Theme of Nature Vs. Technology in “There will Come Soft Rains” :
Anotherpowerful theme that is explored in “There will Come Soft Rains” is nature vs. technology. Bradbury depicts a marvel of technology – a house which is fully equipped with automated devices to serve humans and their comfort but some how technology overpowers mankind. After the nuclear explosion in the city, the house still lives in mechanical form while all the inhabitants are perished in the explosion. As the story progresses the house ultimately succumb to a fire and in the end it is completely destroyed. Bradbury suggests that nature is more powerful than whatever man can create.
In this story Bradbury establishes the animosity between the house – a symbol of technology – and the natural world. The house protects its residents from the forces of nature – its walls close out harsh weather, its kitchen machines spare humans from hunting and foraging in the wilderness, and the cleaning mice ward off the chaos of the outdoors, cleaning up the mud, dust and hair that accumulate in a natural environment. The house shuts up its windows and draws a shade in “an old – maidenly preoccupation” with self protection against “lonely foxes and whining cats”. “Not even a bird must touch the house” as the shades snapped up even a sparrow brushes a window pane.
When nature threatens to destroy it, technology is able to put up a comprehensive defence. While the house is sleeping, nature launches its attack by letting a tree fall on house causing the fire. Then machines come out in full force to battle the hostile enemy. Mechanical doors shut against fire in an act of self defence. “Blind robot faces” spray green fire repellent. When fire – fighting fails, voices cry out in warning. “Help, help ! Fire! Run, run !” like a “tragic nursery rhyme”. And the voices fading as the wires popped their sheathing like hot chestnuts and then the voices died.
Though the house attempts to defend itself, the fire is described as “clever” and ultimately overpowers the upstart domicile. The fire compromises the attic’s structural integrity, causing it to fall down on the main floor, which falls into the cellar and sub – cellar.
The elemental forces of nature like fire overwhelm man’s proud inventions and discoveries and technological developments. The victory is justified – that the arrogance of technology is finally subdued.
In the end, nature can persist without technology, but the reverse is not true.
In an activity meant for the hostess of the house, Mrs. McClellan, the poem by Sara Teasdale, “There will Come Soft Rains” is read out. The poem paints a picture of nature, its beauty and how it continues its cycle even after the self destruction of humankind by technological advancement. Since the nature is vast and self sustaining, it can not brake or run out of fuel the way machines do. Even after the nuclear explosion which has reduced the world to a radioactive wasteland of “rubble” and “ashes”, nature continues to thrive. Bradbury suggests that nature will regain its primary and important role as a healing power. Nature will remain unaffected and it will thrive even when human beings are gone.
Theme of Horror of Nuclear Annihilation and Death in ” There will Come Soft Rains” :
Ray Bradbury explores and reveals with grim ironies, the effect of technological developments, like robotic mice and mechanical labour saving devices aimed at providing ease and leisure to mankind. The author asks a pertinent question whether the technological progress leading to the making of the devastating atom bomb is real progress.
The story presents a dystopian world in which technology dominates human being to such an extent that it becomes responsible for the devastation of atomic bomb. Although the author is not entirely against advancement in science and technology, but is suspicious if these advancements are ultimately good to mankind. Human must use them for good and not evil. The devastation of Hiroshima and Nagasaki is a grim warning against the use of such things discreetly.
The story is set in post – apocalyptic landscape and is filled with a pervasive sense of death. The reader encounters the death of the McClellan family, their dog, their city and the house.
Bradbury also emphasises the omnipresence of time, by structuring the story around the house’s automated announcement to each hour of the day. The automated routine ticking by every hour suggest the McClellan family’s tendency to control down to the minutes. When the death appears with finality and unpredictability, their obsession of controlling time becomes misguided and futile.
Bradbury depicts several instances to present the pervasive nature of death and their is no way to control it. Death can come in a single instance, as in the story. The father, mother and the two children were all engaged in regular occupations when the atomic bomb exploded. Their bodies incinerated and all that remains are their silhouette in paint on the side of burnt house, – “a man mowing lawn”, “a woman bent to pick flowers”, a boy “hands flung in to the air”, “a thrown ball”, and “a girl hands raised to catch a ball which never came down”.