The Martian Chronicles

Use these questions or activities to help gauge students’ familiarity with and spark their interest in the context of the work, giving them an entry point into the text itself.

Short Answer

1. When did Ray Bradbury live? For what genres is he widely known? What made his work so popular in his time, and why do people still read it today?

Teaching Suggestion: Genre writers like Bradbury are often not considered part of the literary canon, and students may know relatively little about this author and his work. This question is intended to activate the group’s prior knowledge to increase their retention of new information in the sources below. You might “collect” titles and information in a list on the board for display as students generate and share what they know or surmise. Resources such as these might benefit classes with little background on this writer:

• This 7-minute video from Sci-Fi Odyssey offers an overview of Bradbury’s life and career.
• This 6-minute video from PBS discusses the impact of Bradbury’s work.

2. What is colonialism? What kinds of colonialism might still take place today? Can you name any works on this topic—books, movies, video games, etc.—created in the 20th or 21st centuries? What are some aspects of colonization that such works might seek to highlight?

Teaching Suggestion: Students may think of colonialism in terms of European conquest in the 17th-19th centuries. This is the most overt period of colonialism, but it is not the only type of colonialism authors are concerned with. Encourage students to think broadly about types of colonialism and the impacts of colonization—on both colonizer and colonized, on the land, and on the global population.

• This article from The Atlantic offers an overview of the various ways science fiction portrays colonialism.
• This article from The Conversation critically examines colonial representations in the Star Wars saga.

Personal Connection Prompt

This prompt can be used for in-class discussion, exploratory free-writing, or reflection homework before reading the novel.

In Bradbury’s time, the colonization of Mars seemed very futuristic—but now it is something that scientists are seriously planning for. Would you ever consider joining a mission to Mars? Would you be willing to live there? What practical, personal, and ethical considerations would you consider in making a decision?

Teaching Suggestion: You might consider giving students time to explore their own ideas in writing before hearing a wider range of perspectives. If your students enjoy debate, you might ask them to sit on opposite sides of the classroom, according to whether their initial answer about going to Mars is “yes” or “no.” Then, you can challenge each side to persuade the other and see if, at the conclusion of the discussion, any students are ready to move to the other side.

• This article  in Wired magazine discusses obstacles to a Mars mission and some potential solutions.
• This think piece in Slate, explores the desire to go to Mars and discusses some related ethical considerations.