of her as a curious friend who wants more laughs in her day.
- Tommy: Margie's older neighbor boy, 13 years old, who's adventurous and finds the old book. He's a bit show-offy at first but shares the discovery kindly. He's like the explorer who brings exciting news.
- Margie's Mother: A busy lady who checks on Margie's lessons. She's practical and believes in the mechanical way, but she cares for her daughter. She appears briefly, like a worried parent reminding kids to study.
- The Mechanical Teacher: Not a person, but a big machine in Margie's room that teaches and tests her. It's like a robot boss—efficient but cold, with a puncher for homework and a screen for lessons. It gets "geared down" for younger kids, showing it's adjustable but not warm.
No big crowd here; it's mostly Margie and Tommy chatting, with the machines and book as quiet stars. The old school kids are just in their imagination, like ghosts from history.
Themes and Moral
Themes (Big Ideas in the Story):
- Technology and Learning: Machines make school fast and personal, but they miss the warmth of real teachers and classmates. The story questions if gadgets can replace human touch.
- Nostalgia for the Past: Margie and Tommy feel a pull toward old ways, showing how we sometimes romanticize history without knowing the full picture.
- Friendship and Fun in Education: Real schools mean playing, sharing, and growing together—things a screen can't give. It's about the joy of group life.
- Change Over Time: The future looks shiny with tech, but it can feel lonely. The tale warns that progress isn't always happy.
Moral (Lesson to Learn):
Value the fun and friends in your daily life, especially school—don't let machines or routines steal the simple joys. Cherish what makes learning feel like an adventure, not a chore. Like Margie, dream big, but hold on to the human side of things.
Important Vocabulary and Phrases
Here are some key words and phrases from the story, broken down with easy examples from daily life. I've chosen ones that might pop up in class, explained so they feel familiar.
- Inspected (early in the story): Looked at closely, like checking your bag for homework before leaving home. Tommy does this to the book, turning pages to see every detail.
- Contemptuously (when Margie reacts to Tommy): With a "who cares" or mean look, like rolling your eyes at a silly joke. Margie feels this way about Tommy's know-it-all attitude at first.
- Slot (for homework): A small opening or hole, like the one in a vending machine where you put coins. Margie stuffs her homework paper into the mechanical teacher's slot.
- Punched (the homework): Made holes in, like using a hole puncher on notebook paper for a binder. The machine does this to mark the work as done.
- Geared (the teacher for age): Set or adjusted, like changing gears on a bike to go faster or slower. The mechanical teacher slows down lessons for little kids.
- Attic (where Tommy finds the book): The top room under the roof, dusty and full of old stuff, like grandma's storage space with forgotten toys.
- Telebook (future book): A book on a screen you read like TV, not paper. It's like scrolling on a phone app instead of flipping real pages.
- Cranky (the teacher part): Grumpy or fussy, like when your sibling won't share a toy. Margie thinks her machine acts this way with tough tests.
- Sighed (at the end): Breathed out sadly or with longing, like after seeing a yummy sweet you can't have. Margie does this, dreaming of old school fun.
- The fun they had (title and end): The happy times and laughs from the past. It's the heart of the story—like recess games or class chats we take for granted.