There Will Come Soft Rains Question Answers (Important) | ISC Class 12 English Prism Book

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ISC Class 12 English Chapter There Will Come Soft Rains Important Question Answers from Prism book

 

ISC Class 12 English There Will Come Soft Rains Question Answers – Looking for questions and answers for ISC Class 12 English Prism Book Chapter There Will Come Soft Rains? Look no further! Our comprehensive compilation of important questions will help you brush up on your subject knowledge. Practising Class 12 English question answers can significantly improve your performance in the exam. Improve your chances of scoring high marks by exploring ISC Class 12 English Chapter There Will Come Soft Rains now. The questions listed below are based on the latest ISC exam pattern. All the Questions Answers given at the back of the lesson have also been covered. 

 

 

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ISC Class 12 English Chapter There Will Come Soft Rains Textbook Questions

 

ASSIGNMENT

Question 1

Choose the correct options for the following questions:

1. At the beginning of the story, what was the voice-clock afraid of?
(a) It would soon stop working
(b) The house would collapse
(c) Nobody would wake up.
(d) None of the above.
Ans. (c) Nobody would wake up

2. Which of the following did not comprise the breakfast of a single person?
(a) Four slices of bacon
(b) Two boiled eggs
(c) Two perfectly browned toast
(d) Two eggs sunny side up
Ans. (b) Two boiled eggs

3. Why was the house empty?
(a) Its inhabitants had gone out of town
(b) Its inhabitants had died due to the nuclear explosion
(c) Its inhabitants had shifted to a new house
(d) Its inhabitants came there only during the vacation.
Ans. (b) Its inhabitants had died due to the nuclear explosion.

4. Why did the garage doors swing down after opening for sometime?
(a) It was its routine affair to open and close
(b) It opened accidentally and then closed
(c) It closed when no cars were taken out
(d) All of the above.
Ans. (c) It closed when no cars were taken out

5. Which figure of speech is used in the lines given below?
An aluminium wedge scraped them into the sink, where hot water whirled them down a metal throat which digested and flushed them away to the distant sea.
(a) Personification
(c) Simile
(b) Metaphor
(d) Allusion
Ans. (a) Personification

6. The robot mice performed the role of which of the following?
(a) Security guards
(b) House cleaners
(c) Entertainers
(d) All of the above.
Ans. (b) House cleaners

7. Who are referred to in the story as ‘mysterious invaders?
(a) Foxes
(b) Whining cats
(c) Robot mice
(d) All of the above
Ans. (c) Robot mice

8. How are the two statements related?
(I) The five spots of paint remained. The rest was a thin charcoaled layer.
(II) At night the ruined city gave off a radioactive glow which could be seen for miles.
(a) I is the cause of II.
(b) I is the result of II
(c) I and II are the same
(d) I and II are unrelated
Ans. (b) I is the result of II.

9. Which of the following summarises the central idea of the story?
(a) Technology can take over human life.
(b) Machines will take over the world.
(c) Nature will outlast humans and their technology.
(d) Technology can provide all comforts in life.
Ans. (c) Nature will outlast humans and their technology.

10. ‘At ten o’clock the house began to die’ but in a moment it became animated. Why?
(a) The kitchen was ablaze.
(b) There was mechanical rain in the house.
(c) There were twenty snakes on the floor.
(d) The dog had died.
Ans. (a) The kitchen was ablaze.

11. Which of the following is an example of foreshadowing in the story?
(a) …time to get up, seven o’clock as if it were afraid that nobody would.
(b) It repeated the date three times for memory’s sake.
(c) …memory tapes glided under electric eyes.
(d) …the garage chimed and lifted its door.
Ans. (a) …time to get up, seven o’clock as if it were afraid that nobody would.

12. Why did the incinerator glow suddenly?
(a) To get rid of the food waste
(b) To get rid of the dust
(c) To get rid of the dog’s carcass
(d) To blow off the gray leaves
Ans. (c) To get rid of the dog’s carcass

Question 2
Complete the following sentences by providing a reason for each in brief:
1. The voice-clock is afraid that no one will hear because …………………………
Ans. The voice-clock is afraid that no one will hear because the house is empty, and there are no inhabitants to wake up.

2. The author has used sing-song rhymes as the voice-clock sang Tick-tock’, seven o’clock time to get up because ……………………
Ans. The author has used sing-song rhymes as the voice-clock sang ‘Tick-tock’, seven o’clock time to get up because it adds to the eerie, surreal atmosphere of a machine performing its routine for no one.

3. The memory takes repeated the date, August 4, 2026, thrice because ………………
Ans. The memory tapes repeated the date, August 4, 2026, thrice because it was for memory’s sake, as if to ensure the house would not forget a date it deemed important.

4. The time Eight-one’ is repeated in rapid succession thrice by the voice-clock because …………………
Ans. The time ‘Eight-one’ is repeated in rapid succession thrice by the voice-clock because it is a command for the inhabitants to hurry, but with no one there, the repetition sounds desperate and meaningless.

5. Despite repeated announcements by the voice-clock for the inhabitants of the house to go out for work, no movements or footsteps are heard because ………………………
Ans. Despite repeated announcements by the voice-clock for the inhabitants of the house to go out for work, no movements or footsteps are heard because the inhabitants of the house have all died in the nuclear explosion.

6. The door of the garage remained open for a long time and then closed because ………………
Ans. The door of the garage remained open for a long time and then closed because it was waiting for a car to be driven out, but after a long wait, it closed when no one came to get in it.

7. The city emitted a ‘radioactive glow’ that can be seen for miles’ at night because …………………
Ans. The city emitted a ‘radioactive glow’ that can be seen for miles at night because it was a city of rubble and ashes, destroyed by a nuclear bomb.

8. The narrator has described the silhouettes of the McClellan family because ………………
Ans. The narrator has described the silhouettes of the McClellan family because it shows the exact moment of the family’s death and stands as a permanent reminder of the tragedy.

9. The house has closed its doors for the foxes, cats and birds because ……………
Ans. The house has closed its doors for the foxes, cats, and birds because it had an old-maidenly preoccupation with self-protection, as if it were a mechanical paranoia that no outside element should touch it.

10. The robot mice were angry when the dog entered the house because …………………
Ans. The robot mice were angry when the dog entered the house because the dog tracked mud, creating a mess they would have to clean up, which was an inconvenience for them.

11. The narrator of the story has compared the incinerator with the ‘evil Baal’ because ………………
Ans. The narrator of the story has compared the incinerator with the ‘evil Baal’ because it represents a destructive, almost demonic force in the house that consumes all unwanted materials.

12. During the children’s hour, the house put up a digital fresco of animals on the walls of the children’s nursery because …………………………
Ans. During the children’s hour, the house put up a digital fresco of animals on the walls of the children’s nursery because it was part of its pre-programmed routine to entertain the children who were no longer there.

13. The narrator has described the fire as ‘clever’ because ……………………………
Ans. The narrator has described the fire as ‘clever’ because it was able to bypass the house’s defenses, sending a separate flame up to the attic to destroy the brain that directed the water pumps.

14. The author has included Sara Teasdale’s poem verbatim in the story because …………………………
Ans. The author has included Sara Teasdale’s poem verbatim in the story because the poem’s theme of nature’s indifference to humanity’s destruction perfectly mirrors the central idea of the story.

15. After the destruction of the house, the voice-clock announced the beginning of a new day because ………………
Ans. After the destruction of the house, the voice-clock announced the beginning of a new day because it was a machine that was programmed to continue its routine regardless of the destruction around it.

SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS
Answer the questions briefly in about 100-150 words.

1. What is special about the house in the story, There Will Come Soft Rains? What sort of functions it performs?
Ans. The house in There Will Come Soft Rains is a futuristic marvel of technology and automation. It is a fully automated home that performs all the functions of a living household without any human presence. Its special feature is its self-sufficiency and its continued, unwavering routine even after the complete destruction of its inhabitants and the city around it. The house’s functions include waking people up, preparing and cleaning up meals, announcing the date and financial reminders, cleaning with robot mice, opening and closing garage doors for cars, and even providing entertainment and comfort. It also has a sophisticated self-protection system that guards it against intruders and a fire-fighting system to protect itself from fire.

2. Describe briefly how the house is an imitation of the natural world.
Ans. The house is an imitation of the natural world in several ways. The most obvious is its aural landscape. The voices within the house, which are part of its daily routine, are often described in a way that mimics natural sounds. The voice-clock sings, and the breakfast stove gives a hissing sigh. The robot mice, which are the cleaning animals, dart and pop into their burrows. The house’s fire-fighting system is also described in terms of nature: scurrying water rats squeaked and showers of mechanical rain. Even the nursery’s virtual environment imitates nature with sounds of crickets and a purring lion. This imitation of the natural world highlights the eerie contrast between the artificiality of the house’s functions and the desolate, ruined natural world outside.

3. How has the author used the literary device of foreshadowing to hint at inevitable destruction of the house?
Ans. The author uses foreshadowing to hint at the house’s inevitable destruction from the very beginning. The voice-clock, for instance, ‘sang, Tick-tock, seven o’clock…as if it were afraid that nobody would’. This early line subtly suggests the absence of people and hints at a greater tragedy. The constant, repetitive nature of the house’s routines, like the garage door waiting for a car that never comes, builds a sense of unease. The most direct foreshadowing, however, is the poem itself, There Will Come Soft Rains, which speaks of nature’s indifference to humanity’s demise. The poem is read right before the house’s final battle with the fire. The poem’s theme, that nature will outlast and forget humanity, directly foreshadows the house’s ultimate defeat at the hands of a natural force, a falling tree bough, and its ultimate reduction to rubble.

4. Explain the character of the ‘dog’ as depicted in the story.
Ans. The dog in the story serves as a tragic and symbolic character, representing the last vestiges of organic life and the suffering that followed the nuclear catastrophe. It is described as ‘once huge and fleshy, but now gone to bone and covered with sores’, clearly having survived the blast but struggling with its aftermath. The dog’s hysterical yelping and frenzied search for its family reveal its deep-seated loyalty and confusion in the empty house. It is the only character with emotions, reacting with fire in its eyes at the smell of pancakes and biting its tail in a frenzy before it dies. The dog’s death is a poignant moment, signifying the end of all living connections and the house’s sterile, automated existence. It is a powerful symbol of the animal kingdom’s suffering and eventual demise in a world created by human destruction.

5. Explain the use of irony in the story, There Will Come Soft Rains’.
Ans. The story is filled with powerful irony. The central irony is the stark contrast between the house’s life-affirming routines and the death of its inhabitants. The house meticulously prepares breakfast, cleans, and even reads poetry, all for a family that was incinerated in a nuclear blast. The house’s frantic efforts to protect itself from fire are ironic because it is fighting to preserve an empty shell, a monument to a lost civilization, a futile effort. The poem, There Will Come Soft Rains, is also a source of dramatic irony. The voice recites the poem, which is about nature continuing on without humanity, just before the house, a symbol of human technology which is itself destroyed by a natural force like a falling tree bough. This highlights the ironic and tragic reality that the very technology designed to serve humanity will eventually be consumed by the same indifference of nature.

6. What does the ‘rain’ symbolise in the story, There Will Come Soft Rains?
Ans. The symbol of rain in the story represents different things at different points. Initially, the rain is a natural weather event, tapped against the empty house and sung about by the weather box, highlighting the house’s continued operation despite the absence of people. Later, the rain takes a more destructive form. The gentle sprinkler rain from the sprinklers fills the garden with falling light, an artificial attempt to mimic nature’s bounty. The mechanical rain from the fire-fighting systems is a final, desperate, and ultimately futile attempt to save the house from destruction. The title itself, There Will Come Soft Rains, refers to the rain in Sara Teasdale’s poem, which symbolizes nature’s indifference to human existence. The poem suggests that nature will continue its cycles peacefully, even after humanity’s utter destruction, making the natural rain a symbol of a world that moves on without us.

7. Imagine the robotised mice have a human mind. Briefly write what would be going on in their minds once the fire broke out and they rushed to douse the fire.
Ans. If the robot mice had human minds, their thoughts would be a frantic mix of panic, duty, and despair. They would likely feel a sudden, terrifying shift from their calm, repetitive routine to one of chaotic emergency. They would feel a sense of urgent, programmed duty to protect the house, their home, as they scurried and pistolled their water. They would probably be overwhelmed by the sheer scale of the fire, realizing that this was a crisis far beyond their small capacity. They would feel a sense of powerlessness as their water supplies proved inadequate and the fire seemed to mock their efforts. The mice might feel a frantic sense of loyalty to the house, even as they felt the heat snapping at them, trying to save a place that no longer held any true life. Their final thoughts might be ones of failure and defeat as they, too, are consumed by the inferno.

LONG ANSWER QUESTIONS
Answer the questions briefly in about 200-250 words.

1. Do you think that the house is the main character of the story? Justify your answer.
Ans. Yes, the house is the main character of the story. It is the central focus of the narrative, and the plot revolves entirely around its existence, functions, and ultimate destruction. The story begins by introducing the house as an entity with its own personality and voice, which sang and was afraid that nobody would. This use of personification gives the house human-like qualities. We follow its day from dawn to dusk, observing its meticulous, almost obsessive routines, such as preparing breakfast, cleaning with robot mice, and providing entertainment. The house’s actions, from its old-maidenly preoccupation with self-protection to its frantic battle with the fire, give it a distinct will and purpose. The conflict of the story is the house’s struggle for survival against the overwhelming force of nature, the fire that starts from a fallen tree branch.

2. With the help of supporting evidence from the short story, ‘There Will Come Soft Rains’, explain how the house tries to put the fire? How does it reflect the theme of Nature vs Technology?
Ans. When the fire breaks out, the house’s self-preservation systems activate in a desperate attempt to put it out. The house screams “Fire!” and lights flash. Water shot from the ceilings and scurrying water rats squeaked from the walls, pistolled their water, and ran for more. The wall sprays release showers of mechanical rain in a chaotic effort to extinguish the flames. When this initial response fails, the house deploys reinforcements from the attic, where blind robot faces gush a green chemical to fight the fire. This battle reflects the theme of Nature vs. Technology. The fire, which starts from a natural cause like a falling tree bough, is the force of nature, untamed and powerful. The house, with all its automated systems, is the embodiment of human technology. Initially, the technology seems to have the upper hand, but the fire is described as clever and manages to destroy the attic brain that controls the pumps. The fire feeds on the house’s components, turning human-created art into black shavings. In the end, the house’s skeleton cringes from the heat, and its voices die one by one, symbolizing technology’s ultimate defeat by the raw, unthinking power of nature.

3. Do you think ‘There Will Come Soft Rains’ is an appropriate title for the story by Ray Bradbury? Justify your answer.
Ans. The title There Will Come Soft Rains is profoundly appropriate for the story, acting as a perfect summary of its central theme. The title is taken from a poem by Sara Teasdale that the house’s voice recites. The poem contrasts the indifference of nature with the self-destruction of humanity. It states that even if mankind were to perish utterly, nature represented by the soft rains, swallows, and robins, would continue on without noticing. The story itself is an extended illustration of this very idea. The automated house, a testament to human technology, is ultimately destroyed by a force of nature like a falling tree branch and the subsequent fire. The house’s frantic, mechanical struggles are rendered meaningless by the serene, uncaring rhythm of the outside world, which is still experiencing rain and the rising sun. The title highlights the powerful irony that technology, which was meant to serve humanity, is unable to survive without it, while the natural world, which humanity sought to dominate, remains utterly unaffected by its demise.

4. The story ‘There Will Come Soft Rains’ was written by Ray Bradbury in 1905 at a time when technology was not so advanced. Comparing the advancement in technology, especially Artificial Intelligence (AI), how far do you think has Ray Bradbury succeeded in portraying a world seven decades earlier?
Ans. Considering the story was written in 1950, Ray Bradbury’s predictions about the year 2026 are remarkably prescient. He succeeded in portraying a world with advanced home automation that is surprisingly similar to our current reality. The house’s features, such as voice-activated clocks, automated meal preparation, and robot cleaning devices, are all concepts that we are now very familiar with through smart homes, virtual assistants like Alexa and Google Home, and robotic vacuums. The idea of a smart house that handles daily chores and responds to verbal commands is a core part of modern technological ambition. Bradbury’s portrayal of a house that communicates and has a schedule is a clear precursor to today’s AI-driven systems. However, he also envisioned a level of autonomy and self-sufficiency that we have not yet fully achieved. Our smart homes still require human input and maintenance, and a house running for a month without any human contact is still a work of science fiction. Nevertheless, the fundamental idea of a highly automated, AI-managed home was a powerful and accurate prediction of our technological trajectory.

5. We are nearly in the year 2026. How far are Ray Bradbury’s predictions true?
Ans. As of today, we are very close to the year 2026, and many of Ray Bradbury’s predictions have become a reality, while others remain science fiction. The most accurate prediction is the rise of highly automated, voice-controlled homes. We have devices that sing songs, give us the time, remind us of our schedules, and perform a wide range of tasks. Robot vacuum cleaners, automated lights, and smart appliances are common in many households. The idea of a house responding to its inhabitants and performing tasks without a human touch is now a commercial reality. However, the level of complete autonomy portrayed in the story, where a house functions perfectly for a long period without any human intervention, is still beyond our current technology. Our smart homes, while convenient, are not yet fully self-sufficient or capable of the advanced repairs and self-defense mechanisms the McClellan house possessed. Furthermore, we haven’t created robot mice that can clean and incinerate waste with such efficiency. So, while Bradbury accurately predicted the direction of home automation and AI, the full extent of his vision has not yet been realized.

6. Briefly describe the nuclear explosion and its aftermath. Base this description on the hints given in the story.
Ans. The story describes the aftermath of a nuclear explosion through subtle but powerful hints. The event itself is not shown, but its consequences are everywhere. The most direct evidence is the ‘radioactive glow’ that the ruined city gives off at night, which can be seen for miles. The entire city is described as ‘rubble and ashes’, with only the one house left standing. The exact moment of the explosion is immortalized on the west wall of the house, where the silhouettes of the McClellan family are burned into the charred wood. These ghostly images, a man mowing, a woman picking flowers, and two children playing, suggest that the family was vaporized in an instant, a ‘titanic instant’ of intense heat and light. The remnants of the family, a dog, later appears ‘gone to bone and covered with sores’, a clear indication of a living creature that survived the initial blast but is suffering from its effects. The story paints a picture of total and instant destruction, followed by a silent, desolate world where only a machine continues its futile routine.

ISC Class 12 English Chapter There Will Come Soft Rains Extra Question and Answers

Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)

Q1. The story begins on the morning of _________, 2026.
A. August 4
B. July 4
C. August 1
D. September 4
Ans. A. August 4

Q2. The city where the story is set is _________, California.
A. Sacramento
B. Los Angeles
C. Allendale
D. San Francisco
Ans. C. Allendale

Q3. The house read a poem by Sara Teasdale titled “There Will Come Soft Rains” which was the favorite of _________.
A. the children
B. Mr. Featherstone
C. Mrs. McClellan
D. Tilita
Ans. C. Mrs. McClellan

Q4. The silhouettes of the family were burned into the _________ of the house.
A. front door
B. kitchen stove
C. charred west side
D. nursery floor
Ans. C. charred west side

Q5. A dog, once huge and fleshy but now covered with sores, whined on the front porch and eventually _________ in the parlor.
A. ate a meal
B. died
C. played with the mice
D. barked at the doors
Ans. B. died

Q6. After the dog’s death, the regiments of robot mice removed its body and dropped it into an _________ in the cellar.
A. incinerator
B. empty tub
C. kitchen sink
D. trash can
Ans. A. incinerator

Q7. The fire in the house was started by a falling tree bough that shattered a bottle of _________ over the stove.
A. milk
B. cleaning solvent
C. coffee
D. cooking oil
Ans. B. cleaning solvent

Q8. At nine-five, a voice from the study ceiling asks for a poem preference from _________, but the house is silent.
A. Mr. Featherstone
B. Tilita
C. the children
D. Mrs. McClellan
Ans. D. Mrs. McClellan

Q9. The poem read aloud by the house is by _________ and is titled “There Will Come Soft Rains.”
A. Robert Frost
B. Sara Teasdale
C. Emily Dickinson
D. Walt Whitman
Ans. B. Sara Teasdale

Q10. At the very end of the story, only _________ of the house was left standing, repeating the date over and over.
A. the front door
B. one wall
C. the cellar
D. the roof
Ans. B. one wall

Extract-Based Questions

Answer the following extract-based questions.
A.
In the living room the voice-clock sang, Tick-tock, seven o’clock, time to get up, time to get up, seven o’clock! as if it were afraid that nobody would. The morning house lay empty. The clock ticked on, repeating and repeating its sounds into the emptiness. Seven-nine, breakfast time, seven-nine!
In the kitchen the breakfast stove gave a hissing sigh and ejected from its warm interior eight pieces of perfectly browned toast, eight eggs sunny side up, sixteen slices of bacon, two coffees, and two cool glasses of milk.
“Today is August 4, 2026,” said a second voice from the kitchen ceiling, “in the city of Allendale, California.” It repeated the date three times for memory’s sake. “Today is Mr. Featherstone’s birthday. Today is the anniversary of Tilita ́s marriage. Insurance is payable, as are the water, gas, and light bills.”

Q1. What time does the voice-clock sing to wake people up?
Ans. The voice-clock sings at seven o’clock to wake people up.

Q2. What food items does the breakfast stove prepare?
Ans. The breakfast stove prepares eight pieces of toast, eight eggs sunny side up, sixteen slices of bacon, two coffees, and two cool glasses of milk.

Q3. What city and state is the story set in?
Ans. The story is set in the city of Allendale, California.

Q4. What important dates does the voice from the kitchen ceiling announce?
Ans. The voice announces that it is Mr. Featherstone’s birthday and the anniversary of Tilita’s marriage.

Q5. Besides the important dates, what other information does the voice announce?
Ans. The voice announces that insurance, water, gas, and light bills are all payable.

B.
Somewhere in the walls, relays clicked, memory tapes glided under electric eyes.
Eight-one, tick-tock, eight-one o’clock, off to school, off to work, run, run, eight-one! But no doors slammed, no carpets took the soft tread of rubber heels. It was raining outside. The weather box on the front door sang quietly: “Rain, rain, go away; umbrellas, raincoats for today. ..” And the rain tapped on the empty house, echoing.
Outside, the garage chimed and lifted its door to reveal the waiting car. After a long wait the door swung down again.
At eight-thirty the eggs were shrivelled and the toast was like stone. An aluminium wedge scraped them into the sink, where hot water whirled them down a metal throat which digested and flushed them away to the distant sea. The dirty dishes were dropped into a hot washer and emerged twinkling dry.
Nine-fifteen, sang the clock, time to clean.
Out of warrens in the wall, tiny robot mice darted. The rooms were a crawl with the small cleaning animals, all rubber and metal. They thudded against chairs, whirling their moustached runners, kneading the rug nap, sucking gently at hidden dust Then, like mysterious invaders, they popped into their burrows Their pink electric eyes faded. The house was clean.

Q1. What time did the house call out for people to go to school and work?
Ans. The house called out for going off to school, off to work at eight-one o’clock.

Q2. What did the weather box on the front door sing?
Ans. The weather box sang, ‘Rain, rain, go away; umbrellas, raincoats for today…’

Q3. What happened to breakfast at eight-thirty?
Ans. At eight-thirty, the eggs were shriveled and the toast was like stone, and they were scraped into the sink and flushed away.

Q4. What did the clock sing at nine-fifteen?
Ans. At nine-fifteen, the clock sang, ’time to clean’.

Q5. What emerged from the warrens in the wall to clean the house?
Ans. Tiny robot mice made of rubber and metal emerged from the walls to clean the house.

Extra Questions

SHORT QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

Q1. Describe the daily routine of the house at the beginning of the story.
Ans. At the beginning of the story, the house has a very precise and automated daily routine. At seven o’clock, a voice-clock wakes up the family, even though no one is there. In the kitchen, an automated stove prepares a full breakfast for two people. The house also announces the date, important events like birthdays and anniversaries, and bills that are due. It then calls for people to go to school and work. Later in the morning, tiny robot mice emerge from the walls to clean the entire house. This routine continues perfectly, completely unaware that the family is gone. The house is a symbol of technology continuing its purpose even after humanity has vanished.

Q2. What happened to the family that lived in the house, and how do we know this?
Ans. The family that lived in the house was instantly vaporized by a nuclear blast. We know this because of the striking and tragic silhouettes burned onto the charred west wall of the house. These images show the exact moment they were caught in the explosion. The silhouettes are of a man mowing a lawn, a woman picking flowers, a small boy with his hands in the air, and a little girl reaching for a ball. The rest of the house’s west side is covered in a black, charcoaled layer. These five spots of paint are the only physical reminders of the family that once lived there.

Q3. What role does the dog play in the story?
Ans. The dog’s arrival and death serve to highlight the complete absence of human life and the cold, mechanical efficiency of the house. The dog, once healthy, is now a bony, sick animal covered in sores. It comes to the house, an animal seeking its masters, but finds only an automated system that continues its routines. The dog becomes hysterical, running wildly and barking at the empty doors. It is a living being whose emotions and desperate search for its family cannot be understood by the house’s technology. After it dies, the house’s robot mice simply clean up its body and dispose of it in the incinerator, treating the dog’s death as just another mess to be cleaned.

Q4. Explain the significance of the poem “There Will Come Soft Rains” by Sara Teasdale. Why is it included in the story?
Ans. The poem is read aloud by a voice in the study on the final night. It is a powerful symbol of nature’s indifference to humanity’s destruction. The poem describes how soft rains, swallows, and wild plum trees will continue their natural cycles even if mankind perished utterly. Its inclusion in the story is deeply ironic. The house, a creation of man, continues to serve and function for a family that no longer exists, but the poem reminds us that nature itself is not mourning humanity. The house’s technological routine is a fragile reminder of humanity, but the natural world will simply go on without us, and the poem highlights this important theme.

Q5. Describe the final moments of the house. What caused its destruction, and how did it try to save itself?
Ans. The house’s destruction begins suddenly when a falling tree branch crashes through a kitchen window, shattering a bottle of cleaning solvent over the stove. The solvent instantly ignites, and a fire quickly spreads. The house’s automated systems react immediately, with voices screaming “Fire!” and water spraying from the ceilings. It tries to save itself by closing doors and sending out twenty blind robot faces that gush green chemical foam to kill the flames. But the fire is too clever. It moves outside and destroys the attic’s control system for the pumps. Without its brain and water supply, the house is overwhelmed. The fire consumes everything, and the house eventually collapses into a pile of rubble.

LONG QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

Q1. What is the central irony of the story and how does the house itself represent this irony?
Ans. The central irony of There Will Come Soft Rains is the contrast between advanced technology’s complete indifference and its unwavering devotion to a human family that no longer exists. The house is a perfect example of this. It is a marvel of automation and convenience, designed to serve a family’s every need. It cooks breakfast, cleans itself with robot mice, and provides entertainment in the nursery. Yet, it continues to perform these tasks with mechanical precision even though the family was incinerated in a nuclear blast. This creates a deeply unsettling feeling. The house’s programming is so rigid and dedicated to a human schedule that it cannot comprehend the absence of its owners. It calls out for a family that is gone, prepares meals that will never be eaten, and even requests a poem for Mrs. McClellan who will never reply. The house represents the ultimate failure of technology to save humanity, but also its inability to stop. It continues its routine as a ghost of domesticity in a dead world. This highlights the story’s main message: technology can outlast humanity, but without humans, its purpose is meaningless.

Q2. Describe the symbolic significance of the five silhouettes on the west wall of the house.
Ans. The five silhouettes on the charred west wall of the house hold immense symbolic significance. They are the only visual evidence of the family that once lived there. These images, a man mowing a lawn, a woman picking flowers, a boy with his hands in the air, a girl with her hands raised to catch a ball, and the image of a thrown ball, capture a single, frozen moment of everyday life. This scene is a powerful symbol of innocence, peace, and domestic happiness. It represents the very thing that was destroyed in the nuclear blast. The silhouettes are not just pictures; they are the ghost images of the family, burned into the wall at the moment of their death. Their presence highlights the abruptness of the tragedy and the immense loss. The fact that the rest of the house’s exterior is a ‘thin charcoaled layer’ further emphasizes that these images are the only things left to remember the family by. They serve as a poignant and silent memorial, a haunting reminder of the humans whose absence makes the automated house so chilling.

Q3. Explain the relationship between the natural world and the technological world as depicted in the story. How does the poem reflect this theme?
Ans. The story presents a clear and chilling contrast between the natural world and the technological world. The natural world, despite being affected by the nuclear disaster with a radioactive glow and charred landscapes, continues to exist and function. The sun still rises, the wind blows, and a stray dog still wanders. Nature is portrayed as a powerful and indifferent force. The house, on the other hand, represents the technological world, which is highly organized and self-contained but ultimately fragile. It is designed to shut out the natural world and protect its human inhabitants. The house’s death is started not by a huge blast but by a simple act of nature: a falling tree branch. This shows that despite all its advanced defenses, the house is no match for the randomness and power of the natural world. This theme is perfectly captured by the poem There Will Come Soft Rains. The poem describes a serene natural world after humanity is gone. Birds sing, frogs sing, and spring continues. The poem’s central message is that nature would not even notice if mankind perished utterly. It would go on, indifferent and beautiful. This powerful message directly mirrors the events in the story, where the natural world continues while the technological house and its human creators are gone.

Q4. How does the story use personification to make the house seem like a living character?
Ans. Ray Bradbury uses personification throughout the story to make the house seem like a living character with its own thoughts, feelings, and actions. The house is not just a building; it is a meticulous, self-protective entity. The narrator describes the house’s ‘old-maidenly preoccupation with self-protection which bordered on a mechanical paranoia’. The house ‘quivered’ at each sound and even felt ‘angry at inconvenience’ when the dog tracked mud. The stove ‘gave a hissing sigh’ as it made breakfast. The house’s voices are not just robotic announcements; they ‘sing’ with an almost cheerful, yet haunting, rhythm. When the fire began, the house ‘screamed’ and ‘tried to save itself’. Its pumps ‘shrugged to a stop’, and its skeleton-like structure ‘cringed from the heat’. The voices of the house are compared to ‘children dying in a forest, alone, alone’. This extensive use of personification creates a powerful emotional connection with the house, making its death feel tragic. It blurs the line between human and machine, suggesting that the house has absorbed a semblance of life from the family it once served.

Q5. Describe the various forms of technology and automation in the house and what their ultimate fate reveals about the fragility of advanced systems.
Ans. The house is filled with a variety of advanced technologies that perform all the functions of daily life. The voice-clock sings out the time, the kitchen stove automatically prepares meals, and tiny robot mice clean the floors. A weather box on the door sings about the day’s weather, and a garage door automatically opens for a car that never leaves. The house also has sophisticated entertainment systems, such as the nursery walls that display vibrant jungle scenes, and a mechanism that reads poetry aloud. All these technologies work perfectly, fulfilling their programmed tasks, even in the complete absence of humans. Their ultimate fate, however, reveals the fragility of these advanced systems. The fire, started by a simple, random event like a falling tree branch, overwhelms the house’s self-protective mechanisms. The pumps and water supply fail, the cleaning mice are incinerated, and the attic’s control system is shattered by an explosion. The fire consumes the technology itself, melting wires and shattering circuits. This shows that despite their complexity and dedication, these systems are not truly indestructible. Their reliance on power and specific components makes them vulnerable. In the end, the only thing that remains is one last voice repeating the date, trapped in a single standing wall, a final, futile echo of a once-perfect technological world.

 

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