“The Veldt” and “There Will Come Soft Rains”

“The Veldt” was a familiar reminder of the dystopian novel that is so characteristic of Ray Bradbury. Fahrenheit 451 was my first introduction to Bradbury in high school, and The Veldt seems to be a further extension of the danger and dread that can come with the evolution of technology. Burning books and the abandonment of connection to the real world. I thought the Veldt was extremely engaging, once I started reading I got an instant sense of foreboding and couldn’t stop going until the grisly conclusion. Similarly, “There Will Come Soft Rains” produced an even more unsettling picture of a complete immersion in technology. The too-smart house was presented as a life force, fighting to preserve itself until its last breath was snuffed out by the fire. Seeing technology that autonomous is unsettling, especially looking at it through the lense of death. The dog’s death was a minor part of the story but left an eerie impression in my mind. Here, an organic life force, was so quickly abandoned and disposed of by the smart house… it definitely causes one to stop and think — and feel surrounded. If we are not careful, we might be consumed by the very innovation we so strive to create. I believe that is what Bradbury’s ultimate message is, and his delivery is scarily effective. #dgst101