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Rocket Summer
The Earth is becoming hotter and hotter.
"The warm desert air changing the front patterns on the windows, erasing the art work"
That quote from the chapter explains the overall topic of the first chapter, which is hot weather. This chapter was a strange but intresting start to the book. -
YLLA
This chapter introduces native Martians, Mrs.K has a sense that something bad is going to happen and dreams of humans.
"You've been dreaming again!"
I chose this quote because it encompasses her dreams and also the fact that her husband is annoyed with the dreams shes been having.
I enjoyed that this chapter showed insight into the Martian society and how their family systems and regular days work. -
The Summer Night
A lady starts singing infront of a group in a language they do not know, I'm assuming its Mrs.K, and she again warns that something bad is going to happen.
"What song it that? What language is that!"
This quote describes the panic and almost fear that people feel when this lady starts to sing in a different language.
This chapter again brings up the idea that something bad is going to happen and brings up a new language that people are starting to speak. This chapter is weird. -
The Earth Men
Earthlings go to Mars or 'Tyrr' and meet their first Martians, but no one seems intrested in their arrival.
"We've worked hard, we've come a long way, and maybe you could just shake our hands and say Well done!"
This quote shows how the earthlings feel after no one on Mars has even cared the slightest bit about their arrival. I enjoyed this chapter it showed a real contrast between Martians and people of Earth. -
The Taxpayer
A taxpayer wants to get away from the evils of Earth and travel to Mars with the expedition.
"He shook his fists at them and told them he wanted to get away from Earth."
I think this illudes to what was going on during the time Bradbury wrote this novel, the wars that were raging. -
The Third Expedition
This chapter discusses the third expedition to Mars and their experinces, where the Martians used telepathy to trick and kill them.
"Suppose, now, just for the hell of it, that they wanted to destory us."
This chapter was creepy. It took the things you love, family, and made it into a weakness to kill you. After reading this chapter I had a unsetteling feeling -
and the Moon Be Still as Bright
This chapter talked about the forth expedition and during this expedition one of the men in the crew went mad.
"And last- if it helps any, just think of me as a very crazy fellow who went berserk one summer day.."
This chapter also gave me an unsettling feeling, Spender felt his crewmates were approriating culture and couldn't handle them not understanding him. It shows the culture not only in the novel but in past and present day America. -
The Settlers
The Settlers were the people coming from Earth to live on Mars. They all settled there for different reasons. The first few people to settle got lonely even after many people began settling. Mars became similar to the 'melting pot' that America is. "And this disease was called The Loneliness..." I like how this chapter showed some reality in science fiction, because no matter what these people are doing to try to escape their everyday lives and loneliness they can't seem to. -
The Green Morning
Driscoll wanted to plant trees, millions of them, on Mars so that they Earthlings could breath when they came over. "Before he woke again five thousand new trees had climbed up into the yellow sun" This chapter continues the theme in the book of almost getting what you want. The men settling on Mars each strive for a goal and are always so close to getting it right before something bad happens to stop them. -
The Locusts
In this chapter Earth people start to build towns on Mars, covering Mars with their property "In six months a dozen of small towns had been laid down upon the naked planet." This chapter gives me almost an eerie feelings because these Earth people are taking over the home of Martians and building their own new world upon it no matter what the effect is, and we've done that before in history-many times. -
Night Meeting
An Earth man and a Martian meet going down the road, neither of them can see what the other sees but they can both see each other. "Their hands met and -- like mist -- fell through each other." I enjoyed the complexity of the chapter. I wasn't positive what Bradbury's meaning to this chapter was but I liked that he left it open for questioning to the reader. -
The Shore
This chapter describes all the different types of, specifically American, people that are migrating to Mars while the rest of the world is at was.
"So the second men were American also."
I like this chapter because it calls out how Americans feel about themselves. Most Americans believe they are highest up in the world and that is reflected through this chapter. -
Interim
The people settling on Mars are bringing everything the know to Mars, settling in the exact same way. "Carried the entire town off to Mars to set it down without a bump..."
I like how much this chapter describes human nature. Although people say they want change they still stick to what they know and won't deviate from that norm they've created. -
The Musicians
In this chapter little boys who live on Mars go to an abandoned Mars village and start playing musicians on the bones of dead Martians. "First one [there] gets to play musician" This is one of my favorite chapters, because even though the little boys are suppose to be seen as innocent and like they don't know what they're doing you can tell they do. These little boys know what they're doing and it means nothing to them and I see that as a fault to how these humans were raised. -
Way in the Middle of the Air
In this chapter many African Americans decide they are going to Mars and the white men are outraged because they still see the blacks as their property "They can't leave, they can't do that." This chapter shows how bad racism was during the time that this book was written that they couldn't even imagine that in 2003 blacks would be any where near equality. -
The Naming of Names
In this chapter the Earth people living on Mars give each town names. "All the mechanical and metal names from Earth." In this chapter I see how silly it is to want to name everything. Naming things that don't belong to you is just putting a tag on it so you feel like you own it. -
Usher II
William in this chapter decides to memorialize great poets such as Poe who's works have been destroyed, and he will do it at any cost. "Does the name Usher mean nothing to you?" I like this chapter a lot because it deals with censorship which I strongly disagree with. This society takes censorship to a whole new level and William plans to break it down no matter what cost, and although I don't approve of killing, I like the extremes he's willing to go. -
The Old Ones
Mars is becoming a retirement spot.
"The mummy people came at last to Mars."
I like this chapter because it shows the progression of how people started settling Mars versus when time goes on -
The Martian
In this chapter a Martian is using telepathic powers to make the Earth people think they see someone they love because it is lonely. "Everyone leaping forward." This chapter shows of vulnerable everyone on Mars is. All their emotions are seen by the Martians. -
The Luggage Store
The people living on Mars hear that there is a massive war on Earth and they buy luggage to go back to Earth to help. "I got a feeling there will be a rush sale here any time." I like that even though many people went to Mars they still left when Earth needed them -
The Off Season
Earth becomes wiped out by War and everyone who was on Mars or planning to come to Mars shortly have stayed or gone back to Earth. "Earth changed in the black sky." This chapter was scary to think that one massive atomic war could happen and Earth would be gone -
The Watchers
Everyone on Mars watches Earth get destroyed and decides it is time to go back. "There was Earth, and the coming war..." This chapter is also scary to think that a massive war like that is possible in our future and could wipe us out. -
The Silent Towns
This chapter everyone has left Mars accept two people, one man and one women. " The look of loneliness." This chapter shows the shallowness of humans and how they will be alone before they let their pride go. -
The Long Years
There are only a family of so left on Mars who are hoping to get back to Earth. "Someone might come." This chapter shows what loneliness and grieve can do to a person. -
There Will Come Soft Rain
An automatic house continues to go through everyday life even though the owners are dead or gone. " The house was silent." This chapter was sad. It showed how barren Mars was now. -
The Million- Year Picnic
In this chapter a family decides to leave Earth to go to a picnic of Mars, the father is actually making the family leave Earth because of the terrible war that has been waging on for 20 years. "The whole damn planet belongs to us kids." I don't like the idea of a civilization just like the one before staring all over again because history is bound to repeat itself, but I do like what Bradbury is saying about civilization and history and how humans rarely ever learn from their mistakes.
