It's a Good Life

Infobox short story |
name = It's a "Good" Life
author = Jerome Bixby
country = flagicon|USA USA
language = English
genre = Horror, Science fiction short story
published_in = "Star Science Fiction Stories No.2"
publication_type = Anthology
publisher = Ballantine Books
media_type = Print (Paperback)
pub_date = 1953
preceded_by =
followed_by =

"It's a "Good" Life" is a short story by Jerome Bixby, written in 1953. In 1970 it was voted by the Science Fiction Writers of America as one of the 20 finest science fiction stories ever written. The story was first published in "Star Science Fiction Stories No.2".

Plot summary

Anthony Fremont is a three-year-old child with near-godlike powers: transform other people or objects into anything he wishes, think new things into being, teleport himself and others where he wishes, read the minds of people and animals and even revive the dead, though he only tried this once. He may not be wholly human in appearance—hints in the story mention his "odd shadow" and "bright, wet, purple gaze;" the obstetrician at his birth was said to have "screamed and dropped him and tried to kill him;" and the other children are told that Anthony is a "nice goblin" but they must never go near him. Anthony's powers were present since he was born, as he was able to kill the obstetrician. He lives in the town of Peaksville, Ohio, outside of which is nothingness, the town having been separated from the rest of Earth moments after Anthony was born. Nobody knows whether Anthony transported Peaksville somewhere, or whether the rest of the world (or for that matter, the universe) was destroyed and only the town remains.

There is no electricity, and the residents have to make their own things and grow their own food; the latter is somewhat difficult as Anthony changes the weather to suit himself. The adults must satisfy the child's every whim, or risk displeasing him. Nobody is safe from Anthony, not even his own family, although they can sometimes influence him slightly; after a "smiling" suggestion from his father, Anthony sends the remains of his victims into the cornfield behind the Fremont home after he has finished with them.

The story does not present Anthony as malevolent or evil. He is, however, a child with god-like powers, too immature to understand the adults' world around him, so therefore even his attempts to help those whom he likes often go badly awry and those he dislikes come to a quick and nasty end. As Anthony can read minds, the town's population must not only act content with the situation when near him, but also "think" they are happy at all times.

The story mostly takes place during a surprise birthday party for the Fremont's neighbor, Dan Hollis. The residents take turns passing around certain objects, like books, music or furniture, since they cannot acquire anything new from the outside world anymore. Dan receives a newly-discovered Perry Como record for his birthday and wants to play it, but no one dares because Anthony does not like singing. Dan gets drunk and begins demanding that they sing, first "Happy Birthday" and then "You Are My Sunshine." Angrily he turns on Anthony's parents, crying, "You had to go and have him," then he defiantly continues to sing as Anthony appears in the room. Anthony decides Dan is a "bad man" and turns him into some sort of horrific entity before "thinking" him into a deep grave in the cornfield. The next day he makes it snow, which "kill [s] off half the crops--but it was a "good" day."

TV and theatrical adaptations

The story was turned into "It's a Good Life", an episode of the television series "The Twilight Zone", in which Anthony Fremont was played by Billy Mumy. The episode subsequently served as inspiration for one of the segments in "" decades later. A sequel to the story was made in the latest remake of "The Twilight Zone" (2002-2003) called "It's Still a Good Life", about a grown-up Anthony still terrorizing Peaksville and his daughter who starts exhibiting his powers.

Trivia

*The story has been parodied in an episode of the animated Cartoon Network show "Johnny Bravo", in one of the three "The Zone Where Normal Things Don't Happen Very Often" episodes.

*In the second "Treehouse of Horror" special on "The Simpsons" where Bart has amazing mental powers and anyone who tries to hurt him get turned into a horrible creature. The actress who voices Bart, Nancy Cartwright, appears in the "Good Life" segment of as Anthony's sister, who rebels against and thus is transported to a cartoon playing on the TV, where she is eaten by a cartoon dragon.

*In "", the episode "Charlie X" is similar to this story.

*During the climax of the comic series "Adventures of Barry Ween, Boy Genius", Ween corners the malevolent Director of the mysterious Agency and threatens that if he crosses Ween again, "I'll wish you away into the fucking cornfield."

*Stephen King makes references to the story in "The Plant" and "Firestarter", the latter having a somewhat similar theme during some of the flashbacks of the story. His novel "The Regulators" also has a similar premise; it may or may not have been influenced by the story.

*The episode "I Can't Stan You" of the Fox show "American Dad" parodies this story, when Stan uses his CIA connections to send neighbors who dislike him to the "Cornfield Motel".

*In an apparent tribute to the story, people who violate the terms of use for Second Life are sometimes teleported to The Corn Field. [http://www.secretlair.com/index.php?/clickableculture/entry/hidden_virtual_world_prison_revealed/]

*In the episode of The Emperor's New School entitled "Mud", which parodies various episodes of The Twilight Zone, Kuzco has a dream in which Kronk possesses powers similar to Anthony Freemont. Kronk wishes Guaka away to the 'llama meadow', and alters things to suit his own desires. Eventually, Kuzco rebels against him in a manner similar to Dan Hollis, and is turned into a giant spinach puff.

*In the "Dead Like Me" series pilot, Georgia Lass makes a reference to "wishing it into the corn field."

*Footage of Rod Serling introducing the episode was digitally composited into the pre-show video for The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror attraction at Disney's Hollywood Studios theme park. The exact line is, "tonight's story on the Twilight Zone is somewhat unique and calls for a different kind of introduction. This as you may recognise is..." In the original episode, Rod Serling can be seen standing in front of a map of the United States. However, in the pre-show video, he is standing in front of a maintenance service elevator.

ee also

*"The Science Fiction Hall of Fame Volume One, 1929-1964", an anthology of the greatest science fiction short stories prior to 1965, as judged by the Science Fiction Writers of America