Now doesn't this sound familiar, one group finding a native people, wreaking havoc on them with disease, and forcing out the natives who would not work with them. This is pretty close to the story of the Native Americans. The European explorers found the Native Americans, wiped out mass amounts of them with western diseases, and drove out the ones who wouldn't give up their culture and land to the explorers.
My theory is that Bradbury put did this as a warning, to discourage us from overextending in our explanation. To tell us to stay in our domain, lest we cause even more damage to other cultures.
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DeleteI want to hear what you say about this issue when we read Red Mars towards the end of the year, okay? Your explanation sounds like that of a Red (wait for it, we'll get there eventually), but most people end up being Greens (less worried about contamination and accidents, more eager for opportunity).
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ReplyDeleteI agree that Bradbury connected this to the story of Native Americans. Invaders always screw up the places they invade, don't they? And they always find some way to justify it too.
ReplyDeleteI feel like though the death of the martians were more caused by the humans their thoughtless actions rather the aggressive actions of the europeans. There is a definite reference hear but I think the difference between the motives, or lack thereof, behind the two conquerings is extremely interesting.
ReplyDeleteThis is definitely a reference like you said, but I think instead of telling us that we shouldn't expand the human species, Ray Bradbury is trying to say that we should be cautious when we do so. By calling spender a Martian I think he makes it very clear that some people would do pretty much no damage to Mars.
ReplyDeletethis is really true especially the reason that Spender loved the Martians for being closer to nature and all that...hmm
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