THE NIGHTMARE LIFE WITHOUT FUEL

The Nightmare Life without Fuel is an essay, which depicts the life of this world in coming future when the fuel resources will have reduced from their source. The main thrust of this essay is: what is going to happen if we do not conserve the world’s natural resources. Asimov focuses on a specific problem that will arise by the lack of fuels. This whole world is run by different resources such as petrol, diesel, water, wood, etc. We cannot imagine this world without the use of fuel. In comparison to the past days, we are now facing the problem of scarcity of fuel resources. Earlier these resources were found in large quantity and life style was easier. The writer has described about the condition of America in the late nineties on the fuel crisis. On the one hand the writer has presented advantages and disadvantages of the fuel crisis and on the other hand he has shown the burning problem of the world which is created by fuel crisis. There are some advantages of not enough fuel like, the air will be cleaner, there will be less crime, mutual protection in crowds, and people will have learnt to live without facilities in a natural way. But, the essay is mainly concerned with the problems caused by the shortage of fuel. The problems are:      

   

·        There will be less light in street and homes.

·        There will not be even possible luxuries.

·        Because of the difficulty in transportation, it will be hard to go for miles.  

According to the writer because of the increase in population, the subways are crowed. Due to fuel crisis, there are no use of cars and vehicles. People must carry their loads on animals. People must work and walk all day. They suffer from starvation. People must walk many miles on foot. The death rate of child will be increased on the lack of fuel crisis. Shortage of food will be the cause of death of people. Coal would be too difficult to dig up. The destroyed cities become a source of mineral mines. Because of the fuel crisis, vehicles will be disappeared. The only way to deliver food is lay cart. There will for sure the shortage of food, but there will be more works and sleep. People will be suffered from diseases, darkness, and violence. The adult's minds will be damaged. But the writer says that there are certain advantages of fuel crisis. He says that people can get fresh air. If a man feels cold, he will get the opportunity for sitting in the sun. People can walk freely at night. Local parks can be fulfilled. The crime rate will be decreased. Roads will be full of people and there will natural understanding in the crowd. There will be pollution of noise. Military forces will be controlled and reduced it. If there is no smoke, the people will not use smell of sent. The police or security service will not be necessary and the population growth rate also will be decreased. But the writer says that people will have invented new resources. Nuclear energy and its power will be discovered. Only the United States and Soviet Union con keep tanks of petrol. He sees no hope of correcting this situation. But also Asimov says that the remaining resources will be properly used. It is too late for conserving it. And for this, he says that the American government is responsible. Otherwise, we will be back into the pre-industrial age. The future imagined by Asimov is very dark. But we can still individual if we take stand of saving fuel today, we may not ran out of it on the near future unit under energy source is found. But now, we can't do anything except looking at the suddenly falling of the world. Therefore, the writer has focused on the impacts of the fuel crisis all over the world in this essay. 

To sum up the writer through this essay has warned us from the devastating situation of this world in the coming future. If we are not serious at present only, we have to suffer a lot in the future. We must understand the importance of the nature and try to conserve it. The world is depending upon the trade and because of trade the environment is being neglected. People are living in the cities and the environment of the cities is polluted. Major population of world should be engaged to plant the trees to make a better world in future. We cannot use the solar easily and even if we use, it cannot naturally help us. But if we preserve the jungle, our environment and energy will be improved.

Important Questions

1. According to the Author, what will be the advantage of the fuel crisis?
Ans: The essayist talks about advantages and disadvantages of having fuel. The essayist says that the air will be pollution free if there is no fuel. There will be no new danger along the road. There will be fewer crimes. Police service will not be needed. The parks and theatres will be full of people.

2. What will be the disadvantages of the fuel crisis in 1919 according to the author?
Ans: People won’t get enough light heat, water, etc. people will have to work for longer hours and they will have less time to enjoy. People will have to walk on crowded trains or buses. The babies will die of hunger and adults mind will be damaged permanently.

3. What does the author mean when he says, “The suburbs were born with the auto, lived and dying with the auto?”
Ans: People go to urban area from village area for good facilities. When cities become crowded, people start to move towards suburb areas for peace. They move to suburb areas because they can go there easily on their vehicles if there is lack of fuel, they will have difficulties.

Questions for Practice

1. What are the functions of fuel in human life as described by Isaac Asimov in “The Nightmare Life without Fuel”?
2. Explain what Isaac Asimov means when he says, “work, sleep, and eating are the great trinity of 1997, and only the first two are a guaranteed.
3. What would be the impact of a complete disappearance of fossil fuel on the life of people in big cities?
4. Describe the comparative advantages of the fuel crises as shown in the essay. “The Nightmare Life without Fuel.” Also write its result to the rest of the world.
5. What kind of serious problems could a fuel shortage cause? You base your answer on “The Nightmare Life without Fuel.”
6. What kinds of serious problems could a fuel shortage cause? 6. Describe what the writer thinks will happen when fuel begins to run out.