Samuel Balcerak
10/23/15
English- Pd. 5
Comparing and Contrasting Essay
Stories so different can be so similar to one another. “Sound of Thunder” by
Ray Bradbury and “Being Prey” by Val Plumwood are two very unique stories.
Theses authors might be two very different people. However, both of their stories
have the same setting, conflicts, and theme.
The jungles in both stories are dangerous. In “Being Prey” the setting was
dangerous because the river had crocodiles in it. In the story it says, “…there are
the crocodiles. Lots of them along the river!” (Plumwood, 90). In “Sound of
Thunder” the setting is dangerous because the characters are trying to hunt for a
Tyrannosaurus Rex. In the story it says, “Where’s our Tyrannosaurus” (Bradbury,
84). Also the conflicts have similarities as well.
Conflicts that were in both stories were very similar. They both have
predator .vs. character conflicts. For example in “Being Prey” there was a
crocodile attacking Val. In the story it says, “… the stick developed eyes. A
crocodile!”(Plumwood, 92). Also in “Sound of Thunder” the characters were
hunting a tyrannosaurus. In the story it says, “All you have to worry about is-
Samuel Balcerak
10/23/15
English- Pd. 5
Shooting my dinosaur,”(Bradbury, 80). However the stories also have similar
conflicts.
The conflicts in both stories were very similar. For example they both are
predator .vs. character conflicts. In “Being Prey” it says, “… but I was unprepared
for the great blow when it struck the canoe.”(Plumwood, 92). As well as in the
story “Sound of Thunder” it says, “Out of the mist, one hundred yards away, came
Tyrannosaurus rex.”(Bradbury, 84). The conflicts are the same, but so are the
themes.
Both of the stories share a comparison in theme. The theme for both
stories was that they had to deal with the mistakes they made. In “Sound of
Thunder” he killed the butterfly which affected the presidential race in the future.
It says, “It couldn’t change things. Killing one butterfly couldn’t be that
important!” (Bradbury, 88). In “Being Prey” it was Vals fault she didn’t listen to
her warning about the crocodiles. It says, I am very lucky that I can still work
well.” (Plumwood, 95).
In conclusion both of these authors are very similar. For example they both
have similar conflicts, themes, and setting in their stories. These authors took us
Samuel Balcerak
10/23/15
English- Pd. 5
on a ride of a lifetime that went to two different places, but at the same time
were very similar.