Question 8 of 10
Read the following group discussion about Ray Bradbury's
The Martian Chronicles, which is a series of loosely
connected short stories about the colonization of Mars.
VICTOR:
If you all read Alvarez's article, she argues that The Martian
Chronicles is no longer relevant because it's a product of
1950s fears and values. The story ends with an atomic
war, for example, which has more to do with the Cold War
than with problems today.
EDGAR:
I don't think that matters. The ultimate point is that people
can't escape human nature, even when they're living on
other planets. They bring all their old problems with them:
wars, pollution, whatever.
RIKU:
I agree. Alvarez is confusing important themes with petty
details. By her logic, stories like The Odyssey that were
written thousands of years ago would no longer be
relevant because people don't wear togas anymore. That's
not the point.
MARIA:
So what is the difference between a theme and a detail?
EDGAR:
Good question.
MARIA:
That's what we need to find out. I've seen about a million
definitions of theme, so let's all find at least two or three
from academic dictionaries and see what they all have in
common.
Which student is most clearly evaluating an author's point
of view?
A. Riku
B. Victor
C. Maria
D. Edgar