Supertoys Last All Summer Long Analysis Perceptions

Supertoys Last All Summer Long Analysis

Perceptions of Reality in "Super-Toys Last All Summer Long"

"Super-Toys Last All Summer Long" is a short science fiction story by Brian Aldriss in which machines have been created to make life for humans easier. In the story, David finds it difficult to connect to his mother, Monica Swinton, and cannot bring himself to tell her that he loves her. While Monica appears distraught at her inability to connect to David, it is ultimately revealed that David was never meant to be a permanent addition to the Swinton family, despite the relationship that has been formed. In the story, the issue of what is real and what is not becomes a central focus as humanity attempts to create machines that are as human as possible, without being human. Teddy's, one of David's toys, assertion, "No one knows what 'real' really means," demonstrates how technology has adversely impacted humans and machines alike.

The inability to distinguish between what is real and what is not can be seen through humans' over-reliability on machines and technology. In fact, the advancements in technology have apparently given humans the excuse to indulge in things they would not otherwise indulge in. For instance, the creation of the Crosswell Tape, a synthetic tapeworm, allows people to eat twice as much without their gluttony adversely affecting how they look. Likewise, David was created to satisfy the Swinton's need and desire to have a child. Like the Synthank executives and their wives do need tapeworms, but rather use them in order to take advantage of their body's limitations, David was created and brought into Monica's home as a surrogate child, because she and her husband were not allowed to legally have a child of their own at that time. The introduction of a surrogate, robot child into the home is completely unnecessary and forces the formation of false mother-child bonds, which cannot be completely processed by David because he is not programmed to. Simply because Monica can distinguish between what is real and what is not, from her perspective, does not mean that machines have been afforded the same option and that they create a definition of what is 'real' through their interactions with others.

The creation of new technology in the story is paradoxical as humanity is attempting to thrive "amid the problems of overpopulation." In fact, society has created a disposable world in which things are thrown away as soon as something better comes along. While Synthank attempts to better the technology that they create, they are inadvertently destroying the line between what is realistically false and what is falsely realistic. This can be seen in how Synthank boasts about their latest creations and the advancements that have made it possible for machines to appear more human: "There have been mechanicals on the market with mini-computers for brains -- plastic things without life, super-toys -- but we have at last found a way to link computer circuitry with synthetic flesh." The continuous technological evolution of these products makes it increasingly difficult for people to be able to distinguish what is real and what is not. Furthermore, when the opportunity for the real thing comes along, in the Swinton's case, winning the lottery and being granted permission to have a human child of their own, they do not hesitate to discard David, who has provided them with the emotional support they have been yearning for in the meantime. While this emotional relationship is not real to the Swinton's, it is real to David, who has been programmed to do nothing else than provide joy for his "parents" and love them in return.