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Butterfly Effect in Bradbury's Story

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30 views2 pages

Butterfly Effect in Bradbury's Story

Uploaded by

Rupanjana Das
Copyright
© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

Vol. 4 No.

3 April 2020 E-ISSN: 2456-5571

Butterfly Effect on Ray Bradbury’s Sound of Thunder

[Link]
[Link]. Research Scholar
Kalaimahal College of Arts and Science
Sembanarkoil, Nagapattinam

[Link]
Assistant Professor of English
Kalaimahal College of Arts and Science
Sembanarkoil, Nagapattinam

Introduction fiction short story. It is appears in Bradbury’s collection


Literature is a key to raising awareness, and it introduces TheGolden Apples of the Sun in 1953.
many new things to the world and mold society. So the
method of reading may change, but the study will not Impact of Butterfly Effect in Sound of Thunder
change. In literary history, so many theories emerge, and The core element of the short story explores human
many branches are introduced bythe literature. One of the relationships to ecology and the natural environment.
best ways to understand the complex idea is to make ease Through the device of time travel Bradbury can show the
of chaos theory; the term “Butterfly Effect” created by to potential impact of human interference in the surrounding
attempt just such a thing. This term was coined by Edward on seemingly unrelated events. The theme is that little
Lorenz almost forty-five years ago during the 139th meeting things can make a big difference. This story reminds we of
of the Association for the Advancement of Science. It an idea called the “Butterfly Effect.” Ray Bradbury raises
would prove to be very popular and has been embraced by concerns about technology through his writings. Through
popular culture ever since; themetaphor goes: “Does the the warning given about how small changes in the future
flap of a butterfly is wings in Brazil set off a tornado and the outcome showing that Eckelshas negatively
inTexas?”. Lorenz, he developed the concept but never affected the presented by altering the past, Bradbury
actually intended for it to be applied the way it has all too suggests that technology and time travel are dangerous
commonly used. and destructive and things that shouldn’t pursued.
While it sounds a little ridiculous as a concept, it is not Eckels, the main character of the story, set in 2055,
meant to taken by literally. The butterfly effect- the wealthy enough part of the story, sets in 2055. Wealthy
metaphor is simply meant to demonstrate that less enough to afford the $10,000 price tag for the time travel
insignificant events can lead to significant results over adventures offered by Time [Link] (the sole purpose of
time. The Phrase refers to the idea that a Butterfly’s wings which is to provide the opportunity to shoot rare and non-
might create tiny changes in the atmosphere that may extinct animals, as per its sign). Eckels embarks on a
ultimately after the path of a Tornado, or delay, accelerate journey back to the date, cretaceous period to hunt a
or even prevent the occurrence of a tornado in another Tyrannosaurus Rex. It is a risky endeavor as Eckles learns
location. Ray Bradbury was an American author and that at least six guides and twelve hunters have died on
Screen Writer. He wrote many science fiction and horror the Safaris within the past year. Regardless he promised
fiction. Bradbury once described as “Midwest surrealist” excitement and dinosaurs.
and is often labeled a science fiction writer. So his Bradbury insets an essential plot point into the
imagination and creativities made him one of the best narrative while Eckels is waiting for his expedition to begin.
known. So the short story Sound of Thunder- is a science Through a chat with an employee of Time [Link] about
the recent election, readers learn that the democratic

49 Bodhi International Journal of Research in Humanities, Arts and Science


Vol. 4 No. 3 April 2020 E-ISSN: 2456-5571

candidate Keith prevailed over the fascist and doctoral an incomprehensibly large creature destroyed. Eckels
candidate, Deutscher. Relieved, they quip that everyone want to believe that a small mistake like stepping off the
would be running for the time machine if the election had path could lead to any special changed. His senses all tell
turned out differently. The portion of the story introduced him there are small, almost intangible differences in the
the theme of authoritarianism. The presidential election atmosphere, while the sign confirms that human culture
represents a classic conflict between American democracy has changes as well. The air, smell, color, spelling
and totalitarian regime. The agent’s comment that the systems are different.
company does not conduct “escapes’ foreshadows the
dark political direction; this story will have an inevitability of Conclusion
authoritarianism. Eckels slumps down into a chair and examining his boots,
So the Agent mentions that several clients and Safari examining his boots, finds that he has crushed a tiny
guides have died on the trips and offer Eckels the chance butterfly. Its green gold wings glisten us his mind races
to tear up his Check. Eckels hesitates, his finger twitching, with thoughts of dominoes wondering how something so
nut agent, continues the transactions. The company agent small could change the future. Panicking, he asks the
hands Eckels over to the Safari guide [Link], although company agent election results and learns that Deutscher
it’s unclear whether Eckels has stated that he would like to has now won. The story has many interlocking ideas,
continue on the Safari. The Time Machine begins to flash including the periods of careless with nature, the
backward through the years as the hunters and guides test unpredictability of consequences, and the unseen of every
out their oxygen. Eckles sits stiff and pales life. Sound of Thunder- hinges on the idea that the relation
[Link], fellow guide Lesperance, and two between cause and effect is far more complex than
other hunters. So Eckels control over the situation, Travis humans might like to think. This story anticipates a future
counsels Eckels no shoot for the eyes and into the brain. when humans will be able to meddle with history, and
Through the height of human technology, the hunters demonstrates how futile and misguided such an effort
find themselves amid of a vast and wild natural would be. Bradbury urges readers to raise the questions of
environment. Travis begins a speech emphasizing truth whether some technological advances serve only to
the travelers are now far in the past, listing the historical facilitate human [Link] of Thunder explores the
figures that have not yet been born. At the same time, human relationship to ecology and the natural
Travis demonstrates a firm grasps tremendous unintended environment. This short story thus explores mortality as at
consequences. The guide details a long list of potential once a thrilling source of power, an advertising ploy,
blunders and their effects, such as stepping on one muse inevitability. Even as Eckels finds himself drawn by the
and disturbing an entire future food chain. Travis draws danger and excitement of reversing time to hunt a deadly
between cause and effect. predator, his attempts to survive only lead to his demise.
After the lecture of the guides, they ready to hunt
dinosaurs. Eckels’sencounters with the T-rex inspires in References
him a surprising swell of appreciation for the beauty of 1. [Link]
creation. He admires the footsteps of a giant beast and charaters-flash-cards/
refuses to shoot. The story insists that human beings 2. Bradbury, Ray. A Sound of Thunder. Durkin Hayes
overestimate their power at their peril. In trying to avoid Publishers, 1994. Web.
death, Eckels makes the fatal mistake if interfering with the 3. [Link]
prehistoric wilderness. His error will change their course of 4. [Link]
history. So this hunting program gives bloody memory of thunder/summary/

50 Bodhi International Journal of Research in Humanities, Arts and Science

Common questions

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The theme of human interference with nature in 'A Sound of Thunder' is central to the narrative. The time travel expedition represents human attempts to dominate nature for personal gratification, as seen in their reckless hunting safari in the past. Eckels’s inadvertent killing of a butterfly while in the prehistoric world symbolizes the unforeseen and disastrous effects of tampering with nature. This narrative warns against the oversimplification of ecological dynamics and stresses the complex interrelations that should deter human interference in natural processes .

In 'A Sound of Thunder,' time travel acts as a metaphor for the far-reaching consequences of human decisions. The story intricately weaves time travel into its plot to illustrate how choices, however minor, can ripple through time, impacting the future in unpredictable ways. Eckels's mistake of stepping off the path and crushing a butterfly becomes a metaphor for making irresponsible decisions without considering long-term ramifications, effectively highlighting the narrative's central message about the importance of careful decision-making .

In 'A Sound of Thunder,' the butterfly symbolizes the intricate and interconnected nature of life and the potential consequences of disrupting it. Its accidental death serves as the catalyst for the drastic changes in the future, illustrating the Butterfly Effect literally within the story. The butterfly's delicate existence acts as a metaphor for the fragile balance of the ecosystem and the unforeseen impacts of seemingly inconsequential actions .

Bradbury weaves themes of fate and individual agency into 'A Sound of Thunder' by juxtaposing the predetermined path of history with the immediate, seemingly free-willed actions of the protagonist. While time travel grants the characters agency over when and where they exist, their inability to foresee the full range of consequences stemming from their actions reflects the limits of human intervention. Eckels's fateful decision to step off the path exemplifies the tension between deterministic outcomes and the human belief in free agency, ultimately showing both as influential forces in shaping reality .

The election results in 'A Sound of Thunder' reflect Bradbury's concerns about totalitarian regimes and the fragility of democratic institutions. The initial victory of the democratic candidate opposed to the fascist contender underscores the triumph of democracy over authoritarianism. However, Eckels's actions and the consequential alteration of history leading to the fascist winning postulate the precariousness of such political victories and serve as a cautionary note about the relative ease with which democratic systems can be disrupted .

'A Sound of Thunder' reflects Bradbury's commentary on historical determinism by portraying history as highly susceptible to small disturbances. The narrative questions the rigidity of historical outcomes by showing how a seemingly trivial event, such as the death of a butterfly, can lead to dramatic changes in history, thus challenging deterministic notions that history is fixed and predictable. The story encourages readers to contemplate the randomness of historical events and the potential human influence on them .

'A Sound of Thunder' exemplifies the Butterfly Effect through the plot device of time travel, where small actions in the past have significant impacts on the future. In the story, protagonist Eckels's minor action of stepping off a designated path and crushing a butterfly dramatically alters history, ultimately leading to a fascist leader winning an election instead of the democratic candidate. This illustrates the idea that seemingly insignificant events can lead to substantial future consequences, embodying the metaphor of the Butterfly Effect .

Bradbury critiques technology and time travel in 'A Sound of Thunder' by highlighting their potentially dangerous and destructive consequences. Through Eckels’s time travel misadventures, the story suggests that interference with the past can lead to catastrophic changes in the future. The protagonist's actions demonstrate the potential hubris involved in believing humans can control outcomes using advanced technology, underscoring the unpredictability and potential negative impact of such attempts .

In 'A Sound of Thunder,' the environment is a pivotal element that shapes the narrative's exploration of ecological and temporal interdependence. The prehistoric landscape, teeming with life, serves as a backdrop against which the characters’ actions unfold, highlighting the tension between humanity's technological capabilities and the natural order. The environments of both the ancient past and the altered future emphasize the fragility of ecosystems and the profound impact human actions can have on them .

Eckels's reaction to the Tyrannosaurus Rex in 'A Sound of Thunder' is significant as it marks a turning point in both his journey and the story's thematic development. Initially driven by the thrill of hunting, Eckels becomes overwhelmed by awe and fear upon encountering the living dinosaur. His refusal to shoot underscores his realization of his own vulnerability and the majesty of nature, highlighting the story's critique of human arrogance and foreshadowing his later careless actions that alter history .

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