The Machine Stops

by E.M. Forster

The Machine Stops: Genre 1 key example

Genre
Explanation and Analysis:

“The Machine Stops” is a short story in the science fiction genre. Science fiction emerged in the 19th century as writers began to tell stories focused on the relationship between humans and science, specifically vis-à-vis new advancements in technology. With “The Machine Stops,” Forster is clearly responding to the technological changes happening at the turn of the 20th century, such as the invention of the telephone and the airplane. This comes across in the ways that Vashti is able to videoconference with Kuno from halfway across the world and how she takes an “air-ship” (which is very similar to an airplane) to go visit him.