“There Will Come Soft Rains”

1. “There Will Come Soft Rains” • Here’s what we know: • After a nuclear war of sorts, humans are extinct. • This is the last house standing in a Californian town. • The house ‘lives’ on and proceeds w/ its daily events, even though the owners are gone. • The house ‘dies’ by burning down after nature takes its natural course. • The poem in the middle has to do with nature outlasting humanity and even being ‘happy’ that humans are gone because humans are destructive.

2. So what is the main idea of the story? What is Ray Bradbury trying to say to us…to warn us about? Ray Bradbury is trying to say that if we rely too much on technology, and nuclear warfare technology in particular, then the human race is doomed. Technology will end up destroying us somehow, and since we created it, we are essentially responsible for killing off our own kind. Humans are already destructive enough, and technology only makes it worse. And even though technology can outlive humans, as evidenced by the smart house, nature will always outlive everything because nature is stronger and better off without it.

3. Let’s Make a “Found Poem” • A “Found Poem” is constructed from words that already exist in the story: you simply have to find them. • Your “Found Poem’s” main idea needs to match the main idea of Ray Bradbury’s story. • You CAN work with a partner. • You can use the entire story, or a single page. • You cannot use anymore than 3 words in a row. • You must use the words in the order they appear in the story. • Length should be similar to the Sara Teasedale poem that is already in the story.

4. An example from another story Don’t just choose random words. You are connecting it to the story, so you can just put any words together. You have to keep the Main Idea in mind while you choose your words and construct your poem.

5. Once again, your “Found Poem’s” main idea HAS TO be related to the story’s main idea. You will have to explain its connection tomorrow.

6. Mrs. Hiller’s amazing “Found Poem” Blind faces peered at an explosion! Skin snapped like ice. Voices wailed as wires popped. The voices died. Maniac confusion until the rain of fire. The crash. Smoke and silence. The sun rose today. Yes, I know how I can connect this poem to the Main Idea of the story.

7. Day 2—Tasks to Complete • Finish your poem (length similar to the poem in the story) • Write it on a separate piece of notebook paper -The structure of your poem is an important consideration. • Create an appropriate title • Explain in at least 3 sentences how you know your poem connects to the Main Idea of Bradbury’s story • Ray Bradbury is trying to say that if we rely too much on technology, and nuclear warfare technology in particular, then the human race is doomed. Technology will end up destroying us somehow, and since we created it, we are essentially responsible for killing off our own kind. Humans are already destructive enough, and technology only makes it worse. And even though technology can outlive humans, as evidenced by the smart house, nature will always outlive everything because nature is stronger and better off without it. • Be ready to share

8. Your Explanation: Blind faces peered at an explosion! Skin snapped like ice. Voices wailed as wires popped. The voices died. Maniac confusion until the rain of fire. The crash. Smoke and silence. The sun rose today. • Bradbury’s Main Idea with the story is to warn us that we are doomed if we rely too much on technology. This is clearly illustrated in my poem as I use phrases like “blind faces” implying the people are confounded by what is happening: blindness implies unknowing, as if the people had no idea of the damage they were causing by their reliance on technology. As the “wires pop” we know that technology is failing and the onlookers are experiencing a confusion and panic like they’ve never experienced before. At the end, the “smoke and silence” imply all is gone: both technology and humans. Although this seems like a sad outcome, the fact the “sun rose” implies, like Bradbury does in his story, that nature is the most powerful force of all and will, therefore, win out in the end.