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Compare And Contrast There Will Come Soft Rains And Alas Babylon

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Albert Einstein once prophesied: “I know not with what weapons World War III will be fought, but World War IV will be fought with sticks and stones.” due to the harmful evolution of technology from wars. In "There will come soft rains" by Ray Bradbury and "Alas, Babylon" by Pat Frank, we follow a timeline where technology leads to human destruction, exploring the theme of technology as a double-edged sword that could either serve and protect humans or destroy them. Literary devices like personification in "There will come soft rains" and imagery- sight, and sound in "Alas Babylon'' are used to convey this idea."

In “There will come soft rains” by Ray Bradbury, there are many instances where the author gives human characteristics to …show more content…

The onset of war between the US and the Soviet Union quickly reduced major cities to rubble, including the small town of Fort Repose. When the protagonist Randy Bragg goes out to evaluate the impact, he states: "The streets were filled with twisted metal, shattered glass, and smoking rubble. The debris of an entire city was piled high in the streets. The debris had a weird radioactive aftermath at night as if it was glowing… I couldn't believe my eyes." (Page 78, Frank). Randy's flabbergasted reaction to the destruction of even a small town like Fort Repose emphasizes the indiscriminate nature of the technology and that the aftermath caused by the weapon is too much to process for anyone’s eyes. The radioactive aftermath of the destruction that is seen by Randy also underscores how the same technology can have long-lasting, damaging effects. Overall, this picture description serves to reinforce the idea that technology is capable of causing devastating amounts of destruction that humans cannot visualize. Although the warheads destroyed most of the electric equipment, old-school ones like radios and Walkie Talkies survived which greatly aided Randy. He states that “The smaller and older equipment survived, and they helped us greatly, they gave us the tiny stroke of hope to hear the melodic voice of a government worker. ” (Page 157, Frank). Randy's appreciation for earlier technologies demonstrates how beneficial even outdated technology can be. In this instance, technology serves the opposite of its destructive aspect by helping mankind. When Randy describes government employees as having a melodic voice, it implies that he and the other residents of Fort Repose are weary of the effects of the war and want the government to assist them.

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