The Martian Chronicles may at first appear to be a planned short story cycle however, Bradbury did not specifically write The Martian Chronicles as a singular work – rather, its creation as a novel was suggested to Bradbury by a publisher's editor years after most of the stories had already appeared in many different publications (see Publication history and original publication notes under Contents). The previously-published stories were revised for consistency of the overall story line and refinement.

The Martian Chronicles is a fix-up novel consisting of previously-published short stories along with new short bridge narratives in the form of interstitial vignettes, intercalary chapters, or expository narratives. On Bradbury's award of a Pulitzer Prize Special Citation in 2007, the book was recognized as one of his 'masterworks that readers carry with them over a lifetime.' Structure and plot summary Fix-up structure The outcomes of many stories raise concerns about the values and direction of America of the time by addressing militarism, science, technology, and war time prosperity that could result in a global nuclear war (e.g., ' There Will Come Soft Rains' and ' The Million-Year Picnic') depopulation that might be considered genocide (e.g., ' The Third Expedition', ' -And the Moon Be Still as Bright' and ' The Musicians') racial oppression and exploitation (e.g., ' Way in the Middle of the Air') ahistoricism, philistinism, and hostility towards religion (e.g., ' -And the Moon Be Still as Bright') and censorship and conformity (e.g., ' Usher II'), among others. The book projects American society immediately after World War II into a technologically advanced future where the amplification of humanity's potentials to create and destroy have both miraculous and devastating consequences.Įvents in the chronicle include the apocalyptic destruction of both Martian and human civilizations, both instigated by humans, though there are no stories with settings at the catastrophes. The Martian Chronicles is a science fiction fix-up novel, published in 1950, by American writer Ray Bradbury that chronicles the exploration and settlement of Mars, the home of indigenous Martians, by Americans leaving a troubled Earth that is eventually devastated by nuclear war.

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