Short Story Analysis Of There Will Come Soft Rains By Ray Bradbury

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Short Story Analysis of “There Will Come Soft Rains”! In 1945, the United States released a nuclear bomb that destroyed the city of Hiroshima. Nagasaki was also bombed. Thousands of people died and a quarter of a million more perished of radiation poisoning (“There Will Come Soft Rains (short story)”). With the development of nuclear weapons in the world the possibility of a nuclear war was a daily fear within people (“There Will Come Soft Rains (short story)”). In 1950, the world was still recovering from the effects of World War II. “There Will Come Soft Rains” was written by Ray Bradbury, and was published in 1950. Bradbury lived during the development and use of the atomic bombs. He uses this development of technology to drive his story. …show more content…

The reader does not know of the nuclear war right away. Ray Bradbury reveals it through the description of the outside of the house and its surroundings. “Ten o 'clock. The sun came out from behind the rain. The house stood alone in a city of rubble and ashes. This was the one house left standing. At night the ruined city gave of a radioactive glow which could be seen for miles” (Bradbury, par.1).The story is about a smart house that has continued on after all humans have passed away. The house is the only house left standing in the ruined city. The theme of the story is man verses machine (technology). Even though the humans have already died before the story begins, it is the conflict between humans and technology. We create technology in hope for a better life, but that same technology can destroy us. The house symbolizes the destruction of mankind. The house does everything from remembering important dates to cooking and cleaning. This house does everything. A person living in this house would never have to lift a finger. But, this can blind a person’s view in being able to see that his own technology is replacing him. Just like self-checkouts are replacing human cashiers. We cannot let technology take over. Technology will ultimately …show more content…

The poem symbolizes that nature continues on even as humans pass away. “Robins will wear their feathery fire, whistling their whims on a low fence-wire; and not one will know of the war, not one will care at last when it is done. Not one would mind, neither bird nor tree, if mankind perished utterly” (Bradbury, par.41). The poem comes right before the house is destroyed. At the end of the story a tree falls on the house and causes a fire which destroys the house. “The wind blew. A falling tree bough crashed through the kitchen window. The room was ablaze in an instant.....Among the ruins, one wall stood alone” (Bradbury, par.47 and par.62). This fire is a symbol of a true natural destruction meaning technology will fail and nature will prevail. Now, the technology was created by humans. Humans have died by human fault. Just like in World War II. Japan bombed the United States and killed thousands. Then the United States bombed Japan and killed thousands. The bomb is not at fault, it is mankind at

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