Ray Bradbury’s There Will Come Soft Rains
If you were to ask me who my favorite short story author was I would undoubtedly say Ray Bradbury, not because his artistic and literary style trumps all others. Because he is the only one I know. This still holds some merit though. In all my years of English classes I’ve obviously read short stories from people other than Ray Bradbury, but for some reason, I can only recall his name. I think this is somewhat significant. The likes of Harrison Bergeron and All Summer in a Day hold a unique place in my mind, so when looking through the list of short stories my eyes dragged to There Will Come Soft Rains—the only story on the list written by Bradbury.
Not to say he is not creative but if you’ve read one of Ray’s pieces then you can make similar assumptions about the rest of them. It isn’t that they all hold similar themes or characters
but that they all take place in some sort of post-modern dystopian societies(There Will Come Soft Rains is not different). This setting is so consistent that after having read multiple short stories by Bradbury, I can’t help but feel like they all somehow take place within the same universe. The dystopian tendencies of each short story are essentially and typically transitive from one another that this idea isn’t so far fetched. However. having such a transferable and versatile setting isn’t simply a fun gimmick. It allows Bradbury to create an environment for his readers to actively participate in and imagine. Ray Bradbury allows the reader to create their own world through connecting his multiple pieces. This sense of worldbuilding is ultimately immersive for the reader and allows for a greater understanding of the characters and themes that the short stories develop.
In specific, There Will Come Soft Rains is another one of Bradbury’s complex and unique short stories that develops specific themes through storytelling. Accordingly, Bradbury creates these themes through the aforementioned dystopian societies. Only through Bradbury’s unique storytelling, the reader is able to understand prevalent themes and lessons about life. It is after comparing the pronounced aspects of the respective dystopian to those of our current one do they shine through. I think ultimately this makes Bradbury’s pieces more enjoyable as well as allowing them to have a greater effect on the reader. While reading There Will Come Soft Rains, it didn’t feel like a chore that needed to be completed, it was a short story, one comparable to the ones I read as a child, one that was captivating and allowed me to build a world within my own mind.
On the list with memorable short stories like Harrison Bergeron, All Summer in a Day, The Marionettes, and I Sing the Body Electric, another piece by Bradbury joins the list: There Will Come Soft Rains.
Works Cited
Elizabeth.wasson. “Washington State University.” Common Errors in English Usage and More Ray Bradburys Fahrenheit 451 and the Dystopian Tradition by Paul Brians Comments, 12 Oct. 2016, brians.wsu.edu/2016/10/12/ray-bradburys-fahrenheit-451-and-the-dystopian-tradition/.
Ethan,
I found the idea that all of Bradbury’s stories could all occur in the same universe very interesting. Although I have only read Harrison Bergeron and Fahrenheit 451, I could see how the bleak setting could be applied to almost any dystopian story. I also agree with your analysis behind the purpose of using this setting. To me, it doesn’t feel like a cheap gimmick, but rather that I am re-entering an old world. Just as you said, it allows me to grasp the characters and themes of the stories a little bit easier. Good analysis!
Ethan, after reading your introduction I realized that it applied to me as well to an extent. Between all of the stories and novels that I have read over even just the last 3 years, I can recall few of them. Bradbury is certainly a memorable writer and I am a fan of his dystopian stories. I plan on adding the story to my “to read” list after reading your review. I know it is impossible to know for sure, but I was wondering what you would have thought of the story had you not known it was a Bradbury creation? Do you think that coming into the read with a set idea of Bradbury affected your interpretation or attitude? I also chose a story by an author I was familiar with, Kurt Vonnegut, and was wondering the same about myself as I wrote my blog.
Hello Ethan,
I can certainly say the same about remembering Bradbury above all other short story authors- it was this same reasoning that compelled me to read “There Will Come Soft Rains” on my blog as well. I think, as you discussed, there is a great deal of value in Bradbury’s worldbuilding abilities. The settings he produces facilitate his messages much more than a typical, expected setting would. Instead, Bradbury purposefully creates these unsettling dystopian images which strongly exemplify his critiques of society as a whole. Readers are forced into a position of discomfort, and thus are propelled to consider what has gone wrong leading up to the story which Bradbury tells. The only logical answer one can come to is one of Bradbury’s many suggestions about the dangers of technology, particularly our heavy reliance on it as a species (at least, this is my interpretation). Did you also perceive this to be Bradbury’s purpose in writing “There Will Come Soft Rains”?
Ethan,
After reading your blog, I realized that Bradbury really has had a profound impact on literature. I remember reading “All Summer in a Day” in eighth grade; I felt he did a good job connecting his story to an element of our life- as he does in this short story. I agree with your analysis about our dependency on technology; I also touched on this in my blog. Overall, strong response.
Hey Ethan,
Like you, I do feel that Ray Bradbury is a very iconic name in literature. Although I can name a few more off the top of my head, he is typically one of the first that come to mind. I believe that this is likely due to his unique style and sophisticated social commentaries that you alluded to.
While I don’t know how credible your theory that all of Bradbury’s pieces occur in the same universe is, I do agree with your sentiment that they all appear similar. This is likely due to Bradbury’s tendency to comment on technology’s destruction of mankind, a theme very apparent in both this story but in other stories he’s written such as Fahrenheit 451. This idea is very intriguing to me, and is a strong reason why I admire Bradbury’s work. Technology will continue to gain influence over the world, but it is imperative that society understands the extent to which technology can completely dominate our world, and this can only be made obvious through dystopian stories such as those created by Bradbury. This appears to be a very interesting read, and I will be sure to give it a shot!