Ray Bradbury

Name: The shape of things
Author: Ray Bradbury

The shape of things (1947)

Summary

“The shape of things”, published in 1947, is a work by Ray Bradbury. It explores elements such as Py, Peter Horn and baby.

Quotes from The shape of things (Ray Bradbury)

Ray Bradbury, The shape of things (1947)

“ If we could see ourselves, no. But, remember, the baby knows nothing of men or women. To the baby whatever shape we're in, we are natural. It's accustomed to seeing us shaped like cubes or squares or pyramids, as it sees us from its separate dimension. The baby's had no other experience, no other norm with which to compare what it sees. We are its norm. On the other hand, the baby seems weird to us because we compare it to our accustomed shapes and sizes. ”

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Source: Gutenberg

Ray Bradbury, The shape of things (1947)

“ And won't you, doctor, look like some geometrical form instead of a human?"
"Does a blind man who sees for the first time give up his ability to hear or taste?" asked the doctor.
"No."
"All right, then. Stop thinking in terms of subtraction. Think in terms of addition. You're gaining something. You lose nothing. You know what a human looks like, which is an advantage Py doesn't have, looking out from his dimension. When you arrive 'over there' you can see Dr. Wolcott as both things, a geometrical abstract or a human, as you choose. It will probably make quite a philosopher out of you. ”

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Source: Gutenberg

Ray Bradbury, The shape of things (1947)

“ The pyramidal shape was gone. Polly was crying with happiness.
Peter Horn walked across the room, trembling, trying to smile himself, to hold on to Polly and the boy baby, both at the same time, and cry with them.
"Well!" said Wolcott, standing back. He did not move for a long while. He only watched the White Oblong and the White slim Rectangle holding the Blue Pyramid on the opposite side of the room. An assistant came in the door.
"Shh," said Wolcott, hand to his lips. "They'll want to be alone awhile. Come along." He took the assistant by the arm and tiptoed across the room. ”

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Source: Gutenberg

Ray Bradbury, The shape of things (1947)

“ There was a dimensional distructure caused by the simultaneous short-circuitings and malfunctionings of the new birth-mechs and the hypnosis machines. Well, anyway," the doctor ended lamely, "your baby was born into—another dimension."
Horn did not even nod. He stood there, waiting.
Dr. Wolcott made it emphatic. "Your child is alive, well, and happy. It is lying there, on the table. But because it was born into another dimension it has a shape alien to us. Our eyes, adjusted to a three dimensional concept, cannot recognize it as a baby. But it is. ”

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Source: Gutenberg

Ray Bradbury, The shape of things (1947)

“ Now, the only problem is Polly."
Wolcott frowned. "I confess that one has me stumped. You know it is pretty hard on a woman to hear that her child has been born dead. But this, telling a woman she's given birth to something not recognizable as human. It's not as clean as death. There's too much chance for shock. And yet I must tell her the truth. A doctor gets nowhere by lying to his patient."
Horn put his glass down. "I don't want to lose Polly, too. I'd be prepared now, if you destroyed the child, to take it. But I don't want Polly killed by the shock of this whole thing." ”

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Source: Gutenberg

Ray Bradbury, The shape of things (1947)

“ We can reproduce those accidents and stresses. But bringing him back is something else. It might take a million trials and failures before we got the combination. The combination that jammed him into another space was an accident, but luckily we saw, observed and recorded it. There are no records for bringing one back. We have to work in the dark. Therefore, it will be easier to put you in the fourth dimension than to bring Py into ours."
Polly asked, simply and earnestly, "Will I see my baby as he really is, if I go into his dimension?"
Wolcott nodded. ”

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Source: Gutenberg

Ray Bradbury, The shape of things (1947)

“ Dr. Wolcott walked along it, followed by Peter Horn and his wife Polly, who was holding Py in her arms. They turned in at a doorway and stood in a large room. In the center of the room were two tables with large black hoods suspended over them. Behind the tables were a number of machines with dials and levers on them. There was the faintest perceptible hum in the room. Pete Horn looked at Polly for a moment.
Wolcott gave her a glass of liquid. "Drink this." She drank it. "Now. Sit down." They both sat. The doctor put his hands together and looked at them for a moment. ”

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Source: Gutenberg

Ray Bradbury, The shape of things (1947)

“ I'll see you tomorrow."
"You don't give me much to go on," said Polly. "It's been almost a year now."
"My dear Mrs. Horn, I don't want to excite you continually. When we have our mechs ready we'll let you know. We're working every day. There'll be an experiment soon. Take those pills now and shut that nice mouth." He chucked Py under the "chin." "Good healthy baby, by gravy! Twenty pounds if he's an ounce!"
Baby was conscious of the goings and comings of the Two White Cubes. The two nice White Cubes who were with him during all of his waking hours. ”

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Source: Gutenberg

Ray Bradbury, The shape of things (1947)

“ If you decide to raise the child at home, his life will be strictly regimented, he must never be seen by anyone. Is that clear?"
"Yeah. Yeah, it's clear, Doc. Doc, is he okay mentally?"
"Yes. We've tested his reactions. He's a fine healthy child as far as nervous response and such things go." ”

Ray Bradbury

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Quotes from The shape of things (Ray Bradbury)

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