The Nightmare Life without Fuel | Class 11 English notes

The Nightmare Life without Fuel Summary in Short

The Nightmare Life without Fuel | Class 11 English notes

“The Nightmare Life without fuel” which appeared in the Times Magazines in 1977, depicts America in the late 1990s. At a time when fuel crises had pushed the prosperous nation into a chaotic condition. America is just a case in point, but the main thrust of the essay is what is going to happen if we don’t conserve the world’s natural resources.

In the world of 1997, people cannot travel either by bus or train simply because of the shortage of fuel. They are compiled to go to their destination on foot. The old buildings, in America, are demolished. In order to make new construction. As a result, America will lose its structural beauty gradually. Moreover, the sudden rise of the price of gas oil will deprive middle-class people of using their vehicles only a well-to-do family can be seen traveling by the vehicles As it doesn’t affect them.

The author believes that fuel crises can have some advantages as well. When vehicles do not move in the market, the environment becomes healthier and at the same time, the crime rate goes down. In fact, even in crowds, people can feel a sense of protection.

The author says that American people will suffer the most in the world. As they remain devoid of everyday luxury. Similarly, the people living in the suburbs will have an even more difficult life because they are habituated to use vehicles from their birth to death. They cannot regulate even moral activities of their life without vehicle.

According to the author, America will not let its people suffer even if fuel crises appear. It will keep the production of crops high using the remaining energy in agriculture. With the sale of crops to other countries, it will bring a trickle of oil from there. However, outside America, people will begin to suffer starvation. The first victim of starvation will be the children after their mother gets died. Similarly, people who suffer from malnutrition are likely to invite several fatal diseases in the country in the world of 1997. America and USSR will be only the two countries that will be able to keep the airplane, tanks, and ships but these countries do not use it whenever they like because of limited fuel resources.

The author believes that when energy continues to decline, machines are replaced by human and beasts of burden, people need to work for long hours like a machine. In fact, there could not be any use of their leisure because they cannot utilize it. In the world of 1997, working and sleeping except eating can be fixed. As the situation has gone out of our control, we are bound to wait for our downfall.

1) What, according to the author, are the advantages and disadvantages of fuel crises in the world of 1997?

Answer: The author states that there could be several disadvantages in the world of 1997. If the world runs short of fuel. He believes that fuel crises will have a direct impact on transportation. The entire transportation facilities are cut off and hence. People get compiled to go everywhere on foot. As a result, the normal activities of human beings get paralyzed. Similarly, there could be the possibility of class conflict or a distinct difference between the rich and the poor. It is simply because the price rise of gasoline doesn’t affect rich people. Whereas poor people get deprived of using vehicles. Likewise, it also affects energy supply which ultimately makes the survival of human life extremely difficult.

As per the advantages, the author states that it is nearly complimenting. In fact, he doesn’t attempt to expose advantages but tries to make the problem even more serious. He is adding fuel to fire to depict the worst consequences due to a shortage of fuel. He believes that the environment becomes healthier as the vehicles do not move and the crime rate decreases. He knows that human beings cannot scarify their usual facilities for the sake of one or two countable advantages.