"The Martians were there--in the canal--reflected in the water. Timothy and Michael and Robert and Mom and Dad.

The Martians stared back up at them for a long, long silent time from the rippling water...."

These are the last lines in RB's The Martian Chronicles. Does Bradbury mean that the family is a Martian one because they are the new inhabitants to Mars? Is that why they see the Martians reflected in themselves from the water?

Ambellina,

exactly so. The story (the whole book) is really about people being transformed by their experience of Mars. By the end of the book, the original Martians are (probably) all dead, and the civilisation on Earth is (probably) destroyed. The Earth family on Mars become the inheritors of the planet, so THEY are the Martians now.

Other stories where people become Martians in other ways (or try to do so, or want to do so) include "And The Moon Be Still As Bright" and "Dark They Were And Golden Eyed".

I'm sure there are other possible interpretations of the last lines of Martian Chronicles, but I can't imagine any interpretation being as elegant and fruitful as this one.

Thank you, that was very helpful.