Ray Bradbury Forums
Story of Ray's about killer city?

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15 November 2004, 07:06 PM
Mr. Dark
Story of Ray's about killer city?
What does your partner believe? Indiscriminate Vengeance by means of biological warfare/WMD seems about right to me.
15 November 2004, 07:06 PM
vansama
what is the "disease" that men introduced into the city that kills everyone? before the city kills them.
15 November 2004, 08:08 PM
vansama
he believes the city is on earth, and that the city did something when the men arrived again, and that they traveled into time so they could kill men again ? O_O It doesn't seem right to me, but like 4 persons agree with him, and do not want to write the essay on what I say.
15 November 2004, 11:57 PM
Mr. Dark
The text of the story makes it impossible that the city is on earth.

"These are our enemies. These are the ones we have waited for twenty thousand years to see again. These are the men upon whom we waited to visit revenge. Everything totals. These are the men of a planet called Earth, who declared war upon Taollan twenty thousand years ago, who kept us in slavery and ruined us and destroyed us with a great disease. Then they went off to live in another galaxy to escape that disease which they visitied upon us after ransacking our world."

The text seems clear. The city is on a planet that was visited by men from Earth (in this context, another planet), they conquered them, made them slaves, and then (whether accidentally or intentionally, is unclear) unleashed a disease. Then they fled to other galaxies. The reference to them coming from earth wouldn't make sense, if the city is already earth, itself. Where would they have come from?

The story doesn't support a time-travel theory, either, as the city has waited for twenty thousand years to take it's vengeance. The earth men traveled through time? Clearly, the story implies they have forgotten. If the earthmen traveled in time to this place, what would be their motivation if they, as the city claims, have forgotten?

I don't think the text supports these two ideas.



[This message has been edited by Mr. Dark (edited 11-15-2004).]
16 November 2004, 11:06 AM
fjpalumbo
As for the repetition of names, Mr. B. has done this throughout his writing career. Though they serve as different characters in later works, the names resurface. It is almost as if he sees them as old friends (foes) that served him well once before and, therefore, out of respect for their performances, he brings them back for another go around.
16 November 2004, 11:50 AM
vansama
Yeah, I know it doesn't make sense, I'll make my parter read it over and come here to see what you posted, he is not listening to any explanation I have for him.
Anyways, thanks for your help. ^^