Fantasy and Science Fiction: The Human Mind, Our Modern World – Coursera Assignment 8
The Martian Chronicles
The stories comprising "The Martian Chronicles" all speak to one's acceptance of what is real. When one understands what reality is, truth leads to clarity of thought. Once intention is established, the individual must act in accordance with his convictions.
In the case of archaeologist Jeff Spender, crewman on the fourth mission to Mars, what he recognized as reality put him at odds with the purpose of the expedition. Spender knew the Earth Men's roving was not going to simply stop at scientific discovery for the benefit of humankind. After all, there was no profit to be had in the silver book he read of ancient Martian customs. What good is history to a people that need more space for open-pit mines, planned communities, and hot dog stands?
By interpreting artifacts, Spender believed the Martians were better attuned to their environment than humans were to their homeland. He was in awe of the Martian ability to allow wild, untamed nature to thrive alongside the more controlled aspects of keeping a civilization in check. Spender’s crewmates, however, did not share his reverence for the ruins. They were satisfied with the conquest of planting their flag in alien soil. They paved the way for human settlement. This was their reality, but it wasn't the future Spender envisioned. He thought killing those who didn't share his philosophy was a small price to pay to spare the remains of a more civilized race.
Preserving a bygone way of life over the encroachment of business as usual transformed the idealistic Spender into an ideologue. His reality, built upon a perfect Martian society, steered him toward extremism. Spender's own admission to Captain Wilder that he was "a very crazy fellow who went berserk one summer day and never was right again" shows us how the real and the imagined are not always easy to separate.
Works Cited:
Bradbury, Ray. The Martian Chronicles, Simon & Schuster Paperbacks New York, March 2012
Semi-Daily Scribbles 
Leave a comment