Argauer 1

Philip Argauer

Professor Heather Jeddy

ENG 112

3/31/2019

Frightened by the Bots

 Thesis – In Asimov’s story, “Little Lost Robot,” the fear of robots running amok and out of human
control is emphasized through the main conflict, setting, and the duologue between characters
throughout the entire story.

Main Idea #1 Topic Sentence: The conflict of humans versus robots is prevalent throughout the entire story,
“Lost Little Robot,” highlights the fear of robots running amok.

 Bogart is describing the predicament which Hyper Base has found itself.
o “Hyper Base happens to be using several robots whose brains are not impressioned with the
entire First Law of Robotics” (Asimov).
o Since the missing robot was not impressioned with the first law, is has the potential to run
rough shot and is not bound primarily to saving humans.
 After one of the tests for the robots, the state of Hyper Base is examined.
o “For one week all of Hyper Base had stopped dead, barring some paper work on the subsidiary
asteroids of the group” (Asimov).
o The missing robot is causing all sorts of ruckus and mayhem, and to find him, the entire base
was shut down.
 The plot of Asimov’s story brings to the foreground the reality of the government having a project
which goes entirely wrong, letting a robot run around without the whole first law imprinted into his
system.

Main idea # 2 Topic Sentence: The story, “Little Lost Robot,” takes place on a military space station called
Hyper-Base where many experiments take place far from the public on earth.

 Bogart is explaining the crisis to Dr. Calvin over dinner.

o “Hyper Base happens to be using several robots whose brains are not impressioned with the
entire First Law of Robotics” (Asimov).
o Hyper Base is being used as a lab to create robots without the first law which states that “A
robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to
harm.” It takes place away from earth because every robot is supposed to be programmed with
the first law.
 Bogart and Dr. Calvin are discussing the predicament after dinner.
o “The matter of the modification is top secret” (Asimov).
o The base is confined for this reason. Instead of being on another planet or even another section
on earth, the confinement to a base in space highlights the secrecy of the project, that is,
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making robots without the entire first law.

 The reason that the story takes place on a space ship in the middle of space is to highlight the secrecy
which the government wishes to maintain in the project of creating some robots without the entire first
law.

Main Idea #3 Topic Sentence: Throughout the story the “Little Lost Robot,” the dialogue between the
characters characterizes the fear which the characters hold since the robots are not impressioned with the first
law.

 When Doctor Calvin enters Hyper-Base, tensions were high, and this was shown in their first
conversation over dinner.
o “In short, it was a grisly episode, that meal, and the little session of three that followed began in
a gray, unhappy manner” (Asimov).
o The meal and the conversation that took place were laced with fear because of their dilemma;
the dilemma that there’s a robot on the loose who does not have the first law.
 After hearing that a robot is trying to escape, Dr. Calvin describes the scenario of Nestor-10 getting out
and leaving the space station on another ship.
o “He is perfectly capable of seizing the ship and leaving with it. Then we’d have a mad robot on
a spaceship. What would he do next? Any idea?” (Asimov).
o Having a robot who does not have the entire first law imprinted in him controlling a ship flying
throughout outer space would be a horrible outcome for the government. Especially because
this project was supposed to be kept secret from the public.
 The heated rhetoric which is used throughout this story shows the extent to which the characters are
frightened at the idea of a robot totally out of human control.

Conclusion

 The fear of robots not being subject to human control is the prominent and most eminent threat
presented in Asimov’s story, “The Lost Little Robot.”
 The plot of the story shows the fear which humans have of losing control of a robot.
 Hyper-Base is the perfect setting to emphasize the secrecy of the project happening on Hyper-Base;
creating robots without the entire first law.
 The dialogue between the characters expresses their concerns with the robot running amok.
 Fear of robots getting out of human control is a very real fear which has been present in humanity for
many years.

Work Cited

Asimov, Isaac. “Little Lost Robot.” I, Robot. Bantam Books, 2004.