30 pages • 1 hour read
Isaac AsimovSomeday
Fiction | Short Story | Adult | Published in 1956A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Symbols & Motifs
The Bard
The Bard is a complex symbol inhabiting a space as both character and object. The Bard ultimately symbolizes obsolescence, or something that has become outdated. It is described as having “aging and corroding vitals” (35), “scarred and discolored plastic” (28), and squeaky wheels. The stories it tells are simplistic and predictable to the two boys. As a symbol of obsolescence, the Bard illustrates a key problem with the computer-dependent society: Their society can only be as complex as the technology it relies upon.
Its symbolism is complicated, however, by its dual nature as a representation of both humanity and technology. On the one hand, the Bard is literally technology, and with its new vocabulary, it casts itself as such, even positioning itself in contrast to and sometimes in conflict with the human characters. On the other hand, the nature of the Bard, prior to Paul’s tampering, is to tell stories—a creativity-based pastime that, traditionally, only humans would practice. The blurriness between its natures has rich implications for what is obsolete in an existential sense. Perhaps technology is a dead-end for humanity, a force that will cause culture and the arts, which are key to humanity, to rust and decay. Alternatively, with technology so powerfully in control of society, perhaps it’s humanity that is now outdated.
“Squiggles”
Paul is introduced to writing and numbers by Mr. Daugherty’s collection of old computers. He sees the letters and numbers as “squiggles” and explains how humans used to “decode” the squiggles into a system of writing and reading. The squiggles are an important symbol in the latter half of the story, both their literal meaning as letters and numbers and in how the two boys conceive of them as “squiggles,” a simple and childish term. The squiggles become an almost juvenile symbol of rebellion, as the boys decide to use them to send secret messages. It is reminiscent of secret handshakes or other systems of code used by children for fun. The only other people who can read the squiggles are Mr. Daugherty and museum workers, suggesting this society views the squiggles as little more than an academic curiosity. The squiggles are a key part of the boys’ minor rebellion against their society. They also demonstrate one of the key themes of the story: The Importance of Literacy and Narrative.
Stories
The motif of stories is integral to the plot and themes of “Someday.” The conversation between Niccolo and Paul is punctuated by the Bard’s stories told in the background, albeit never to completion. As “Someday” progresses, the Bard’s stories become increasingly relevant and reactive to the conversation’s content. Stray hints of awareness start to creep in, especially after the Bard reads an audio tape on computers and automation. In its final story, the Bard brings together bits and pieces of the earlier stories, Paul’s audio tape, and the conversation; the effect is unsettling, constructing a sense of inevitability. In this moment, the reader is made suddenly aware of the Bard’s likely consciousness and ability to observe.
The motif ties into the theme of Conformity and Control, illustrating the importance of narrative to shaping societies. Niccolo’s interest in the Bard’s old stories, despite his embarrassment and denial of any interest, reflects his nonconformity. Paul’s effort to update the Bard’s vocabulary, but not its story structures, reflects his role as a conformist. That the stories are only ever beginnings compounds the ambiguity of “Someday” as a whole, with the Bard’s final story reflecting its own complex nature: technology with human attributes, both victim and oppressor.
Related Titles
By Isaac Asimov
