Sci-Fi Log #1: The Weapon

For my first sci-fi log, I chose to read and review “The Weapon” by Fredric Brown.

One night, a scientist named Dr. James Graham is working on a project: creating a powerful and dangerous weapon. A man named Mr. Niemand, a journalist, appears at Graham’s door and begins asking him about his work. The interview is interrupted with Dr. Graham’s mentally arrested son, Harry, walks in and asks his father if he can read him a story before bed. Graham agrees to read to him after the interview, and he introduces Harry to Mr. Niemand. The interview then continues, and the journalist asks Graham if humanity is ready for such a weapon. Dr. Graham gets irritated with Niemand’s question, having heard it many times before, and refuses to say any more on the subject. He offers the journalist a drink and Mr. Niemand accepts. Mr. Niemand then disappears into Harry’s room, and Graham hears them say goodnight to each other. Niemand comes back into the kitchen, and the two men have their drinks. In the end, Graham discovers that the “gift” was a loaded revolver. Only a madman would give a loaded revolver to an idiot, thought Graham. 

The symbolism (or the point) in this short story is perfectly clear. It states that mankind isn’t ready for a dangerous and powerful weapon, such as the one that Dr. Graham is creating. This story could be used for arguments similar to the one stated in this story because man is always creating weapons for war, making them more powerful and dangerous as we go along.