Explain the relevance of Sara Teasdale's poem in the story. What is the poem referring to? What connections exist between the poem and the short story?
Ray Bradbury has said many of his short stories are metaphors for larger issues. Considering the story's publication date (1950), use what you know about the time period, or what you can quickly search on the internet, to explain what you think the short story is a metaphor for. Explain why you think this, citing evidence both from historical facts and the story itself.