Ray Bradbury Forums
Studying Mr. Bradbury' book

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15 February 2005, 11:29 PM
thelegend455
Studying Mr. Bradbury' book
Hello guys !
Here I am because i would have information about that great book of Mr. Bradbury "the martian chronicles". I would know how this book make him to be in the Political-Science-Fiction or Political-socio-anticipation category. I would know how you, you could explain that and if you have some great links to reffer to me its could help me alot to,

thx alot people
16 February 2005, 01:22 PM
coley
i have problems understanding that book too. (i think thats what youre saying...that you dont understand it....?), well yeah. such a good book. so hard to read.
<3 CoLeY
16 February 2005, 03:11 PM
thelegend455
well i understand i little bit this book but i would know whats Bradbury did want to make by writing this book. I know that is because of what happenned in his past but i would know what appenned and i would try to associate each "section" of the text to a evenement...like when the house was build because they burned many books in bradbury time...

well...thx alot if you can help me
16 February 2005, 09:19 PM
lmskipper
You can't approach this book like a regular novel. I heard an interview of Ray once in which he said that he originally told the publisher,"I don't do novels," and they said, "We don't do short stories." He said they parted ways, but after a day or two he had second thoughts. He said he was newly married and anxious to be a good source of support for his bride. So he sat down with his Martian short stories and in a very short time (one night, I believe)he wrote the in-between, very short chapters that are known as bridges which tie all the short stories together. The publisher loved it, and of course the rest is history. When I heard this interview, I felt that it explained a great deal. It just doesn't hang together like a regular novel because the different parts were written at all different times. He wrote the short stories over several years, and then the bridges at a later time. I am not saying this as criticism. Once I learned the story behind it, it began to make much more sense to me and in fact, is now one of my favorite books of all time. We are all so used to the traditional novel format that a book like this can be a bit mind-boggling when we first encounter it, but in my opinion, well worth the effort. I hope this explanation helps you in some small way, the legend455. I taught the novel for many years, so it is near and dear to my heart.

[This message has been edited by lmskipper (edited 02-16-2005).]
16 February 2005, 09:54 PM
thelegend455
Yes thx it helps me alot

quote:
Once I learned the story behind it, it began to make much more sense to me and in fact, is now one of my favorite books of all time.


could you tell me each true story behind each short story in this book ?

thx alot (if you a website or something like this if you dont want to explain me each becaue it could take you time, send me the link it could be very helpfull )
16 February 2005, 10:12 PM
lmskipper
I don't believe any of the stories in this book are based on real events. I think it's pure fantasy, or only those events that could happen if society runs amok.
17 February 2005, 01:21 AM
Mr. Dark
I don't recall your age, but you might compare the structure of Martian Chronicles with that of:

"In Our Time" by Ernest Hemingway, and

"Winesburg, Ohio" by Sherwood Anderson.

Their structure is very similar. Both Hemingway and Bradbury have cited Sherwood Anderson as influences on their writing.
17 February 2005, 04:42 AM
dandelion
Edgar Lee Masters's poetry collection "Spoon River Anthology" is supposed to have inspired "The Martian Chronicles," but as I haven't read it myself I don't know if you could make anything out of it.
17 February 2005, 04:42 AM
dandelion
Edgar Lee Masters's poetry collection "Spoon River Anthology" is supposed to have inspired "The Martian Chronicles," but as I haven't read it myself I don't know if you could make anything out of it.
17 February 2005, 03:21 PM
fjpalumbo
Martian Chroncles is one of RB's most poetic and imaginative works, I feel. F451 is maybe his one pure SF and visionary novel (which of course started out as a s.s. "The Fireman" - which I finally found in a copy of a Wm. Nolan anthology!). Dandelion Wine and Something Wicked combine the nostalgic and good vs. evil themes for which he is so widely recognized and appreciated.

Yet, Martian Chronicles is that classic alien world story that does presents us with all of the "political-science-fiction, socio-anticipation" one could wish to find in a story. RB was addressing race and socia-political topics (MC, 1950) even before Harper Lee and William Golding both made their marks in the world of literature.

I've found Poe, Hemingway, and at times Dickens showing through in some of the tones of MC. But then again, it is pure Bradbury! (D: I'll have to read Spoon River to see.)

This site offers an accurate Martian Chronicle analysis: http://www.wsu.edu:8080/~brians/science_fiction/martian_chronicles.html


fpalumbo
17 February 2005, 04:42 PM
biplane1
Dandelion,

It warms my heart to see you do a double post as I thought I was the only one who had a twitchy finger.
17 February 2005, 05:39 PM
thelegend455
My teacher said to us that Bradbury wanted to criticize the USA by writing in the future, like the conquest of mars is like the conquest of the USA around the continent...some things like that....because one of the caracteristics of the "political-science-fiction" is that it is made from criticisms of our present by the future....and bradbury's book is using that idea....so....could you help me by tell me what those short story is referring to ?

thx alot
17 February 2005, 05:45 PM
thelegend455
quote:
Originally posted by fjpalumbo:
Martian Chroncles is one of RB's most poetic and imaginative works, I feel. F451 is maybe his one pure SF and visionary novel (which of course started out as a s.s. "The Fireman" - which I finally found in a copy of a Wm. Nolan anthology!). Dandelion Wine and Something Wicked combine the nostalgic and good vs. evil themes for which he is so widely recognized and appreciated.

Yet, Martian Chronicles is that classic alien world story that does presents us with all of the "political-science-fiction, socio-anticipation" one could wish to find in a story. RB was addressing race and socia-political topics (MC, 1950) even before Harper Lee and William Golding both made their marks in the world of literature.

I've found Poe, Hemingway, and at times Dickens showing through in some of the tones of MC. But then again, it is pure Bradbury! (D: I'll have to read Spoon River to see.)

This site offers an accurate Martian Chronicle analysis: http://www.wsu.edu:8080/~brians/science_fiction/martian_chronicles.html


thx
19 February 2005, 12:14 AM
dandelion
Just be glad I don't start doing double deletions!
19 February 2005, 09:10 PM
biplane1
Right on!!!