A Sound Of Thunder

Use these questions or activities to help gauge students’ familiarity with and spark their interest in the context of the work, giving them an entry point into the text itself.

Short Answer

“A Sound of Thunder” was published in 1952. What new types of technology appeared in the 1950s? What are some fears people may have had about these technological innovations?

Teaching Suggestion: Much of Bradbury’s writing deals with the effects of technology, and “A Sound of Thunder,” in which Bradbury explores possible consequences of technology, is no exception. As students consider this question, encourage them to imagine being a parent in the 1950s, when television, cars, and microwaves are somewhat new on the scene. You could draw a comparison to today’s technologies that people may worry about, such as smartphones, video games, or self-driving cars. The main purpose of this question is to introduce students to the fears and negative consequences that can sometimes surround technology (connects with Bradbury’s theme The Danger of Unrestrained Technology).

• This short History Channel video and subsequent article about America in the 1950s gives 50 facts about the US in the 1950s, ranging from pop culture to technology to politics. You may want to show the video before posing the above question to activate student schema. Have students pay specific attention to facts related to technology (which connects to the story’s theme of The Danger of Unrestrained Technology) and government/politics. The article below the video on the same webpage is a great resource for students to research before answering the question.
• This timeline of 1950s inventions contains large and small technologies that entered the scene in the 1950s. Encourage students to focus on one or two of these inventions and speculate on how the public may have responded to them. Guide students to consider possible negative/fearful responses, along with positive ones.
• This “The Future” in the 1950s article discusses inventions of the 1950s along with the futuristic mindset that pervaded the era.

Discussion and Political Research

“A Sound of Thunder” was published seven years after the end of World War II, and in the midst of the Cold War. What do you already know about these two conflicts? How did America as a whole feel about communism at this point in history?

Teaching Suggestion: This question closely links to the first, as both deal with the historical context in which “A Sound of Thunder” was written. The video linked in the “Helpful Links” section above is also relevant. Depending on students’ background knowledge of these conflicts, you may want to have them discuss their answers with a partner first, or give them time to do some research before answering. See the links below for helpful websites for introducing students to this era. The purpose behind this question is for students to become familiar with the fear in the United States surrounding communism and tyrannical leadership when Bradbury wrote “A Sound of Thunder,” since the story deals with political themes such as Nostalgia and the Threat of Fascism.

• Although this article written by the National Endowment of the Arts primarily discusses Fahrenheit 451, Bradbury’s famous novel, it also contains information about the historical context of the 1950s that is relevant to much of Bradbury’s work, including “A Sound of Thunder.”
• This entry from Encyclopedia Britannica on the Cold War is an in-depth article with helpful information about the Cold War conflict that will aid students in understanding the political climate in 1950s America.