Hello, dear students! From today, we’re starting the study of Class 9th NCERT English with The Fun They Had summary. This chapter is written by an American writer, Isaac Asimov. It’s a very interesting chapter that talks about the future of education methodologies where children are taught by mechanical computerised robotic teachers through telebooks (digital books) in a virtual classroom.
In this post, first we’ll read about the lesson, then a couple of lines about the author (Isaac Asimov), and then short & detailed summary of The Fun They Had lesson. At the end, I’ll also provide you a quick revision chart & a mind map diagram which helps you to recall this chapter before your exam.
About the Lesson: The Fun They Had
The Fun They Had is a science-fiction short story set in the year 2157. It explores the concept of future education, where children study at home with mechanical teachers and telebooks instead of traditional schools. The story compares the highly technical, individualised learning of the future with the interactive and lively school life of the past, showing how the latter was much more fun.
About the Author: Isaac Asimov
Isaac Asimov (1920–1992) was a Russian-born American writer and professor of biochemistry, best known for his works of science fiction and popular science books. A prolific author, Asimov wrote or edited over 500 books. His works often explore the relationship between humans, technology, and the future. The Fun They Had reflects his imaginative storytelling and ability to present futuristic ideas in an engaging way.
Short Summary of The Fun They Had
The story takes place in the year 2157 and revolves around two children, Margie and Tommy, who discover a printed book from 150 years ago. They are fascinated because, unlike their telebooks, the text in the old book does not move. The book describes how children in the past used to go to schools where they were taught by human teachers in groups. Margie, who dislikes her mechanical teacher and has to study alone at home, is surprised to learn that students back then laughed, played, and learned together. She imagines how much fun it must have been to share a classroom with friends, unlike her isolated learning environment. The story ends with Margie thinking wistfully about “the fun they had” in the olden days.
The Fun They Had Summary
The story is set in the future, on 17 May 2157, and begins with Margie, an 11-year-old girl, writing in her diary about a discovery made by her friend Tommy, a 13-year-old boy. Tommy has found an old printed book in his house. This excites both of them because in their time, all books were digital and read on telebooks, which were large screens connected to their mechanical teaching systems.
The children notice that the printed book is very different from what they know. The words on its pages do not move or change, unlike their telebooks, and once you finish reading it, it remains the same. Margie finds this strange and even says, “What a waste!” because they can’t use it again like a telebook.
As Tommy explains, the book is about schools from centuries ago, where children learned together under the guidance of human teachers, played in playgrounds, and gathered in the same building. This shocks Margie because her experience of schooling is completely different.
Margie’s school is inside her own home. She studies alone in a small room with a mechanical teacher, which is actually a computer programmed to teach her different subjects according to her level. It gives her tests and assignments through a slot, and her answers are checked instantly. The mechanical teacher recently gave Margie a lot of trouble in geography because its settings were too fast, and a county inspector had to adjust it.
Margie dislikes her mechanical teacher and finds her lessons boring and difficult. She envies the children of the past, who had human teachers who could understand feelings, explain concepts in different ways, and make learning more personal and fun. She also likes the idea of playing and talking with other children during school hours.
At the end of the story, after Tommy goes home, Margie sits in front of her mechanical teacher but keeps thinking about how much fun it must have been to study together in a school, laughing, playing, and learning with friends. The title, The Fun They Had, reflects Margie’s longing for that joyful and interactive kind of education.
Point-wise Summary
- Setting – Story takes place on 17 May 2157, in the future.
- Characters –
- Margie – 11-year-old girl, dislikes her mechanical teacher.
- Tommy – 13-year-old boy, curious and knowledgeable.
- Discovery of the Book –
- Tommy finds an old printed book in his house.
- It is strange to them because words don’t move and the book can’t be reused.
- Book’s Content –
- Talks about old-fashioned schools from centuries ago.
- Children went to a school building, studied together in classes, and had human teachers.
- Margie’s Surprise –
- Shocked that children in the past learned the same things together.
- Wonders how human teachers could teach without a machine.
- Margie’s Own School –
- Located in her house, taught by a mechanical teacher (a computer).
- Subjects and speed are adjusted to her level.
- Recently had trouble in geography, county inspector repaired the machine.
- Margie’s Dislike –
- Finds mechanical lessons boring.
- Prefers the idea of group learning, playgrounds, and friends.
- Tommy’s View –
- Thinks the old schools were fun but sees them as part of history.
- Margie’s Imagination –
- Dreams about past schools, with laughing, playing, and learning together.
- Feels children of the past had more fun than she does now.
Quick Revision Chart
Student, this is a 1-minute quick revision chart for The Fun They Had Story with main keywords only, so even before entering the exam hall, you can recall the whole story instantly.
Date: 17 May 2157
Characters: Margie (11 years old), Tommy (13 years old)
Key Points:
- Old printed book found → words don’t move.
- Book talks about past schools → building, group learning, human teachers.
- Margie’s school → at home, mechanical teacher, telebook lessons.
- Geography trouble → county inspector fixes the machine.
- Margie dislikes boring mechanical teaching.
- Surprised at group study in past.
- Tommy explains old schools, finds them interesting.
- Margie imagines → playgrounds, laughter, friends.
- Title meaning → joy of past schooling.
Below is the diagram/mind map drawing for this story, so you can remember it visually in 10 seconds. It’ll also be perfect for quick memory recall.
Read Also: The Fun They Had NCERT solutions