TECHNOLOGICAL DETERMINISM AND HUMAN ALIENATION: AN ANALYTICAL STUDY OF E. M. FORSTER’S THE MACHINE STOPS

Abstract

This paper addresses human alienation in technology-dominated societies through E. M. Forster’s The Machine Stops (1909), utilizing a Marxist perspective. It explores how over dependence on machines fosters social isolation, emotional detachment, and disconnection from authentic human experience. The analysis shows that Forster preclude modern concerns about automation and the dehumanizing effects of technological advancement. By situating the novel within the framework of technological determinism, the study highlights the tension between technological amenity and the enduring human need for meaningful interaction, autonomy, and community. This research underscores the relevance of early 20th-century literature in understanding contemporary societal challenges shaped by technology.