Dark They Were, and Golden-Eyed - Critical Essay

Laura stumbled through the settlement, crying. She dashed blindly on to the porch.

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"Mother, Father - the war, Earth!" she sobbed. "A radio flash just came. Atom bombs hit New York! All the space rockets blown up. No more rockets to Mars, ever!"

"Oh, Harry!" The mother held on to her husband and daughter.

"Are you sure, Laura?" asked the father quietly.

Laura wept. "We're stranded on Mars, for ever and ever!"

For a long time, there was only the sound of the wind in the late afternoon" (Bradbury 431).

A Close Reading of the Passage

The first sentence in the passage insinuates that on one afternoon, the lifestyle of the Bitterings changed permanently, and for the worse. Although Bradbury uses a very casual and informal tone in the phrase, "something happened that afternoon" (431), the choice of words used in the sentences that follow indicate that the change was major and devastating. Laura received a devastating message from the radio and her reaction was weeping and crying. She stumbled into their Martian abode to break the news to her parents, but upon arrival, she could not even utter complete or comprehensive sentences. She says, "Mother, Father - the war, Earth!" (Bradbury 431). The incompleteness of this utterance was caused by the combination of two aspects; exhaustion and desolation. Laura was out of breath due to the rush and impatience of rushing home to break the news and even after she arrived, she broke the news in between sobs. Notably, in the two sentences that follow, Laura uses the word "ever" and the phrase "for ever and ever". This is a hyperbole that highlights emotions even though it is not necessarily true. Bradbury uses this literary device to convey a common occurrence in the story, such as living in Mars, into a remarkable feeling. The extra stress achieved by using the phrase grabs the attention of the reader since it contrasts a normal description by employing extra stress.

In the last sentence, the word "wind" is used to symbolize complex meanings and symbolism. It represents the invisible forces of change over which human beings any form of lack of control. The family's escape to Mars was supposed to be a temporary safe haven and escape from the atomic war on earth, but after Laura conveyed the message on the radio, the Bittering family had to confront a future full of change, involuntarily but inevitably so. The phrase "For a long time there was only the sound of the wind in the late afternoon" is a foreboding of the changes that would happen in future. Bradbury's active choice of change takes a perfect juxtaposition with the conflict of acceptance versus resistance. The Bittering family, including Harry, his wife Cora, and their three children Laura, Daniel, and David have internal debates as they initially desire to return to earth and would rather return to Earth right away. The Bitterings were anxious and uneasy over their surroundings and for logical reasons. Upon receiving the news about the permanence of their residence in Mars, they were right to be wary of the circumstances they would face. In the quote above, Laura Bittering became more than just a character and a symbol of the human side that understands the importance of drawing the line, shunning extremities, and avoiding experiences that are inhuman in their own right.

How the Passage Impacts the Overall Story

This passage ushers in the theme of change that is occurring around the Bittering family in the entire story. Shortly after the family realized that they were trapped in Mars, they started experiencing physical changes in their bodies as well as their surroundings. Dim and golden flecks began to appear in their eyes and their complexions became darker over time. Also, the color of their plants like carrots began to change. The color of their rose plants too began to change from red to green. Essentially, everything that was changing was out of the control of the Bitterings and the colony that had colonized Mars to escape the ongoing war on the Earth. The worried tone and tense mood of this passage fit the theme of change, which engenders fear among the characters in the story. Mr. Bickering resisted change vehemently because he was unsure of what would happen to him, his family, and the rest of the people who were stranded on Mars. As the changes encroach upon the colony, Mr. Bittering panics and exudes more resistance than any other member of his family or the others. Bradbury narrates this story in the third person and most of the discussions involve Mr. Bittering's acclimation with the new residence. It is difficult to understand how the rest of the family members feel about the changes that take place and the reader only understands the effect of the change on them through their behavior and actions.

Real World Criticisms and Personal Connections

Ray Bradbury is a prolific writer of science fiction stories and novels. He employs descriptive language through literary devices like metaphors, similes, symbolism, and allegories to create surreal imagery that makes his writing visual and appealing to readers. He often utilizes recurring themes and motifs in his literature with the majority of his containing the theme of technology gone wild, which engenders the motif of change. Accordingly, the theme and motifs in Dark They Were, And Golden Eyed are consistent with Ray Bradbury's previous works. Perhaps, Winston Churchill's political speech about the "wind of change" blowing across the continent influenced Ray Bradbury's to think more deeply about the fundamental shift in power and policy in the 1940's when he authored a collection of short stories to explain how the change was inevitable. The political changes around him convinced him that human beings use technology in an attempt to prevent death, but such measures end up creating fear and alienation in life. I once struggled with accepting change when my family decided to adopt a vegan lifestyle. It was easy to make the decision as a group, but whenever I was alone by myself, I would often worry that I had given up a fundamental, vital, and interesting part of my personality. With immense support from my family, I began to experience the winds of change when I developed a smaller frame and started feeling healthier. Just like Mr. Bittering, I managed to conquer my fear by accepting the fact that the winds of change are permanent and it is futile to worry about them or even resist such an uncontrollable force.

Works Cited

Bradbury, Ray. Dark they were, and golden-eyed. Blackstone Audio, Incorporated, 2009.