‘All summer in a Day’ by Ray Bradbury | Review notes

All Summer in a Day by Ray Bradbury: summary, notes, questions and answers.

Introduction

Ray Bradbury is considered as one of world’s greatest science fiction writers. “All Summer in a Day” takes place on the planet Venus in a future world where people have come to live and set up a colony. Venus, the second planet from the sun in our solar system is actually very hot and dry – and has no water.

Bradbury wrote the story in 1959; this was during the period when the US and the Soviet Union wee engaged in a space race to see who would reach the moon first and would make space travel a reality. Nine years after this story was written, the United States made the first moon landing, and people started believing that someday spaceships would go to Mars and other planets.

Summary of the Story

Version 1:

Bullying
‘All summer in a Day’ by Ray Bradbury is a story set on the planet Venus; it’s about a girl named Margot, who is bullied by her classmates because she is from Earth and the others are from Venus. Margot, who claims to have seen the sun before, is bullied by the other kids, who think she is lying. On Venus, it rains incessantly for seven years, and the sun comes out just for a day and that too for a couple of hours, so the rest of the kids have never seen the sun before. Margot is shut in a closet by the other kids, and misses those two hours of sunshine that she was desperately looking forward to.

In the story, the author highlights the issue of bullying, which is commonplace in schools around the world. The children target Margot for bullying because she looked pale, and didn’t play or sing with the others; she was unlike others. The kids were also jealous of her because she claimed to have seen the sun, which others hadn’t because they were born on Venus, where the sun comes out only once in seven years. All the kids gang up against Margot, who continues to endure the harassment all by herself. The kids, displaying their insensitivity, lock Margot in a closet, and totally forget about her when the sun is out, which they were joyfully experiencing for the first time in life. Soon they realize that Margot was speaking the truth and feel ashamed for their actions which resulted in Margot missing the sunshine.

The story reveals the murkier side of human nature that can be seen even in children. Human beings, in general, distrust those who look different from the herd, and a similar trait is observed in children as well. Bullying is increasingly being observed in schools, and the children exhibiting these traits do it for various reasons: to get a sense of superiority, because of pure jealousy, or they themselves might be facing abuse back at home. For kids at the receiving end, bullying can cause severe trauma in them, they may develop inferiority, become more aggressive, and in worst cases it can turn fatal too. Parents and teachers should always be on the lookout for signs of bullying: is any kid unable to cope with studies, fears going to the school, sulks a lot. The kid should be encouraged to freely talk about the abuse to teacher and to parents, and more importantly steps should be taken to set them right at the earliest. In the story, it’s indeed heartening to see the kids show remorse for their malicious actions. However, it’s better to be safe than sorry, and bullies should be made to realize this through proper counselling.

Version 2:

‘All summer in a Day’ by Ray Bradbury is a fantasy about a child named Margot, who is bullied by her classmates because she is from Earth and the rest are from Venus. The story gives a futuristic view of life on Venus, where it continuously rains for seven years and the sun comes out only for a day and that too for just a couple of hours. Margot, who is the only one in her class to have seen the sun before, is bullied by others, who think she is lying as they have never seen the sun before. They shut Margot in a closet just when the sun is about to come out, and she misses those two hours of sunshine that occurs every seven years on Venus.

In the story, the children single out Margot for bullying, for a couple of reasons. First, she looks a bit different from the rest and did not mix with others. She did not play with them, not sang songs of happiness with them. Secondly, they felt jealous of her because she was from Earth and would claim to have seen the sun, which none of them had seen. Because of these reasons, the children were mean and insensitive towards Margot. On the suggestion of William, the children lock her in a closet, and totally forget about her as they have fun and frolic in the warmth of the sun, which they all were experiencing for the first time. Suddenly, they realize that whatever Margot had said was true, and they finally get her out of the closet, feeling ashamed for their actions.
The story explores the darker side of human nature that manifests even in children as they bully Margot simply because they think she is different from the rest. Although the children make Margot suffer, the author ends on a hopeful note as the kids show remorse for their cruel actions.

Bullying is common in schools across the world, and in worst cases it can be fatal. There could be several reasons why children turn bullies: some may be facing abuse themselves at home, others may do it to get a sense of superiority or if they feel threatened, in which case they target victims who are perceived as weaker, or different. Sometimes, it could be because of pure jealousy.

Bullying leaves a lasting mark on children as they become old, Victims may shy away from the crowd and develop an inferiority complex. Repeated bullying may also make them aggressive and prone to lashing out. Parents can check for signs of bullying by checking if they have trouble coping with studies, by paying attention to their drawings, and if they are showing reluctance to go to school. Encourage your child to talk to teacher and to parents, and more importantly spot the signs and step in before things get out of hand.

Question and Answers

Question: How often does the sun shine on Venus?

Question: Why is Margot the only child who remembers the sun?

Question: What is the conflict and resolution of this story?

Question: Review the inferences that you recorded as you read the story. Were any of your ideas wrong or incomplete based on what you learned later on in the story? Adjust your equations as needed.

Question: Identify Cause and Effect. A cause-and-effect relationship occurs when one event causes another event to happen. What events in the story and prior to the story lead to Margot’s unhappiness?

Question: Analyze Setting. Think about what happens on a sunny day on Earth. How is that day different from the sunny day in the story? Use a Y chart to compare and contrast which details might stay the same and which might be different.

Question: Examine Conflict. An external conflict is a struggle between a character and an outside force. An internal conflict occurs when a character is struggling with his or her own feelings. Are the children facing an external or internal conflict as they walk to the closet and unlock the door for Margot? Explain.

Question: Analyze Plot and Setting. How does the setting of this story influence the plot, including the conflict and resolution? Would there still be a story if Bradbury’s Venus had less extreme weather? Explain.

Question: Venus and Earth have often been referred to as “twin planets.” Research Venus and Earth to learn more about their similarities and differences.

Question: What do you think are the themes and messages of the story’ All summer in a Day”? Think about the situation the people in Venus are in, as well as the consequences of it, and consider what happens to Margot in the story as well.

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