There Will Come Soft Rains Theme
Can you ever imagine a science fictional story being related to a free verse poem? I definitely can't. But sure enough, in the science fiction book The Martian Chronicles by Ray Bradbury, there is a story called "There Will Come Soft Rains". This story relates in theme to a free verse poem by Carl Sandburg named "Four Preludes on Playthings of the Wind". The common question is: "How in the world do these 2 pieces of work relate in theme? Shockingly, however, there are many points where theme is related and compared. In the science fictional story "There Will Come Soft Rains" by Ray Bradbury, Ray describes a house that "[stands] alone in a city of rubble and ashes" (167). It used to be a magnificent city but now, "the ruined city [gives]
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Throughout the poem, one phrase is repeated over and over: "We are the greatest city, the greatest nation, nothing like us ever was". This proves that the city really was a magnificent city with rich possessions. Something caused this glorious city to collapse and fall. Before, "the doors were cedar and the panels stips of gold and the girls were golden girls " (10-12). Now, however, after the downfall of this city, "the doors are twisted on broken hinges. Sheets of rain swish through on the wind" (17-18). This is a great comparison in theme to "There Will Come Soft Rains". Just like the city of Allendale, great cities like the one described in the poem can and will eventually fall. It's just a matter of time before "the only listeners left are the rats and the lizards" (35-36). There used to be "strong men [who]put up a city and got a nation together, and paid singers to sing and women to warble" (24-27). Now, though, "there are black crows crying, Caw, caw,'" (37-38) while building nests over the great city. At the end of all this, when "the wind shifts and the dust on a doorsill shifts" (60-61), this tells "nothing about the greatest city, the greatest nation Nothing like [them] ever was"
Throughout the poem, one phrase is repeated over and over: "We are the greatest city, the greatest nation, nothing like us ever was". This proves that the city really was a magnificent city with rich possessions. Something caused this glorious city to collapse and fall. Before, "the doors were cedar and the panels stips of gold and the girls were golden girls " (10-12). Now, however, after the downfall of this city, "the doors are twisted on broken hinges. Sheets of rain swish through on the wind" (17-18). This is a great comparison in theme to "There Will Come Soft Rains". Just like the city of Allendale, great cities like the one described in the poem can and will eventually fall. It's just a matter of time before "the only listeners left are the rats and the lizards" (35-36). There used to be "strong men [who]put up a city and got a nation together, and paid singers to sing and women to warble" (24-27). Now, though, "there are black crows crying, Caw, caw,'" (37-38) while building nests over the great city. At the end of all this, when "the wind shifts and the dust on a doorsill shifts" (60-61), this tells "nothing about the greatest city, the greatest nation Nothing like [them] ever was"