There Will Come Soft Rains By Ray Bradbury

Ray Bradbury’s text “There will come soft rains” is a short story about the abolishment of mankind through the use of weapons of mass destruction (WMD). The story without directly mentioning a nuclear weapon, makes reference to it on multiple occasions. The five spots of paint coincide with the effect a massive explosion has on people, they are literally vaporised against a wall. This horrific sight was witnessed during the Pearl Harbor Japanese attacks in 1945. The dog covered in sores also makes reference to a nuclear explosion as sores are a common side effect of radiation sickness. The automated house requests Mrs McClellan to state which poem she would like to be read. There is no response, so the house picks Sara Teasdale’s poem. Including
Sarah Teasdale’s poem in the story is respectful on it’s own merit, however adding the line “As I recall your favourite” signifies homage Ray Bradbury has towards Sarah Teasdale. The poem expresses irony in relation to the story, as it talks about a possible doomsday scenario, which occurred in this short story. Sadly Sarah Teasdale was not around to see Ray Bradbury’s utmost dedication to her in the short story, as she ended her own life in 1933. Some of Sarah Teasdale's last words were “I shall have peace, as leafy trees are peaceful” This line shows Sarah was a passionate person relating to the environment. The poem mentioned in Ray Bradbury’s short story by Sarah includes the line “Not one will know of the war, not one”, indicating all of mankind will be obliterated. The last lines of the poem “Spring herself when she woke at dawn...Would scarcely know that we were gone”. This line shows how nature would not notice we were gone, nor would care. Human’s are only guests on this Earth, nature control’s us, and if you are to think otherwise, you are foolish.