“THERE WILL COME SOFT RAINS”
BY RAY BRADBURY
In this society we see a society which is technologically highly advanced. In this piece
of APOCALYPTIC LITERATURE (describing destruction of civilisation), we
witness the pampered occupants of the house who want for nothing; every
conceivable luxury is catered for.
Unusually, THE HOUSE IS THE MAIN CHARACTER- an example of extended
PERSONIFICATION. However, the occupants of the HOUSE appear to be quite
unconcerned about the hardships which may exist in the Third World Countries; a
philosophy of “I’m allright Jack!” exists; to hell with the rest of the world!
After all, social, political and military tensions can boil over when countries of
impoverished people are suppressed e.g. Indonesia 1998. it is hinted perhaps, that rich
western country may have become a victim to just such a nuclear attack.
In this attack all humans are killed- only THE HOUSE remains and all its
technological wizardry continues to function.
Ironically, the house supplies music and poetry in an artificial, canned manner.
However, although produced in and artificial manner, the imagery of the poetry is
fresh and natural- as though nature itself yearns for a return to a simple, natural way
of life.
“There will come soft rains and the smell of
the ground/ and swallows circling with their
shimmering sound”
)
)
)
)
)
saturated with
natural imagery
BRADBURY’S PESSIMISTIC VIEW OF HUMANITY
All humanity seems to have brought the world is: nuclear war; divided societies of the
“haves” and the “have-nots”; radiation contaminated land and a grasping attitude to
one’s fellow humans.
Our first glimpse of humanity in this short story is that of the all- American. Very
comfortable middle class- the family is almost picture- postcard sweet as father mows
the lawn and the children play sweetly with a ball. In an instant they are carbonisedtheir silhouettes imprinted on the wall of the house in a nuclear flash. TOUCH LOST
WITH FINER FEELINGS.
Bradbury continues to explore the theme of Mankind having lost touch with all that is
fine: and even to have lost touch with the natural world. He (man) seems unmoved by
the plight of millions who subsist in starvation.
Man seems to have lost touch with all that is noble and has even lost touch with the
land, the crops, wildlife etc. he is enmeshed in a world of gadgetry and technology
removed from nature
TECHNOLOGY HAS BECOME THE NEW PAGAN GOD
Technology is no longer simply a tool- technology seems to have become worshipped
for its own sake. Mankind had made a god of technology.
As though to reinforce this idea the House is represented as being a kind of quasireligious temple to technology- here “God” (god of technology) is worshipped.
“And inside the house was like an alter with nine thousand robot attendants, big and
small, servicing, attending singing in choirs”
The House is riddles with the images of worship, e.g. “the alter” and “nine thousand
robot attendants” and “choirs”.
However, this Temple to technological excess is depicted as a PAGAN temple- to the
Pagan god, Baal (“a false God”- dictionary definition).
“An incinerator which sat like an evil Baal in a dark corner”.
These images seem to reinforce the idea, that, despite Man’s technological
advancement, he, morally has regressed to a more primitive and brutal state. Man has
been brutalised by technology, not ennobled.
NATURE ITSELF REBELS
The theme of nature itself being outraged by Man’s excesses is demonstrated by the
tree (a most natural part of nature) taking revenge upon the House as it smashes down
resulting in fire (a symbol of purification but also destruction): “the bough of a falling
tree smashed the kitchen window”.
Nature has triumphed- the cancer of Man’s technological “religion” his temple to his
god, technology, has been utterly erased.
The World yearns to return to its former state: healing- healing is represented by the
balm of the “soft rains”
And, as sad testimony to Man’s ruinous, grasping warring time upon earth: “the sun
rose to shine upon the heaped rubble and steam”.
BIBLICAL ECHOES AMD APOCALYPTIC THEMES
This piece of apocalyptic literature seems to create a picture from the Book of
Revelations in which the world is plunged into fiery chaos (as has happened here).
Most humans were erased from the world but out of the ashes will emerge a new, pure
creation.
STYLE OF WRITING
The opening sentence seems again to echo the almost Biblical dimensions of this
short story- the language is GRANDILOQUENT- pompous, grand- as though form
the Old Testament.
The House was a good house and had been planned and built by people who were to
live in it.
CONTRAST
The trivial nature of the people’s silly pampered lives is emphasised by the contrasts
in language used: “Tick-tock, seven am o’clock, time to get up”.
STYLE OF WRITING LATER ECHOES SHOCK, DISBELIEF
“Here, a woman bent to pick flowers. Still further over, their images burned on wood
in one titanic instant, a small boy, hand flung in the sir- high up, the image of a
thrown ball- and ---“
The state of shock and horror is shown by the staccato, broken form of writingbroken up by commas and dashes.
LANGUAGE SHOWS HOW NATURE SEEMS SO ALIEN TO THIS
ARTIFICIAL HOUSE
“If a sparrow brushed a window, the shade snapped(onomatopoeia) up. No not even
and evil bird must touch the House”
LANGUAGE REFLECTS THE GRANDEUR AND QUASI RELIGIOUS
[QUASI=RESEMBLING, BUT NOT ACTUALLY BEING] APPEARANCE OF
THE HOUSE
“And inside the House was like an alter with 9, 000 robot attendants, big and small,
servicing, attending, singing in choirs, even though the Gods have gone away and the
ritual was meaningless”.
Long sentences echo the grandeur and the quasi- holiness of the temple- like house.
Notice language associated with religious worship “alter”, “choirs”, BUT mixed with
technological words e.g. “robot” etc.
THE HOUSE’S TEDIOUS ROUTINE CONTINUES THOUGH DEATH
OUTSIDE
See Page 2 “the dog ran upstairs--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- -- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- (to the bottom of page 2)- The house was
silent”
Listing sentences mimics the listing of daily chores.
THE POEM (rhyming couplets) saturated with lovely images of nature“There will come soft rains and the smell of the ground (top page 3) --- --- --- --- --- -- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- gone”
THEN
“the bough of a falling tree smashed the kitchen
Half way down page 3
Window Fire! Screamed the voices--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---chorus”
CHAOS AND MAYHEM
Chaos is mirrored by the quick fire frenzied listing of things happening
PACE – COMMA, COMMA, COMMA
“In other parts --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- cracked”
THEN
“Smoke and Silence”- (single line – stunned quietness)
FINAL NOTE OF OPTIMISM
Long lines create peace and tranquillity.
Bottom page 3
“Dawn shone --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---steam”
STRUCTURE
Climax
Nuclear Explosion
Nature Rebels
Tree and Fire
Opening Tranquility
Children Play
Routine of House
(No Humans)
Peaceful Ending
(Healing) House
Erased from Earth
THEMES EXPLORED
1. Man’s worship of technology for its own sake.
2. Man has become more complacent
3. Technology, uncontrolled, will result in Mankind’s destruction (Nuclear war
or accident).
4. The earth will heal itself but only when grasping Mankind has been erased.