What can the reader infer about the McClellan family based on the way their house is programmed in “There Will Come Soft Rains"?

In "There Will Come Soft Rains," we can infer a number of points about the family from the programming of the house.

Firstly, the breakfast prepared by the house suggests that the family consists of two adults and two children. This is also shown by the presence of the nursery and the  "children's hour" which takes place in the evening.

Secondly, the McClellans are completely dependent on technology. The house takes care of the cooking, cleaning and household finances, for example, as well as providing reminders about family events, like anniversaries and birthdays. On one hand, this suggests that the McClellans are a lazy family and prefer to have machines carry out the routine and monotonous jobs of everyday life. On the other hand, however, it is evidence of a family that thrives on a high degree of structure and routine and uses modern technology to achieve this.

Finally, the family is obsessed with protection and self-preservation. They are extremely wary of intruders, for example, as shown by the house's response to a sparrow brushing the window and a cat whining outside. This "mechanical paranoia" acts a barrier between the McClellan family and the outside world which suggests some introversion as well as a strong need for privacy.