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A Sound of Thunder

by Ray Bradbury

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What motivates Eckels to go on the safari into the past?

Quick answer:

Eckels is motivated by the thrill of experiencing the ultimate safari adventure: traveling back in time to hunt a Tyrannosaurus Rex. His motivations include a combination of ego, as he underestimates the dangers involved, and a genuine sense of wonder and awe at the concept of time travel. Despite warnings about the risks, Eckels is driven by the romantic allure of the adventure and the prestige of hunting such a fearsome creature.

Expert Answers

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Eckels is a man with money to spare who wishes to consume the ultimate safari experience of traveling into the far distant past to shoot an animal far more fearsome than a lion or a tiger. He wants to bag a Tyrannosaurus Rex.

Eckels has a high self-opinion and underestimates what he is getting himself into. When the safari official tries to warn him that he could be killed because this is a risky hunt, Eckels is offended and reacts as follows:

"Eckels flushed angrily. 'Trying to scare me!'”

Beyond the thrill of killing a T-rex, Eckels feels the romantic pull of time travel. He is taken in by the description of traveling backwards in the advertising brochure and experiences a deep sense of wonder as he looks at the time machine. His motivations may be unrealistic, and he might underestimate the dangers, but his motives are not entirely ego-driven. He does have a childlike sense awe at the idea of time travel.

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