Drones In Ray Bradbury's Short Story 'A Sound Of Thunder'

Drones: Not Even Remotely Safe Technology. Ancient people would never imagined the type of technology people use today. It makes tasks easier and more efficient, however, at times some people misuse this technology. In his short story “A Sound of Thunder,” Ray Bradbury demonstrates this idea of utilizing technology through harmful means with the reckless usage of a time machine. Even though Bradbury writes of a technology that has not yet been invented, his idea still stands today. Drones are one of the many new technologies that are treated in the same way as Bradbury’s time machine. They have high potential to be helpful, but are being handled in irresponsible ways. Ray Bradbury portrays his belief that helpful technology can be destructively misused through the abuse of a time machine, which can relate to the modern world's technology of drones. Bradbury creates a time machine that seems wonderful, but it results in dangerous consequences. The explorers first see the wonder of the time machine when they are about to embark on their journey to the prehistoric age. They experience many mixed feelings, including excitement, curiosity, and nervousness. Their first sight of the time machine was when they “[…] glanced across the vast office at a mass and tangle, a snaking and humming of wires and steel boxes, at an aurora that flickered now orange, now silver, now blue. There was a sound like a gigantic bonfire burning all of Time, all the years and all the parchment calendars, all the hours piled high and set aflame” (Bradbury 1). Through the time machine, Bradbury juxtaposes danger versus wonder to portray the main mood, for he uses diction like “tangle,” “snaking,” and “humming” to create an eerie and suspenseful mood. However, this dominant mood is offset by the underlying mood. The diction of “aurora” and “flickered” create an underlying mood of mysterious and whimsical. These two moods can be put side-by-side to create a feeling of wanting to get in the time machine while ignoring the danger at risk. Also, there is a simile present comparing a bonfire to the sound the time machine is making. This simile is demonstrating what the time machine is about to do: bring the explorers back in time, while erasing all time after. The simile turns fire into a symbol as well. Fire can symbolize many things, but in this case it is symbolizing rebirth and danger. As the fire is burning or reversing time, the prehistoric age is being reborn. Fire is also symbolizing the danger that the explorers’ journey could behold. Time is a very dangerous thing to mess with and a simple thing could impact the future greatly. Bradbury conveys this significance through the actions of one of the explorers, Eckels. Eckels accidentally steps off of the path when he runs back to the time machine and steps on a butterfly. Because of this, everything is different when the explorers return to the future, including the president, the office, and the atmosphere. Eckels did not realize what he had done until “[the butterfly] fell to the floor, an exquisite thing, a small thing that could upset balances and knock down a line of small dominoes and then big dominoes and then gigantic dominoes, all down the years across Time” (Bradbury 10). Bradbury conveys his message through the use of such a delicate creature. He creates a metaphor comparing the domino effect to the butterfly’s impact in society. As each year or domino passes, entire generations and ancestors from the single butterfly are non-existent. The most subtle changes have occurred when the explorers return because of the butterfly. Even though the creature is so innocent, Bradbury makes his message clear of the consequences that such careless events can lead to. Bradbury’s point also applies in the world today through the abuse of drones. Drones are an effective technology, but are being handled in inappropriate ways such as drone delivery …show more content…
Many technologies besides drones are used incorrectly all the time to bring harm to others. People irresponsibly control a technology in ways that it was not meant to be used. Hopefully, one day technology will be used to only help make people's lives