As society develops and grows technologically, Man is faced with new questions about life and humanity. Brian Aldiss in, "Supertoys Last All Summer Long," presents these questions in a domestic and intimate setting in a futuristic society, surrounding the Swintons and their boy David. David's existence as an artificial child does not condone the wrongful and indifferent treatment of him by 'parents' Monica and Henry Swinton.
Throughout the short story, it is revealed that David's purpose in the Swinton household is a diversion for the fact that the Swintons could not have children. The Swintons were incapable of having children due to population control. Monica and Henry desperately wanted a child though. This was made possible by Henry Swinton's job as a managing director of a company dealing with synthetic life forms. It is implied that Henry provided David for his wife Monica. However, to Monica, David was a poor mockery of the child that she couldn't have. David was not a replacement for what Monica Swinton truly wanted, even though she had, "tried to love him," (Aldiss 112). When Monica and Henry discover that they can have a real child, Monica callously says that David will, "have to go back to the factory again," (118). When Monica and Henry had no more need for David, it was easy for them to simply get rid of him. This would be the correct way to treat an object, but David is far more than just a robot. .
David is not human, yet his levels of emotion and self-awareness are so developed that to treat him any other way would be unethical. Despite his problems communicating it, David loved his mother. He spent all afternoon trying to write a letter to express how he felt about her and how he loved her. David is also very insecure about himself. He doubts his place in the household and he doubts that his mother loves him. Like a little boy, he goes through a myriad of emotions in the short story.
