The House
The cause or reason for the 'radioactive glow' of the city and absence of the family
What is nuclear bomb?
What is atomic bomb?
"There Will Come Soft Rains" was written shortly after this major historical event.
What is the bombing of Nagasaki and Hirshima?
The year the story takes place (month optional)
What is August 2026?
Short for 'sci-fi,' any topic having to do with technology, the future, the end of the world, space, robots, or similar ideas.
What is science fiction?
Giving human qualities to non-human/inanimate things
What is personification?
"Talking" walls, cleaning robot mice, scrap rats, automatic fireplace, automatic stove, dish cleaning, and self-warming beds are examples of this in the house.
What are some of the advanced qualities of the house?
True/False: Ray Bradbury was a screenwriter and social critic.
True: he provided extended commentary on how societies functioned and had a long writing career, over 70 years.
When a tree branch shatters a window, knocking over a bottle of cleaning solution onto a hot stove, this event occurs.
What causes the house to 'die?'
What is fire?
This 'character' in the story is organic and natural, yet doesn't last long once readers meet it. Its presence demonstrates the disconnect between nature and technology, yet also the importance of real connection.
What is the dog?
Ms. Day was most concerned with this aspect of the story during breakfast time.
Why was it so sad the bacon went to waste?
True/False: the poem recited by the house 'at random' outlines what will happen when humans and technology eventually consume each other and die away, which is eerily creepy to the situation the house is currently in.
True: the poem is exactly the same as what is currently happening with the house which causes readers to question how 'random' its selection was.
This literary genre was pushed into the mainstream by Ray Bradbury. Prior to Bradbury, this genre was not taken seriously by readers and critics. He wrote many short story collections and major novels under this genre, such as "The Martian Chronicles" and "Fahrenheit 451."
What is sci-fi?
This metaphor was used early in the story and compared the house to an alter, the technology in the house to attendants/choirs, and the family to gods. It relays to readers the value that the family placed on technology and why the house was built.
What is religion and related ideas?
The idea that the house, a machine/artificial intelligence/technology, is striving to protect itself and what's inside despite being empty. Bradbury is trying to effect to readers how 'intelligent' the house with its need to be safe.
What is 'mechanical paranoia?'
This is one of the key ideas Ms. Day told you to pay attention to as we read.
What is the importance of language?
The house, although inanimate and mechanical, is involved in the events of the story as well as participating in them. Its technology and appearance of being/acting human allows it to be part of the story in a major way besides simply being the place.
What is setting as character?
True/False: Bradbury was a very studied man, organized and particular in nature, displayed no characteristics of creativity, and was not outgoing. He took himself and his work very seriously.
False: Bradbury enjoyed writing and exploring creative ideas, it was 'fun' for him. He didn't consider himself any kind of philosopher because that was 'awfully boring.'
In this moment, readers learn that the family spent time outside doing 'normal' things that didn't require technology. It signifies that the family was not as dependent on technology as the story suggests.
What is the death of the family?
What is the bomb going off?
This element became personified and strangely human. It became 'clever,' signaling a battle between nature and technology that had a very obvious outcome.
What is fire?
Includes non-human/inanimate things feeling emotions or just feeling in general.
What is abstract personification?
Near the end of its life, the house is described as "oblivious," "frantic," "insane," "maniacally confused," and "subliminally disregarding the situation." These ideas personify which aspect about the house, and why this ideas are significant.
What is the house losing its mental stability/related answers?
This is the particular type of sci-fi element that "There Will Come Soft Rains" utilizes and focuses on. Specifically, Bradbury is making a point.
What is technology?
This room had immersive, interactive walls complete with smells and sounds. Its significance suggests that the children were disconnected from nature and were not exposed to "authentic experiences" despite the advanced technology of the house.
What is the nursery?
When the house 'says' this at the end of the story, there are many unanswered questions left to readers. Humans create technology, technology destroys humans, but technology can't destroy other technology.
What is August 5, 2026?
This is likely the reason Bradbury wrote the story.
Responses vary, related ideas to too much dependence on technology, nature overcoming, etc.