"There Will Come Soft Rains" Analysis
Jay Yang
Mrs. Hill
English 10 Honors-Period 7
5 October 2012
“There Will Come Soft Rains” Analysis
Although technology seems to have replaced man in the opening pages of “There Will Come Soft Rains,” in the end, Ray Bradbury shows that technology without man is doomed. In the beginning of the story, technology has rendered man totally unnecessary in the day-to-day running of a house. For example, the quote: “Tick-tock, seven o’clock, time to get up…”(Pg. 87), shows that the house automatically has an alarm clock set up portraying the man as not needing to be responsible.. Another example: “Nine-fifteen, time to clean” (Pg. 88) illustrates that man is not required to clean for the house cleans for him. Similarly, the quote “Seven-nine, breakfast time”(Pg. 87) portrays the house cooking breakfast, even though man no longer lives there showing that man does not need to know how to cook.. By the end of the story, technology’s limitations become painfully clear, highlighting the importance of man in control. The quote “the dog, once huge and fleshy, but now gone to bone and covered with sores, moved in and through the house, tracking mud” (Pg. 89) shows that technology does not know to respond well and care for an animal, meaning that though technology can respond to human actions, animals however, are treated indifferently. Secondly, the quote “Cleaning solvent, bottled, shattered over the stove. The room was ablaze in an instant!”(Pg. 91) demonstrates the necessity for a human conscious because though the house was built to withstand hazards, without a conscious directing technology, in the end, the house will fail. Thirdly, the quote “The reserve water supply which had filled baths and washed dishes for many quiet days was gone”(Pg. 91) demonstrates the need for man when the reserve water supply runs out without a conscious being to refill it and then without refilling the water supply caused the entire house to burn down. Hence, though the house was
Mrs. Hill
English 10 Honors-Period 7
5 October 2012
“There Will Come Soft Rains” Analysis
Although technology seems to have replaced man in the opening pages of “There Will Come Soft Rains,” in the end, Ray Bradbury shows that technology without man is doomed. In the beginning of the story, technology has rendered man totally unnecessary in the day-to-day running of a house. For example, the quote: “Tick-tock, seven o’clock, time to get up…”(Pg. 87), shows that the house automatically has an alarm clock set up portraying the man as not needing to be responsible.. Another example: “Nine-fifteen, time to clean” (Pg. 88) illustrates that man is not required to clean for the house cleans for him. Similarly, the quote “Seven-nine, breakfast time”(Pg. 87) portrays the house cooking breakfast, even though man no longer lives there showing that man does not need to know how to cook.. By the end of the story, technology’s limitations become painfully clear, highlighting the importance of man in control. The quote “the dog, once huge and fleshy, but now gone to bone and covered with sores, moved in and through the house, tracking mud” (Pg. 89) shows that technology does not know to respond well and care for an animal, meaning that though technology can respond to human actions, animals however, are treated indifferently. Secondly, the quote “Cleaning solvent, bottled, shattered over the stove. The room was ablaze in an instant!”(Pg. 91) demonstrates the necessity for a human conscious because though the house was built to withstand hazards, without a conscious directing technology, in the end, the house will fail. Thirdly, the quote “The reserve water supply which had filled baths and washed dishes for many quiet days was gone”(Pg. 91) demonstrates the need for man when the reserve water supply runs out without a conscious being to refill it and then without refilling the water supply caused the entire house to burn down. Hence, though the house was
Cited: Bradbury, Ray. “There Will Come Soft Rains.” Language of Literature. Evanston, Illinois. McDougal-Littell, 2002.