Jiné dimenze

When the Sun Gets Angry at Bill Cates

Dimension: SfaD
Author: Peter Matthew Check
Date: 16 October, 2025

Author's Note on the Story:
"I wrote this story five years ago. Was support for some version of Windows possibly ending back then? Apparently so. And now I’m releasing it again, just as support for WIN10 is ending! IT HAS PROVEN HOW TIMELESS IT IS. Five years ago there was no AI. Today there is, and its evaluation of the story is truly telling.

Well, in another 2–4 years, it will be time to dust off the story again, because the upgrade system of greedy, avaricious billionaires will apparently continue until the last paragraph of my story is fulfilled. Enjoy the read :))"

Bill Cates -  greedy, avaricious billionaire who uses exploitative business practices (forced, expensive upgrades) to accumulate 'immeasurable wealth'."

Summary / Conclusion

Overall Average Score: 9.0/10

"When the Sun Gets Angry at Bill Cates" is a highly effective and satisfying short story. The story is highly recommended for its intellectual depth and thematic relevance.
It is a powerful, timely, and cleverly structured social parable with elements of science fiction. It successfully mixes a scientific threat with a critical perspective on modern consumer society.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Analysis of "When the Sun Gets Angry at Bill Cates"

This short story by Peter Matthew Check is a social and scientific commentary framed as a modern fable. It juxtaposes the petty grievances and wealth disparities of human society with the overwhelming, indifferent power of the cosmos, ultimately suggesting that nature's forces are the only true equalizer.

Themes and Conflict

1. Social Injustice and Greed vs. Cosmic Indifference

The central theme is the sharp contrast between the world of human wealth, technology, and economic exploitation, and the raw, unstoppable force of nature.

• The Micro-Conflict (Human Scale): The struggle between the wealthy elite, personified by the "bloodsucker" Bill Cates and his corporation, and the struggling common person, José, who is burdened by debt and mandatory system upgrades. This conflict represents the modern cycle of consumerism, planned obsolescence, and capitalist exploitation.

• The Macro-Conflict (Cosmic Scale): The ultimate, insurmountable threat posed by the Sun (a catastrophic solar flare) to all of humanity, rich and poor alike. The narrative suggests that all human-made structures, including the electrical grid that powers Cates's empire, are fragile against this cosmic reality.

• Irony: José and his mother, Anna Maria, see the solar event as divine justice—the Sun "getting angry" at Cates. However, the closing line reveals the truth: the event is merely the "natural rhythm of the cosmos," indifferent to Cates's billions or José's debts. This is the story's powerful final statement: nature doesn't pick sides.

2. Dependency on Technology and Modern Fragility

The News Report section establishes the vulnerability of modern civilization.

• The narrative emphasizes that electricity is the "vital food" and "blood" of civilization.

• The dependence on a fragile power grid means that a massive solar flare—a natural, non-malicious event—can lead to an "apocalypse" and the "paralysis of our civilization." The image of "a sailboat without sails" brilliantly conveys the helplessness of a highly-advanced society stripped of its essential power source.

3. Faith vs. Reality (Old vs. New Worldview)

The characters represent different worldviews:

• Anna Maria (Old World/Faith): Represents traditional wisdom, resignation, and unwavering religious faith. She believes in an anthropomorphic God whose "mills will grind everyone down" and sees the impending disaster as a biblical-style flood and punishment (foreshadowing the water-like flow of plasma). Her faith provides her a calm acceptance, even while her son suffers.

• José (Modern/Agnostic Despair): Represents the modern, indebted man who understands technology but directs his anger at a human target (Cates). His despair is profound, wishing for the apocalypse ("The sooner, the better. At least I’d have peace"). He uses Cates as a "lightning rod" for his misery.

• Bill Cates (Secular Hubris): Represents modern capitalist belief in his own power. When the catastrophe begins, he interprets the power outage and the spectacular aurora as a "divine sign" connected to his wealth, a testament to his utter lack of awareness and self-absorption. His financial success has blinded him to the actual threats.

Symbolism and Literary Devices

• The Sun/Solar Flare: The primary symbol of ultimate, non-negotiable power. It acts as the impartial, natural equalizer that dismantles the artificial hierarchy created by human wealth.

• Bill Cates: A stand-in for the ruthless, technologically-fueled capitalist elite. His multimillion-dollar mansion, ivory-and-marble table, and diamond-inlaid phone represent the pinnacle of extravagant, fragile wealth.

• The Electrical Grid/Computer: A symbol of modern life's vital yet vulnerable foundation. Its collapse signifies the instant death of the digital age and all the financial systems (like Cates’s fortune) built upon it.

• "Lightning Rod": This metaphor is used explicitly for Cates, showing how José transfers his anger and financial misery onto one tangible figure. Ironically, the real "lightning" (the electrically charged plasma) targets Cates's house at the moment of his demise.

• Juxtaposition: The stark contrasting scenes—José’s desperate pleading for money in front of a modest little house versus Cates's complacent luxury on his multimillion-dollar mansion veranda—effectively highlights the story's social critique.

Structure and Tone

The story is structured in a clear three-part act:

1. Exposition/Foreshadowing (The News Report): Sets the scientific stakes and foreshadows the impending global disaster.

2. Rising Action/Character Development (Anna Maria and José): Establishes the human/social conflict and the characters’ contrasting responses to life's struggles.

3. Climax/Resolution (Meanwhile...): Intercuts the two main social classes (José leaving with the borrowed money, Cates relaxing) and then brings the cosmic climax to Cates's doorstep. The final sentence delivers the story's ultimate, cold-truth resolution: the event is a natural occurrence, erasing all human concerns regardless of class or belief.

The tone shifts from an informative/scientific warning in the report to frustrated and empathetic in the dialogue between mother and son, ending with a tone of biting, indifferent irony as Cates meets his end completely unaware of the catastrophe's true nature.

Genre Classification

The short story "When the Sun Gets Angry at Bill Cates" can be primarily classified into the following genres:

Primary Genres

• Social Science Fiction: This is the most accurate classification. The story uses a scientific threat (solar flare, grid collapse) to analyze and critique contemporary social issues, such as capitalism, economic injustice, and technological dependence.

• Disaster Fiction: The central plot revolves around a global catastrophe and subsequent collapse of civilization caused by a massive natural force.

• Parable / Modern Fable: The story functions to convey a moral or philosophical message (about the transience of wealth and the indifference of the cosmos) through a narrative where characters often represent social archetypes (the rich man, the indebted man, the faithful elder).

Secondary and Complementary Elements

• Social Drama: It contains strong elements of social drama, especially in the dialogue between José and Anna Maria, which centers on economic pressure and class tension.

• Apocalyptic Fiction: Since the narrative concludes with the imminent destruction of civilization, it falls within this category.