Americans, in the twentieth century, saw wonderful scientific discoveries like the atomic bomb, the space age, and political moves that came as a result of a sense of superiority for America. It elevated America to a nation that was ahead in civilization and development. All these phenomena had a great influence on Ray Bradbury in writing The Martian Chronicles. It was the development of powerful weapons like V-2, which could go as far as 2 miles above, that opened space exploration. Additionally, the Cold War came as a result of enmity between the United States, the Western friends, and the United Soviet.
In the novel, The Martian Chronicles, Bradbury combines the technology of rocket science, space technology and the power struggle of the nations that developed atomic weapons to come up with an image of the outcome that would come on earth and in the arenas of Martials (Bradbury 61). Although the author takes social and political evils in a juxtaposed manner, there is a relationship that is evident between civilizations that are regarded as successful, and management of technology and the environment. In the novel, Bradbury maneuvers tactically from the healthy co-existence between nature and technology through the destructive nature of mankind. He emphasizes that man should learn to conserve the environment in which they live.
It is in chapter two that Bradbury gives the standard of how people should live in harmony with nature. He does this by describing a typical Martian couple who has learned to live in harmony with nature. The author describes the house to show how the environment has been nurtured. An example is that because the Martians are farther away from the Sun than from the Earth, they have learned to optimally make use of sunlight.
Description here is that, during the day, the house followed the sun wherever it went and closed during the night. The author used symbolism. The Martians have also learned how to make the most use of the dryness by making their own rain. This is explained by how they cool hot air to make raindrops (Bradbury 83).
They have a technology where they sleep in clouds of chemicals. These clouds conform to their bodies and lower them at daybreak. Books are made from metals which are durable; this eradicates the need to have papers which pollute the environment. There is a song from Mr. K where ancient men had gone to battle with insects made of metals and spiders which were electric. This shows that the history of Martians resembles that of the Earth which has been synonymous with war. Although there is this resemblance, it is clear that the Martians had taken control of their future and the whole of civilization because it is indicated that their ancestors had stayed in the same house (Bradbury 72).
In chapter seven, the attitude of men from the Earth is evident. After trying three times to land to Mars, they succeed the fourth time. On reaching there, they are not surprised by deaths because there was no life on Mars anymore. Unlike the Martians who loved living in harmony, people of the Earth do not care as long as they have achieved their goal. They do not care about the environment as Crewmember Biggs pollutes the environment by throwing a bottle of wine to the environment. He later vomits in the beautiful environment (Snead 72).
In the novel, The Martian Chronicles, Ray Bradbury investigates the future of human beings if they do not leave their current traits of space exploration and creating atomic bombs. The hypothesis, which is hypothetical, shows how man is destructive. He leaves a warning of what will result in this destructive nature. The author gives a glimpse of hope if the environment is conserved; this is the only way to save mankind.
Works Cited
Bradbury, Ray. The Martian Chronicles. New York: Bantam, 1979. Print.
Snead, David. “Cold War.” Dictionary of American History. Ed. Stanley I. Cutler. 3rd ed. Vol. 2. New York: Scribner’s, 2003. N. pag. Gale U.S. History in Context. Web.