A Sound of Thunder by Ray Bradbury

Ly Nguyen

10/8/15

Per: 4th 

A Sound Of Thunder

                  “A Sound Of Thunder” is a story by Ray Bradbury. A hunter named Eckels pays $10,000 to travel with Time Safari, a time machine company that takes hunters back to hunt Tyrannosaurus Rex. The company guarantees nothing. Eckels and the two other hunters, Billings and Kramer, are to obey their guide, Travis, at all times. Everyone is happy because President Keith has just been elected as a way to escape the present day had Deutscher, the other candidate and potential dictator, lost.

   When Eckels inquires about this particular rule, he is astounded by the gravity of Travis’ response. He draws out the example of killing one mouse and articulates the potential aftershocks of it: “Step on a mouse and you leave your print.” Stepping on a mouse has a much broader reach than Eckels initially thought. The Tyrannosaurus Rex has been carefully  been scouted by Travis on a previous trip the past, where he waited to see when one of the dinousaurs would die.

  In a case of this particular “ monster “, a tree limb was going to fall and kill it. Eckels is paralyzed by fear, and Travis yells at him, telling him to go back the machine and wait. “Like a tone idol, like a mountain avalanche, Tyrannosaurs fell.” They all hear a cracking sound, the tree branch has now fallen on top the dinosaur as had been observed.

  The death of the butterfly has resulted in the future being change. The man responds, “you joking? You know damn well, Deutscher, of course! Who else?.” Travis breath loudly and takes the safety off of his rifle. Suddenly, all Eckels hears is a sound of thunder.

        Ray Bradbury’s story is gripping. Not only are different time periods connected, but all living things are also a part of a connected world. His story help us to see the important of protecting the natural environment, which is an important issue in the world.