“There will come soft rains” by Ray Bradbury seems to be a continuation and or from the same world as his other work called “The veldt”. They are both set in a time where the world is automated. Everything in their house is done by robots. We see the house is able to transport humans into any room in the house, lights turn on and off automatically, it even makes food and cleans the house. What makes it seem as a continuation is the fact the house is now being run by itself and no longer has humans living in it. In “The veldt” we see the nursery which is supposed to display what the kids are imagining into the room. However it seems that the room has made these thoughts reality as the parents have found items such as a blood soaked wallet which they cannot explain. The way it ends is that the kids lock their parents in the room. We are left to assume that the parents died in the nursery via the lions. In the “There will come soft rains” we see the house continue its everyday life. It is a very dark story of the house going crazy in doing its repeated motions as if it still had someone living in it. We see how the house has been continuing daily life as it makes food and cleans itself. We see the house continue to remind its owners they are late for work and school even though no one lives there. We see later on during a storm that a tree crashes through a window causing the stove to catch fire. The stove leaks this fluid that is very flammable and is easily spread. The house then starts to do its best to stop the spread of the fire but the water just helps guide the flammable liquid around the house causing it to spread worse. We see it struggle to contain the fire as it begins to spread to every aspect of the house. We then learn that the “brain” of the house is in the attic. Once the fire gets there and lights the brain on fire we see the house explode. The story ends with the house no longer being there and the rest of the houses around it no longer exist either via a bomb that is inferred. This story is very dark and is a very odd story to begin with. What the author wrote is just very odd yet creative at the same time. While I did struggle to read this story as it was so out there I will say it was interesting. I myself was not a fan of this story. Besides it being such an odd story I had trouble following what exacting the purpose of this story was. It read almost like a bad dream. The only thing it reminded me of was the movie “Monster House”. In both cases we see a house take a sentient form in which it tries to protect itself. In both cases we see the house eventually fail and explode.
You’ve provided a good overview of “There Will Come Soft Rains” and connected it to his other work, “The Veldt.” It’s evident that you’ve grasped the automated and dystopian nature of both stories.
One positive aspect is your ability to draw parallels between the two stories and highlight the common theme of technology taking control. The mention of the automated house in both tales and the consequences of its actions creates a strong connection.
You mentioned that you struggled to understand the purpose of “There Will Come Soft Rains.” This is a great opportunity to ask questions and explore further. For instance, you might wonder why Bradbury chose to depict a world where technology persists even after human extinction. What could this symbolize or comment on in terms of our relationship with technology? This is a great place to invite the reader into your post.
Also, consider exploring the tone and mood in more detail. You described the story as “dark” and “odd,” but why do you think the author chose this tone? How does it contribute to the overall impact of the narrative?
In terms of formatting, breaking your analysis into smaller paragraphs can enhance readability. This makes it easier for readers to follow your thoughts and helps create a smoother flow.
Keep up the good work! Don’t hesitate to ask more questions and explore the nuances whatever you analyze in blog posts. Remember, the more you dig into the details, the richer your analysis becomes.