The Martian Chronicles

By ahumesy

  • Rocket Summer

    A rocket lands in a small ohio town, bring heat and therfore summer. This chronicle shows changes brought into the life of humans due to technology.

  • Ylla

    Ylla is a martian who has a telepathic dream of a visiting earth man that kisses her. She tells her husband about it. He gets jealous and sets off to kill the earth man before he arrives on Mars. This chapter demonstrates many differences between humans and the martians such as dreams, jealousy, and insecurity. The Martians are described with yellow coin eyes, brown skin, advanced technology, and telepathy.

  • The Summer Night

    Martinas at night begin hearing strange songs in a foriegn language. Theses lyrics wake them in the night. The arrival of the foriegn human race and their destructive ways is foreshadowed.

  • The Earth Men

    The second wave of humans arrive on mars expecting a celebration. In reality, the martians believe them to be insane martians. The humans end up being executed, and then when the bodies are still their the martina who kills them kills himself as he thinks he has become insane. This chronicle shows how maritans, just like humans are skeptical of aliens or foriegn creastures.

  • The Taxpayer

    A man tries desperatley to get on a ricket to Mars. He believes because he is a tax payer he has the right ot do so. He wishes to escape the government and war on earth, but ultimately is left behind. I think Mars symbolizes hope for a better life for this man.

  • The Third Expedition

    The third expedition arrives on Mars and quickly discover there lost loved ones there. The town they found themselves in looks just like earth, and each man stays with a loved one. It seems too good to be true beacause it is. The men are killed off by there loved ones who in reality are martians projecting a differnt image. This novel shows how advanced the Maritians are, and how easily manipulated humans can be.

  • - And The Moon Be Still As Bright

    20 men arrive as the fourth expedition, but find no signo life. This is because small pox has killed off all of the martians. This seems to be a blatant comment on the dangers of colonization by Bradbury. Spender, one of the astronauts goes mad and starts killing some of his crew to protect the martian civilizzation from humanity. Eventually, does get shot by his own crew. Questions such as was Spendor influenced by a Martian in any way remain.

  • The Settlers

    The chronicle provides background on why humans go to Mars. I believe this was included to put the reader inside the mindset of the explorers.

  • The Green Morning

    This chronicle tells of a man how sets out to plant thousands of trees on mars. When it rains the trees jump up into huge trees that are way bigger than on earth. This story shows how humans are taking characteristics of Earth and putting them on Mars.

  • The Locusts

    This chronicle deomnstrates how Mars is more and more like earth. "In six months a dozen small towns have been laid upon the planet." I think this chronicel compares humans to locusts by saying they are swarming this new planets as a pest.

  • NIght Meeting

    A man living on Mars, meets a martian who has been living in the hills and neither can decide who is living and who is dead. Eventually, they part ways and come to the conclusiong they were dreaming. I think this chronicle shows the stubborness in both humand and martian nature.

  • The Shore

    Yet another short chronicle showcasing more humans coming to mars. The second wave comes from American cities for the already built housing. This chronicle is important in explaining how the human element on Mars is evolving.

  • The Fire Balloons

    Two priests set out on Mars in order to help spread their religion and help the Martians. They even go as far as too build a church. When they finally meet the Martians they claim to need no such thing as a church becuase they have reached enlightenment, and cannot sin. This chronicle comments on how Americans keep forcing their culture on othter cultures.

  • Interim

    This chronicle occurs about halfway throught the book and tells of humans talking about more people coming to mars. They are plannin gto buld another city.

  • The Musicians

    This chronicle is signigicant because it is the first time children are being born and gwoing up on Mars. Boys are hiking and they find bones of dead Martians. They know nothing of what the bones are or what they represent so they bang on them as instruments.

  • The Wilderness

    This chronicle describes women getting ready to travel to Mars. They are the girlfriends and wifes of the men on mars. They say good-bye to their home town and earthly comforts. This is significant because women are coming to mars alone.

  • The Naming of Names

    The towns in cities are being renamed after human palces and people. In one example, York Town after Nathaniel York. This chronicle is mostly important becuase the "sophisticates" the people who everyone wsa initally running from are starting to arrive on Mars.

  • Usher 2

    The government on earth has banned an destroyed all forms of fantasy. A contractor on Mars spends a lump of his millions to recreate the house of Usher from the tale of Edgar Allen Poe. The Moral Climate comes to explain they will be taking th ehouse down. All of the top politicians responsible for censhorship are one by one ivnvited to the house where the are killed and replaced by robots before the house sinks into the bog.

  • The Old Ones

    FINALLY. The New Florida. Old people are coming to Mars to get a new view of the universe before they die.This is imprtant because it shows Mars is now so comfortable and safe, old people want to live there.

  • The Martian

    A man and his wife wake up to find there lost son. Overjoyed, as they head into town he dissapears. In reality, there "son" is a Martian who everyone sees as the perosn they want to see the most. Eventually, a mob of people is chasing the poor Martian and he dies of stress. I think Bradbury is saying you can't be everything to everyone.

  • The Luggage Store

    A priest and a luggae salesman talk about an atomic war on Earth. They decide if there is a war, most humans will go back. The priest buys an extra bag. I think this shows how humanity cannot escape the past an will eventually be drawn back to Earth.

  • The Watchers

    The peole on Mars watch Earth burst into flame. They suddenly becomed worried about their families and their homes. The luggage salesman is sold out as the human migration back to Earth begins. This chronicle shows the power human feelings can have on decision making.

  • The Offseason

    Sam Parkhill opens a hotdog stand. A Martian approaches him. Sam becomes startled and shoots him. A fleet of Martian ships approach him and he flees. He finally, gives up after being pursued by the Maritans. The Martians give Sam a deed to half of Mars. At night Sam watches EArth burst into flame. This chronicle shows how careless Sam was when focused on himself.

  • The Silent Towns

    Mars is almost completely unpopulated with humans. This chronicle touches on the theme of loneliness. The main character calls throught the phone book before finally finding a girl, who upon meeting he rejects because she is wearing a wedding dress. He would rather live alone forever than get to know this stranger. He always wants what doesn't have.

  • There Will Come Soft Rains

    In California a mechanically operated house runs through it's routine even after it's inhabitants are dead. The owners dog realizes its masters are dead dies as a result. The house which is so advanced in technology fails to realize this and continues to operate. Eventually a fire starts that destorys all of the house but one wall.

  • The Long Years

    Mr. Hathaway lives with life like robots that he made the resemble family he lost. Hathaway has heart problems and soon dies of the strain of the excitement of Captian Wilder and his crew landing on Mars. This chronicle continues themes of loneliness, robots and loved ones.

  • The Million Year Picnic

    A family escapes Earth on a rocket with a huge amount of food supplies. Once on Mars, the father explains to his boys what they are doing and that another family with girls will hopefully arrive soon. The boys get to pick acity to live in. The father burns some documents from Earth includign a map of it. The father is trying to make Mars less like Earth, not like Earth as the first human settlers have.