the message of the book is to say humanity will be the cause of why we will loose humanity. More specifically, they will be lost by pushing the boundaries a little too far.
ellejohnson avatar
reason 1) they have moved to Mars via rocket in order to avoid the anticipated destruction from the war that is being waged on Earth. Cora reminds Harry of just that when he wants to return to Earth immediately after stepping off of the rocket when she says, "One day the atom bo.mb will fix Earth. Then we'll be safe here." While they were all skeptically optimistic about their new life on Mars, they took comfort in the fact that they could buy a return rocket ticket home at any time.
ellejohnson avatar
reason 2) Another reason why they moved was cause in the story we see how one day Laura runs home to tell them that an atom bo.mb hit New York and all of the space rockets were blown up; and due to this they must accept the fact that they are stranded on Mars forever. Devastated, Harry decides to rededicate himself to his plot of land.
ellejohnson avatar
As he was working in his garden, he begins to notice that things are the "same, but different," such as the pea.ch blossoms, carrots, radishes, and other produce planted in his garden (4.) Harry begins to panic that Mars is changing him and his belongings, and he runs into town to discuss it with the other settlers
ellejohnson avatar
reason 3) We also find that Harry begins to notice subconscious changes in himself. For instance, one night he finds himself muttering the strange word "Ior.rt." He calls his friend to ask if he's ever heard of the word, and the friend responds that it is the old Martian word for Earth. A few days later, Cora approached Harry and informed him that all of the food from the Deepfreeze was gone.
ellejohnson avatar
They only had the food that was grown from the Martian soil. She urges him to slow down, rest, and join the family for a swim in the canals. He joins them and reflects on the changes he's been seeing in the people around him, and at the end of the day his son, Dan, asks to change his name to Linnl. Quickly and easily, Harry and Cora agree.
