1. “There Will Come Soft Rains”, by Ray Bradbury
Setting
functions to relate the entire plot
Becomes the major character in the work
Is the motif through which the theme of technology versus nature is understood
Creates the figurative richness of experience in the absence of human characters or dialogue

2. “There Will Come Soft Rains”
Theme: nuclear war and humanity, technology versus nature
Main Characters: the house, robot mice, robot firefighters, the voice box
Symbols: The house—the last house on earth—shows humanity’s lack of awareness of war’s destruction
Setting: (List)

3. Sara Teasdale: Poem + Thematic connection
Nurse on WWII
Her poem proves that nature will outlast humanity
Nature does not need to care about humanity because they will destroy themselves
Nature= freedom and life; technology = lack of awareness of humanity, and death

4. Contemporary Relevance
What issues face our society today with respect to technological advances both positive and negative?
Imagine that you are composing a story to “warn” future generations of the dangers of technology without human compassion. What issues might you raise?
How does the setting effect the theme of the work?