Comparing My People And August 2026: There Will Come Soft Rains

1040 Words5 Pages

The letter, “My People” by Chief Seattle and the short story “August 2026: There Will Come Soft Rains”, by Ray Bradbury show the different values of the society. In the letter, “My People”, Chief Seattle states how and why he values his people and land over everything else, whereas, in the short story “August 2026: There Will Come Soft Rains”, Ray Bradbury shows how the house is more valued than humanity. Both, “My People” and “August 2026: There Will Come Soft Rains” show how the society reacts to the different aspects of life. This short story “August 2026: There Will Come Soft Rains” tries to make us understand that technology has replaced humans. Any technological entity is capable of carrying out the goals or businesses of humans. We …show more content…

The Chief states, “Our religion is the traditions of our ancestors, the dreams of our old men, given them by the great Spirit, and the visions of our sachems, and is written in the hearts of our people.” This quote shows that the Chief expects the White Chief to respect the religion and traditions of the Native Americans. The Chief also states that the land is sacred to his people due to his ancestors being buried there. He also warns the White Chief that the “dead are not altogether powerless.” Here, the Chief implies that his ancestors are alive, in spirit form. Furthermore, Chief Seattle thinks that the White Chief in Washington “has little need for our friendship.” This is due the amount of followers the White Chief has. The Native Americans are limited in population and wealth. However, the White Chief has plenty of wealth and manpower, and he also offers to buy the land of the Native Americans. The Chief states, “they are like the grass that covers the vast prairies, while my people are few, and resemble the scattering trees of a wind-swept plain.” Clearly, Chief Seattle doubts that the White Chief requires the help of the Native …show more content…

He states, “… the very dust under your feet responds more lovingly to our footsteps than to yours, because it is the ashes of our ancestors.” Here, the Chief states how important the land is to his people and how much he values the spirits of his ancestors. Chief Seattle also sets a condition in response to the White Chief’s offer, which states that his people will be allowed to visit the graves of his ancestors and friends. Chief Seattle warns the White Chief about his values of respecting his dead ancestors. Also, Chief Seattle shows that he greatly values his people due to him believing in his ancestors living in spirit form. In addition, throughout the letter, the Chief talks about his traditions and religion, and how it connects him with his people. This shows that he would rather be with his people rather than becoming an ally and sell his land to the White