WELCOME TO THE SECOND

TUTORING SESSION
01 AUTHOR 04 CHARACTERS
Who is Isaac Asimov? Who are the main characters?

02 SUMMARY 05 THEME & MORAL

A brief recapitulation of the What is the main topic? What is
story. the moral of the story?
03 QUESTIONS 06 REVIEW
What do you know about the Let’s review the most important
story? facts.
Let’s start with his biography.
• Do you know this author?
• Have you read any other of his
stories?
• Do you like his writing style?
Isaac Asimov, (born January 2, 1920,
Petrovichi, Russia –died April 6, 1992, New
York, U.S.), American author and biochemist, a
highly successful and prolific writer of science
fiction and of science books for the layperson.
He wrote or edited about 500 volumes, of which
the most famous are those in the Foundation
and robot series.
Let’s continue with a brief recapitulation
of the story.
“The Fun They Had” is a science fiction story by
Isaac Asimov.
In this story two kids living in the year 2155 find a
“real” book written about “the old kind school.” In
those days, children are home schooled, teachers are
robots, and books are computerized. So the old style
book and its contents are unusual and surprising for
these kids.
The story takes place in May 17,
2155.
Let’s talk a little bit…
• Where did Tommy find the old book?

• How was the book that Tommy found different

from his own books?

• What kind of book did Tommy show Margie?

• Tommy thought the old books were funny and a

big waste. Why?
• Why did Margie hate school?

• What kind of teachers did Margie and Tommy

have?

• Why did Margie’s mother send for the County

Inspector? What did he do?

• What did the County Inspector do to improve

Margie’s performance?
• Why did Margie hope that the County Inspector
would take the mechanical teacher away?

• How did Tommy describe the old kind of

teachers?

• How was Margie’s school different from the

schools that existed hundreds of years ago?

• Why did Margie think that children had fun at old

schools?
Let’s analyze each character.
Margie
She is a curious eleven-
year-old girl. She seems to
crave an education that is
interactive, engaging, and
involved other people, but
this vision is imcompatible
with her computerized and
individualized model of
education.
Tommy
He is Margie’s thirteen-
year-old friend who finds
an extremely old book in
his attic. He has an air of
superiority. He snubs
Margie when she
expresses her ignorance
about old schools.
The County Inspector Margie’s Mother
He is a mechanic who fixes She expects Margie to
Margie’s mechanical succeed in her education
teacher when the lessons and is disappointed when
are too difficult for her. He her daughter has
is described as a “round difficulties with her
little man with a red face geography lessons.
and a whole box of tools”.
Let’s talk about the main topic…
The narrative deals with
the future of education
which will become
increasingly
computerized and
children will become
estranged from social
interaction.
The author’s message in the story is that
education is not merely accumulation of
information. Computerized homeschooling in
this futuristic context can certainly help gain
information in a better way, but present day
schooling is much more than acquisition of facts.
It is a life-experience where children interact
with others, have fun and learn the values of
sharing and caring.
Let’s talk about important facts…
 Margie and Tommy are
taught at home by a
mechanically driven
computer or teaching bot.
The story provides an
It is geared to their
interesting look at the
learning abilities and offers
future of educacion and its
custom-made lesson
technological dependence
plans.
in times to come.

The story takes place in

the year 2155.
Sandra Quintero