The Butterfly Effect In Ray Bradbury's A Sound Of Thunder

Words: 430
Pages: 2

If you were to travel back in time, would your actions then affect the present day? In the year 2055, a company has created a way to travel back in time to hunt prehistoric beasts. Here, Bradbury introduces Eckels, the nervous protagonist. Later, on they travel to the past to hunt a dinosaur with Mr. Travis, the guide, and two other hunters. However, while on safari, Eckels steps of the path into the forbidden and changes the future. In “A Sound of Thunder”, Ray Bradbury explores the dangers and rippling effects of time travel.
Bradbury’s story is his articulation on the interconnectivity of the past, present, and future. The butterfly effect is a term coined by Edward Lorenz, a meteorologist, who discussed the possibility that a small action can cause a larger effect. ( 2
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There is an external conflict between Eckles and nature. (2 explaining sentences). When Eckles made that first step off the path he started the domino effect that would cause man’s downfall. Travis explains explains the chain reaction of events: “For want of ten mice, a fox dies. For want of ten foxes a lion starves...infinite billions of life forms are thrown into chaos and destruction”(Bradbury, 4). (1 explaining sentence). Eckles affected the course of the environment to the point that the air is tainted. (2 explaining sentences). "Eckels stood smelling of the air...senses warned him it was there”(Bradbury, 10). In brief, Eckles careless mistake caused a butterfly effect that altered elements in time. Bradbury’s story is his articulation on the interconnectivity of the past, present, and future. The butterfly effect is a popular occurrence when it comes to time travel to give warning of the potential damage. We can see some of the major changes that occurred in his world from Eckels’ perspective. Altering time can have potentially damaging effects which is why it should be