A Sound of Thunder Cover Image

A Sound of Thunder

by Ray Bradbury

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What are the exposition, rising action, falling action, and resolution in "A Sound of Thunder"?

Quick answer:

The exposition introduces Eckel, who travels back in time to hunt dinosaurs. The rising action involves warnings about the dangers and potential future alterations. The climax occurs when Eckel panics and steps off the path upon seeing a Tyrannosaurus Rex. The falling action reveals changes in the present, sparked by Eckel's actions, such as different spellings and a new president. The story ends unresolved, highlighting the "butterfly effect."

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“The Sound of Thunder” is a short story about time travel. The protagonist, Eckel, wants to go back in time to hunt dinosaurs. A company provides this possibility and the experience of a lifetime. Their advertisement says it all:

TIME SAFARI, INC.
SAFARIS TO ANY YEAR IN THE PAST. YOU NAME THE ANIMAL.
WE TAKE YOU THERE.
YOU SHOOT IT.

After a bit of thinking, Eckel decides to give it a try, but the person behind the counter warns him that he should not think that the hunt will be a walk in the park. There are real dangers. He says,

"Six Safari leaders were killed last year, and a dozen hunters. We're here to give you the severest thrill a real hunter ever asked for. Traveling you back sixty million years to bag the biggest game in all of Time. Your personal check's still there. Tear it up."

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"Six Safari leaders were killed last year, and a dozen hunters. We're here to give you the severest thrill a real hunter ever asked for. Traveling you back sixty million years to bag the biggest game in all of Time. Your personal check's still there. Tear it up."

Mr. Eckels looked at the check. His fingers twitched.

The greatest danger is the possibility of changing the future. Eckel must not stray from the path and must follow all instructions. Here is what the guide says:

We don't want to change the Future. We don't belong here in the Past. The government doesn't like us here. We have to pay big graft to keep our franchise. A Time Machine is finicky business. Not knowing it, we might kill an important animal, a small bird, a roach, a flower even, thus destroying an important link in a growing species.

All of this is the rising tension, and there is an ominous feeling. And then along comes the great dinosaur, the Tyrannosaurus Rex. This is the climax of the story. When Eckel sees it, he, in panic, runs off the path. The guides are so furious with him that they want to leave him. They do not; however, when Eckel arrives back home, he notices that certain things are out of place. Words are spelled differently, and there is a new president. This is when he sees that there is a crushed butterfly on his shoes.

The falling action takes place when Eckel is back home and things are different. That said, the story ends with the reader guessing what will happen. So, the action rises again without resolution, because what we call “the butterfly effect” is introduced.

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