There Will Come Soft Rains
Ray Bradbury is a very interesting author that I was first introduced to through Fahrenheit 451. My favorite aspect of his work is how he details the environment and typically weaves it into the main storyline. After reading some of his short stories as well, I notice a strong pattern of how he views future technology may affect humanity. I think what makes this even more interesting, is the fact that he typically came very close to describing actual technology used now a days. For instance, Fahrenheit 451, The Veldt, and There Will Come Soft Rains all include an entertainment feature of a house very similar to modern day VR and interactive screens. I do find this motif interesting each time he utilizes it though, because the undertones are more unique compared to other literature, and he integrates them differently each time. The fire extinguisher powder described in the latter also sounds very similar to certain ones we have developed today.
In general, I would describe Bradbury’s style of writing as leaning towards dark, psychological, and raises questions about society. For instance, I interpreted There Will Come Soft Rains as a look into what little is left, and even subsequently further destroyed, as man wreaks havoc trying to progress. It seemed as if this story was inspired by the atomic bombings of Japan, looking down on the mass destruction and casualty. I took this interpretation because of how the house was described standing as well as the imprints of people left on the outside. Bradbury stated in multiple ways how the house was charred but still standing, and had individuals’ shadows being the only unaffected area. To me, this sounds like what was reported right under the site of said bombs, and Bradbury would have known of the war. I also found this meaning because of how the fire rips through the house even though all of the safety measures were mostly still in place. This felt like his way of saying that nature cannot be stopped and will eventually take everything back.
What I found most interesting about this story, was how Bradbury decided to write in the family’s dog and its death. It made me wonder if he kept the dog alive to show a greater meaning from his death, specifically in him not being able to enter the kitchen. I felt like this may have a deeper meaning, since he states that the house knew the dog very well and expected him, however the dog looked much different than usual (close to death). I first found it very strange that Bradbury would create such a “smart” house, even down to robot mice that clean, yet simultaneously had a door that wouldn’t open for the dog. What made this feel like a purposeful death though, was the fact that the kitchen was currently creating what would be a dog’s feast, while it is actively starving and smelling it. It almost feels like the dead owners are responsible for the dogs death, since this door was programmed to stay shut. I wondered if this could possibly be an allusion to how man can treat man, blocking the opportunity and success of others.
I’m curious if anyone else saw similarities in the children’s “play environment” within the Veldt and the one within the There Will Come Soft Rains, and if you think this may have a deeper meaning? For the latter story, did you find the wife’s favorite poem to be significant to the overall message, why or why not? I personally thought the poem included mirrored everything that was currently happening or had already been described. This made it feel like a foreshadowing tool for the lost family, and hindsight for the reader in my opinion.