The title of Ray Bradbury’s short tale, “There Will Come Soft Rains,” is also the title of Sara Teasdale’s poem, which is interwoven in the short story. The poetry was composed in 1920, after the First World War, and the short tale in 1950, just after the Second World War. As a result, it is common that both pieces to have a similar message. The poem and the short narrative warn the audience of the unavoidable outcome of humanity’s extinction if war is used to settle disputes and demonstrate nature’s dominance over people. The short story and the poem present a voice of hope that the rain will fall and wash away the hostility on the ground and the situation for the better.
The two pieces of literature are intended for different audiences, and the topic is presented differently. The short story focuses on lovers of science fiction since its set in a distant future with advanced technology that requires greater creativity. The story is told sarcastically. On the other hand, the poem’s tone is kinder, and the issue is presented in a less sarcastic way. In this example, Bradbury put poetry within his short story. Thus the poem’s audience is similar to the one in the short story (Bradbury, 54). However, the language used is basic and easy to understand because the poem was initially written for a broad audience of all ages. The poem employs a broad range of metaphorical language, such as alliteration, in the opening verse.
Once more, the character is missing from the tale, implying the annihilation of humanity. Third-person narration is used because the character is absent. The description, on the other hand, focuses on the home. The narrative begins with the humming of the voice clock early in the morning. Throughout the novel, this particular clock keeps the audience aware of the time and successfully links the entire plot. The house’s autonomous system is meticulously designed. Breakfast is cooked in the kitchen, and every item is cleansed and dusted after breakfast. When it reaches time for cleaning, little robot mice rush out from the wall, cleaning and dusting the room. All of this is stated in such a sarcastic manner that the sophisticated system continues to operate when proprietors are absent. The sense of smell, sight, and listening are used again, like in the piece poem.
The narrative and poem are titled similarly by the two authors. The soothing rain symbolizes how the dead are swept away, and fresh beginnings are made. They attempt to illustrate how nature continues to exist after humans have died. By contrast, Bradbury alludes to time throughout the short story. Everything was completed on schedule, and the family adhered to a strict daily routine. The house was mechanized and futuristic in design. Despite keeping the house clean, they liked cooking and residing here. The house needed to be cleaned, and everything had to be done so that nothing remained undone.
In his short story, Bradbury employs symbols to demonstrate how humanity has come to rely on machines to dominate the environment. He employs mice as a metaphor for life. “Human life is poised quite precariously between the natural world which we believe we have left behind and the technological world which has outdistanced us, and, to our misfortune, neither of these worlds needs us to be what it is,” Bradbury writes (Bradbury, 54). Humans work with various machines that work for them. Humans are unnecessary in the home since the house performs all the labor. Humankind is enraged and ready to destroy the Earth because they utilize destructive weaponry with little regard for their fellow human beings.
Little of our Earth will remain when they employ nuclear power. As the bombs devastate humanity, a new peaceful society will emerge. In her poetry on nature, Teasdale claims that everything remained the same after the war. She writes more about the world, not bothering about what occurs around humanity since nature will carry on regardless of what transpires (Teasdale 11). People and houses would perish, yet the planet would continue to exist. The fire will destroy everything, although nature would return and never know what had occurred.
Teasdale’s point is that life will continue to exist beyond death. When the fire starts, the narrative comes to an end commencing the start of an end. After rainfall, the smell of soil helps people know everything is new and clean again. It indicates that the planet is ready to restart. Teasdale’s poem is about life after death. Bradbury employed the poem to express how the planet would still survive even if people were not present on Earth. He opted to educate how humans behave on Earth while simultaneously destroying one another. Nature produces beauty by itself and is never at odds with itself. Bradbury and Teasdale discuss conflict and how nuclear war would affect the world (Teasdale 14). They demonstrate that nothing will change after the conflict is done and the rain stops because nature will keep going.
There would not be conflicts in a peaceful society, but humans have become extremely sluggish with machines performing the labor. They have settled into a life of searching for machines to do everything. Humans compete with one another to be the greatest until they fight and destroy one another. The two literary readings introduce humanity to ideas about the end of the universe and its repercussions. It serves as a warning that, with all of the nations and powers in existence, humanity must be ready for another battle. Life is brief, and humans must pause and appreciate everything available before it is too late.
In conclusion, aside from having a similar premise, the poem is related to the short tale. The poem serves as a precursor to the short narrative at times. The short story and the poem conclude with the start of a new day, indicating the continuation of nature. They both communicate their distaste for war by depicting a future without people and nature’s power over humanity, but in diverse ways. Teasdale takes a gentler approach, using many words to depict the beauty and continuation of nature where human interference is absent.
Conversely, Bradbury presents the issue more ironically by emphasizing a technologically advanced mansion that continues to function mindlessly. Ultimately, nature destroys the piece of human handiwork by nearly engulfing it in flames. Bradbury used a similar name for his novel and the poem because they have a comparable topic. By incorporating Teasdale’s poetry into his novel, Bradbury allowed his readers to see the same notion from a new perspective, allowing the topic to become even more ingrained in their memories.
Works Cited
Teasdale, Sara. Flame and Shadow. Mint Editions, [S.I.], 2021.
Bradbury, Ray. There will come soft rains. Perfection Learning Corporation, 2019.