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Milton Ashe
The titular character of the short story “Robbie.” Robbie is a nonverbal RB model robot that is designed as a nursemaid for human children. At the beginning of the story, he has been taking care of a young girl, Gloria, for two years. Gloria adores him and it is clear from his interactions with her that all he wants to do is take care of her and ensure her happiness and safety. They play hide and seek, he gives her rides on his back, and he listens attentively as she recounts stories like Cinderella for him. Robbie is directly contrasted with Mrs. Weston, who is harsh to Gloria and comes to believe that her daughter should not be raised by a robot. When Mrs. Weston has Robbie sent away, Gloria is devastated until she and Robbie reunite in a robot factory. Gloria becomes so excited at seeing Robbie again that she runs in front of a moving vehicle, and Robbie is the only one who is able to save her. Thus, Robbie becomes the first primary example of how robots can actually be more ethical, more helpful, and even more compassionate than human beings.
Robbie Quotes in I, Robot
The I, Robot quotes below are all either spoken by Robbie or refer to Robbie. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
Introduction
Quotes
Susan said nothing at that seminar; took no part in the hectic discussion period that followed. She was a frosty girl, plain and colorless, who protected herself against a world she disliked by a mask-like expression and a hypertrophy of intellect. But as she watched and listened, she felt the stirrings of a cold enthusiasm.
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Robbie
Quotes
“You listen to me, George. I won’t have my daughter entrusted to a machine—and I don’t care how clever it is. It has no soul, and no one knows what it may be thinking. A child just isn’t made to be guarded by a thing of metal.”
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“Why do you cry, Gloria? Robbie was only a machine, just a nasty old machine. He wasn’t alive at all.”
“He was not no machine!” screamed Gloria, fiercely and ungrammatically. “He was a person just like you and me and he was my friend. I want him back. Oh, Mamma, I want him back.”
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It took split-seconds for Weston to come to his senses, and those split-seconds meant everything, for Gloria could not be overtaken. Although Weston vaulted the railing in a wild attempt, it was obviously hopeless. Mr. Struthers signalled wildly to the overseers to stop the tractor, but the overseers were only hu man and it took time to act.
It was only Robbie that acted immediately and with precision.
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Get the entire I, Robot LitChart as a printable PDF.
Robbie Quotes in I, Robot
The I, Robot quotes below are all either spoken by Robbie or refer to Robbie. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
Introduction
Quotes
Susan said nothing at that seminar; took no part in the hectic discussion period that followed. She was a frosty girl, plain and colorless, who protected herself against a world she disliked by a mask-like expression and a hypertrophy of intellect. But as she watched and listened, she felt the stirrings of a cold enthusiasm.
Related Characters:
Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
Robbie
Quotes
“You listen to me, George. I won’t have my daughter entrusted to a machine—and I don’t care how clever it is. It has no soul, and no one knows what it may be thinking. A child just isn’t made to be guarded by a thing of metal.”
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Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
“Why do you cry, Gloria? Robbie was only a machine, just a nasty old machine. He wasn’t alive at all.”
“He was not no machine!” screamed Gloria, fiercely and ungrammatically. “He was a person just like you and me and he was my friend. I want him back. Oh, Mamma, I want him back.”
Related Characters:
Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
It took split-seconds for Weston to come to his senses, and those split-seconds meant everything, for Gloria could not be overtaken. Although Weston vaulted the railing in a wild attempt, it was obviously hopeless. Mr. Struthers signalled wildly to the overseers to stop the tractor, but the overseers were only hu man and it took time to act.
It was only Robbie that acted immediately and with precision.
Related Characters:
Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
