Gratitude and Wanting Theme Analysis

The central arc of “The Fun They Had” focuses on Margie learning about the schools and education of the past, leading to her wishing for a school in which she could learn and have fun with other children. Through Margie’s longing to experience school the way her ancestors did many years ago, Asimov suggests that it’s natural for people to want what they don’t have, but that people should try to be grateful for all of the things that are good about their situation and actively work to change what’s not.

By reading the book about old education systems, Margie becomes acutely aware of all her computerized school lacks. She takes up a “grass is greener” mentality, assuming that school in the old days was much better than the kind of computerized learning she’s subjected to now. At the beginning of the story, Margie is adamant that she hates school. Once she learns about old-fashioned schools from Tommy’s “very old book,” she becomes sensitized to all the things her school is missing, which are contributing to her hatred of it. She wishes she could have a school system with a real teacher and play with “all the kids from the whole neighborhood” and learn “sitting together in the schoolroom”—a situation that contrasts sharply with Margie’s solo learning in front of a computer screen. Another reason that Margie hates her mechanical school is because of the computer’s inability to engage her emotionally and understand when she is struggling: “Margie always hated school, but now she hated it more than ever. The mechanical teacher had been giving her test after test in geography and she had been doing worse and worse.” She despises the mechanical, information-driven system that she is accustomed to and yearns for the comradery of human teachers and peers, which she learns about through the old book, to help her. Through Margie’s growing contempt for her current situation, Asimov not only suggests that it is natural for people to want what they do not have, but also natural for people to dream and imagine what seems to be missing and of what is an essential part of society and education—in the case of the story, social development, emotional engagement, and human interaction.

Although Margie is adamant in her hatred towards computerized education and yearns for the schools of the past, Tommy and Margie also remain grateful for the benefits of their schooling system and work in small ways to change what they don’t like, whether they realize it or not. Margie and Tommy are well aware of the benefit of abundance produced by their computers and televisions. Tommy in particular is grateful that is television can hold “a million books” and that “it’s good for plenty more.” Even though they are fascinated by the “very old book” and the old-fashioned schools it speaks of, the kids are able to find bright spots in their own situations. Furthermore, even though Margie and Tommy do not get to learn with other children and do not usually learn from real books, the two children pore over the ancient book and spend time together to infuse some elements of old-school learning into their lives. This is a small way for the two kids to actively change their situation and align it more closely with the type of engaged, communal education that Margie in particular longs for.

The moral of Asimov’s story is neatly summed up in the age-old adage “the grass is always greener on the other side,” suggesting that it is human nature to both desire what one doesn’t have and be grateful for what one does. And while Asimov indicates that no education system is completely perfect—and thus that Margie has a right to wish her situation was different—he also shows the value in being appreciative for what one does have. Indeed, Margie’s hatred for school will perhaps resonate with some readers, but her longing for the education system of days gone by—that is, the type of school modern readers are familiar with—may remind readers that they perhaps have things better than they realize.