Ray BradburyWarnings For The Human Race

JAMES BUSH

Professor Owens

ENG-1102-XTIJ 14/T3

February 15, 2014

What is his Genre?

• Ray Bradbury wrote over 27 novels, and 600 short stories.

• He also wrote poems, essays, plays, and screenplays.

• His writings spanned many genres:• Science Fiction• Mystery• Fantasy• Horror• Young Adult

Warnings?

• A common theme throughout his work is warnings for the human race.

• In his writing, he seems to champion the human spirit and urges us to not fall victim to the tragedies in his stories.

• While he is most famous for his novel Fahrenheit 451, he is most celebrated for his short stories.

There will come soft rains

There will come soft rains

• A short horror fantasy story.

• In a city after an atomic explosion, all that remains is an automated house.

• The house continues its daily routines in a cold and robotic fashion.

• Due to our obsession with war, we have destroyed the world and ourselves.

• Nature reclaims the world, including this advanced and automated house.

the pedestrian

The Pedestrian

• A short fantasy story.

• Set in the not too distant future, our society has become obsessed with staying indoors and watching television.

• In one neighborhood there is a man that does not own a “viewing screen” and enjoys walking outside.

• An automated police car arrests him and takes him to a psychiatric ward because he prefers being outdoors.

• Our addiction to TV could change us into an indoor society that does not appreciate the beautiful world around us.

The Pedestrian

• Ray believes that when we stop reading books and solely watch TV our culture will slowly be destroyed.

The halloween tree

The Halloween tree

• A young adult horror story.

• On Halloween night a group of eight boys are taken on a journey through time by the personification of Death to learn the history of Halloween.

• In order to save their friend, they must each sacrifice one year of their own lives.

• We are warned to remember our past and where our traditions come from.

• We are also warned to be compassionate, and to be aware that death comes for us all.

A Sound of thunder

A Sound of thunder

• A short science fiction story.

• Set in the year 2055, a company for hire will take clients back in time to hunt dinosaurs.

• They warn clients to stay on the path, so that the future will not be changed.

• A client leaves the path and steps on a butterfly, thus drastically changing the future.

• Bradbury’s most important warning so far: any action, no matter how small it may seem, can have a tremendous effect on our future, good or bad.

Take warning

• Regardless of the genre, Bradbury beseeches his readers to avoid the mistakes made in his books:• Nature will always be stronger than technology.• Television and computers should not be a

replacement for books as it will dilute our culture.

• Remember our traditions, they are the backbone of our society.

• Be compassionate, and know that death is not avoidable.

• Our actions, big and small, can have a huge impact on our future.