The Martian Chronicles
Part 3 guiding questions- These will cover Usher II to the end of the book

The focus of this section will be on the concept of "fight" that happens once humans have established their presence on Mars.

April 2005: Usher II

First of all, if you are not familiar with Poe's story "The Fall of the House of Usher," look up a summary, or read it, so the references and the chapter's events make sense.

What is Stendahl trying to create on Mars and why would somebody want something like this?

What has happened on Earth that has prompted Stendahl's seemingly monstrous creation?

Is Stendahl a hero or a villain?  Is doing something wrong/illegal to fight against something you feel is wrong, actually wrong?

August 2005: The Old Ones

Who is coming to Mars now and what does Bradbury's way of describing them seem to say about his opinion of what Mars has become?

September 2005: The Martian

Although rare, Martians still do exist.  Early in the book, they used their ability to read minds and change into humans to trick people in order to fight them off.  What has changed and why?

November 2005: The Luggage Store

What "happens" to people when they don't feel connected to something, even if they once were? 

November 2005: The Off Season

Who is Sam Parkhill and what is he trying to do on Mars?

There have been ominous moments of foreshadowing about what fate Earth is headed toward throughout the book.  What event finally takes place and what is implied about why it happened?

Why is Sam's wife so dismissive/skeptical about the hotdog stand he wants to open on Mars?

What does the hotdog stand represent symbolically, and how does it contrast the Martian "gift" to Sam?

November 2005: The Watchers

Why is the luggage "gone from the shelves" and what does it tell us about the people on Mars?

December 2005: The Silent Towns

This chapter is one of the best examples of irony in the entire book.  Every aspect of it is ironic, and this will be the primary focus.  Irony is the only thing you really need to look for in this chapter from a critical standpoint.  Irony. I-R-O-N-Y.

April 2026: The Long Years

What has Hathaway done, and why?

Overall, what has life on Mars turned into and how is it different from what was hoped for when people first started traveling here?  In other words, what problem could humans not escape?

August 2026: There Will Come Soft Rains

What cycle is beginning, or continuing and reaching a new level, in this chapter?

Despite a promise of near immortality due to AI and automation, what is nature proving, or technology disproving, in this chapter?

October 2026: The Million Year Picnic

Who are the Martians?

What is Bradbury's final point based on this "discovery?"