Close Read - Ray Bradbury's "Dark They Were, and Golden-Eyed"

"Dark They Were, And Golden-Eyed"

Text by Ray Bradbury; Questions by WMS literature textbook

These slides will guide you through an analysis of Ray Bradbury's science-fiction literary work.

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You will earn a major grade for this completed assignment.​

WMS ELAR 2nd Period

"Dark They Were, And Golden-Eyed"

Be sure to read and follow all directions.

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Use your textbook to help you.

Important!

Read this paragraph.

ANALYZE SCIENCE FICTION

Writers of science fiction often present readers with fantastical settings, characters, and events set in the future. At the same time, they often tell stories that in some way comment upon new and emerging science and technology, contemporary society, and human nature in general.

Multiple Select

Select all that are elements of science fiction.

• explores unexpected possibilities of the past, present, or future

• mixes scientific facts and theories with imaginative settings and plot

• usually includes familiar elements and conflicts found in real life

Multiple Choice

Which sentence from the text provides evidence that this is a work of science fiction?

• "But the American-built town of cottages, peach trees, and theaters was silent."

• "His wife, before him, seemed almost to whirl away in smoke."

• "The children looked up at him, as people look to the sun to tell what time of their life it is."

• "The other passengers whispered away across the Martian meadow, leaving the man alone among his family."

Read these examples.

ANALYZE LANGUAGE CONVENTIONS

Express actions that happened in the past

​Mr. Bittering hesitated, and then raised the mirror to his face.

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Both verbs end in -ed and are in the past tense.

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Read these examples.

ANALYZE LANGUAGE CONVENTIONS

Express actions that happen in the present

Sometimes nights I think I hear ’em. I hear the wind. The sand hits my window.

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All three verbs—think, hear, and hits—are in the present tense. Notice how hits ends in -s because the subject—sand—is singular.

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Read these examples.

ANALYZE LANGUAGE CONVENTIONS

Express actions that will happen in the future

One day the atom bomb will fix Earth. Then we’ll be safe here.

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Both verbs use the helping verb will to show the future tense. We’ll be means “we will be.”

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Read this paragraph.

ANALYZE LANGUAGE CONVENTIONS

Consistent Verb Tenses

Unexpected or inconsistent use of verb tenses can lead to confusion. On the other hand, sometimes tenses need to shift to show changes in time. What’s important is to use the same tense to describe actions that take place at the same time. Change tenses only when you intend to shift from one time period to another.

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Read this paragraph.

ANALYZE LANGUAGE CONVENTIONS

Consistent Verb Tenses

The tense of a verb tells the time of the action or the state of being. In writing, it is important to use the same tense to describe actions that take place at the same time. Unnecessarily shifting, or inconsistent, verb tenses can confuse the reader.

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Read these examples.

ANALYZE LANGUAGE CONVENTIONS

Incorrect Verb Tense

Ms. Sherman coaches us as we practiced our songs.

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Correct Verb Tense

Ms. Sherman coached us as we practiced our songs.​

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Multiple Select

Identify the verbs in the following sentence.

Mr. Bittering hesitated, and then raised the mirror to his face.

• hesitated

• raised

• then

• his

Multiple Choice

Identify the verb tense in the following sentence.

Mr. Bittering hesitated, and then raised the mirror to his face.

• past

• present

• future

Multiple Select

Identify the verbs in the following sentences.

Sometimes nights I think I hear ’em. I hear the wind. The sand hits my window.

• think

• hear

• wind

• hits

Multiple Choice

Identify the verb tense in the following sentences.

Sometimes nights I think I hear ’em. I hear the wind. The sand hits my window.

• past

• present

• future

Multiple Select

Identify the verbs in the following sentences.

One day the atom bomb will fix Earth. Then we’ll be safe here.

• day

• bomb

• will fix

• we'll be

Multiple Choice

Identify the verb tense in the following sentences.

One day the atom bomb will fix Earth. Then we’ll be safe here.

• past

• present

• future

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Go back to the prior slide.

Scroll down the page.

Look at the images.

Scroll through provided images.

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​Some text here about the topic of discussion.

Explore NASA's overview of Mars.

You likely noticed many differences between Bradbury’s assumptions about the surface and atmosphere on Mars, and what scientists learned about Mars in “Martian Metropolis.”

This short story was published in 1949— long before scientists knew very much about Mars.

Think about it

Think about Ray Bradbury's science fiction story.

Read this paragraph.

ANALYZE MOOD

Mood is the feeling or atmosphere that a writer creates for a reader. A writer creates mood by

• carefully choosing words to describe the plot, setting, and characters

• revealing what characters think and how they speak

Identifying mood helps you understand a story.

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"Dark They Were, And Golden-Eyed"

A Synopsis

• This science fiction, suspense story shows the effects of the strange new surroundings on a family of travelers to Mars.

• Ray Bradbury's description of Mars and the reactions to it of the Bittering family give warning that something could go wrong.

• The mood is one of apprehension (fear and worry) and foreboding (threatening).

• Slowly but surely, the circumstances change around Harry Bittering.

"Dark They Were, And Golden-Eyed"

A Synopsis

​The story teaches us that people respond differently to the environments in which they find themselves:

• Some adapt easily to changes

• Some resist changes initially and then accept them later on

• Some will choose to return to familiar environment.

1.The rocket metal cooled in the meadow winds. Its lid gave a bulging pop. From its clock interior stepped a man, a woman, and three children. The other passengers whispered away across the Martian meadow, leaving the man alone among his family.

​2.The man felt his hair flutter and the tissues of his body draw tight as if he were standing at the center of a vacuum. His wife, before him, seemed almost to whirl away in smoke. The children, small seeds, might at any instant be sown to all the Martian climes.

Read paragraphs 1 - 6.

Read carefully the underlined text.​

Textbook page 281

3.The children looked up at him, as people look to the sun to tell what time of their life it is. His face was cold.

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4.“What’s wrong?” asked his wife.

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5.“Let’s get back on the rocket.”

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6.“Go back to Earth?”

Read paragraphs 1 - 6.

Read carefully the underlined text.​

Textbook page 281

Multiple Select

Select the adjectives that describe the man.

• satisfied

• stressed

• nervous

• happy

Open Ended

ANALYZE MOOD

How would you describe the man’s first impression of Mars?

How might his feelings affect the mood of the story?

Multiple Choice

Read this sentence from paragraph 1.

"The other passengers whispered away across the Martian meadow, leaving the man alone among his family. "

The use of the word alone in the sentence creates a sense of —

• despair

• isolation

• sadness

• fear

Do you recall the names of the children?

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Why are the children compared to small seeds?​

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Dan, Laura, and David are the original names for the children.

​Carefully read paragraphs 2 and 14.

2.The man felt his hair flutter and the tissues of his body draw tight as if he were standing at the center of a vacuum. His wife, before him, seemed almost to whirl away in smoke. The children, small seeds, might at any instant be sown to all the Martian climes.

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​14.Their name was Bittering. Harry and his wife Cora; Dan, Laura, and David. They built a small white cottage and ate good breakfasts there, but the fear was never gone. It lay with Mr. Bittering and Mrs. Bittering, a third unbidden partner at every midnight talk, at every dawn awakening.

Review and understand the process of seed germination.

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Why would the author compare the Bittering children to seeds?​

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Seed Germination

Multiple Choice

The author compares Harry’s children to seeds in paragraph 2.

Which sentence describes the idea this comparison creates?

• It creates the idea that Harry has many children

• It creates the idea that Mars is engulfing the children

• It creates the idea that Mars is hungry for life

• It creates the idea that Harry is concerned about his children.

8.The wind blew as if to flake away their identities. At any moment the Martian air might draw his soul from him, as marrow comes from a white bone. He felt submerged in a chemical that could dissolve his intellect and burn away his past.

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​9.They looked at Martian hills that time had worn with a crushing pressure of years. They saw the old cities, lost in their meadows, lying like children’s delicate bones among the blowing lakes of grass.

Read paragraphs 8-13.

Read carefully the underlined text.​

Textbook page 282

10.“Chin up, Harry,” said his wife. “It’s too late. We’ve come over sixty million miles.”

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11.The children with their yellow hair hollered at the deep dome of Martian sky. There was no answer but the racing hiss of wind through the stiff grass.

Read paragraphs 8-13.

Read carefully the underlined text.​

Textbook page 282

12.He picked up the luggage in his cold hands. “Here we go,” he said—a man standing on the edge of a sea, ready to wade in and be drowned.

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13.They walked into town.

Read paragraphs 8-13.

Read carefully the underlined text.​

Textbook page 282

The initial descritpions of the setting use words and phrases to create a feeling that the Martian landscape is forgotten and lonely.

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Notice!

33.Alone, thought Bittering. Only a thousand of us here. No way back. No way. No way. Sweat poured from his face and his hands and his body; he was drenched in the hotness of his fear. He wanted to strike Laura, cry, “No, you’re lying! The rockets will come back!” Instead, he stroked Laura’s head against him and said, “The rockets will get through someday.”

Read paragraphs 33.

Read carefully the underlined text.​

Textbook page 284

Multiple Choice

What mood is evident through the author's use of short sentences?

• serenity and peace

• laughter and joy

• panic and intensity

• hope and longing

Use the image to visualize the beginning of the story.

Review this paragraph.

ANALYZE SCIENCE FICTION

Writers of science fiction often present readers with fantastical settings, characters, and events set in the future. At the same time, they often tell stories that in some way comment upon new and emerging science and technology, contemporary society, and human nature in general.

Multiple Select

Which two sentences describe elements of the science fiction genre evident in the story?

• The main character experiences unease.

• The characters begin to transform physically.

• The personalities of the characters begin to change.

• The location of the story is in a settlement on Mars.

Review this paragraph.

ANALYZE LANGUAGE CONVENTIONS

Consistent Verb Tenses

Unexpected or inconsistent use of verb tenses can lead to confusion. On the other hand, sometimes tenses need to shift to show changes in time. What’s important is to use the same tense to describe actions that take place at the same time. Change tenses only when you intend to shift from one time period to another.

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Notice the verb tense used in paragraphs 9 - 11.

9.They looked at Martian hills that time had worn with a crushing pressure of years. They saw the old cities, lost in their meadows, lying like children’s delicate bones among the blowing lakes of grass.

10.“Chin up, Harry,” said his wife. “It’s too late. We’ve come over sixty million miles.”

11.The children with their yellow hair hollered at the deep dome of Martian sky. There was no answer but the racing hiss of wind through the stiff grass.

Multiple Choice

Which word or words complete the sentence correctly?

He ______ restless lately.

• has become

• became

• become

• had became

Multiple Select

Read this sentence from paragraph 10.

"We’ve come over sixty million miles."

Which two sentences below have the same verb tense?

• She has walked four miles each day for a month.

• I will attend the comic book convention

• I will be going to a lecture on astronomy tonight

• It wasn’t easy to get started on the skateboard

• We wonder if you know our cousins from abroad.

12.He picked up the luggage in his cold hands. “Here we go,” he said—a man standing on the edge of a sea, ready to wade in and be drowned.

Carefully read paragraph 12.

Did you read the definition, too? I hope so.

Multiple Choice

Read this sentence from paragraph 12.

“Here we go,” he said—a man standing on the edge of a sea, ready to wade in and be drowned.

The author’s use of the word drowned creates a feeling or mood of —

• sorrow

  (a feeling of deep distress or sadness)

• despair

  (the complete loss or absence of hope)

• foreboding

  (a feeling that something bad will happen)

• hesitation

  (the action of pausing before doing or saying something)

​Think about figurative language.

​Review metaphors.

https://www.wikihow.com/Write-a-Metaphor​

Read paragraph 21.

Notice the figurative language.

21.A river of wind submerged the house. When the windows ceased rattling Mr. Bittering swallowed and looked at the children.

Multiple Choice

What is the meaning of the metaphor as used in paragraph 21?

• The windows stopped rattling.

• Mr. Bittering was thirsty.

• The wind engulfed the house.

• The Bittering children were making a lot of noise.

Multiple Choice

The word submerge comes from the Latin word submergere, which means “to immerse.”

What is the meaning of the word submerged as it is used in paragraph 21?

• Overwhelmed

• Underwater

• Plunged

• Sunken

​Read paragraphs 53-64.

53.“Cora, these blossoms!”

54.She handled them.

55.“Do you see? They’re different. They’ve changed! They’re not peach blossoms any more!”

56.“Look all right to me,” she said.

57.“They’re not. They’re wrong! I can’t tell how. An extra petal, a leaf, something, the color, the smell!”

58.The children ran out in time to see their father hurrying about the garden, pulling up radishes, onions, and carrots from their beds.

59.“Cora, come look!”

60.They handled the onions, the radishes, the carrots among them.

61.“Do they look like carrots?”

62.“Yes . . . no.” She hesitated. “I don’t know.”

63.“They’re changed.”

​64.“Perhaps.”

Multiple Choice

Re-read paragraphs 53–64.

What can you infer about what is happening to Cora in these paragraphs?

• She is changing her feelings about Harry.

• She is fearful the family will not have enough food.

• She is forgetting how things on Earth should appear.

• She is excited about how the plants have changed.

Multiple Choice

The word leisure comes from the Latin word licēre, meaning “to be permitted.” What is the meaning of the word leisure as it is used in paragraph 78?

• Advantage

• Support

• Authority

• Freedom

What makes “Dark They Were, and Golden-Eyed” a work of science fiction? Include common elements of science  fiction.

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You will see an alternative option on the next slide.

​Carefully read the provided text. It is an answer to the following question.

In science fiction, technology or science-based features are prominent, and it often takes place in space. In the story, the main characters arrive on the planet Mars in a rocket, using science-based technology. They then transform into Martians—extraterrestrial life is also a common element of science fiction. These elements make this a work of science fiction.

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What makes “Dark They Were, and Golden-Eyed” a work of science fiction? Include common elements of science  fiction.

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You will see an alternative option on the next slide.

​Carefully read the provided text. It is an answer to the following question.

he arrive on mars they become aliens after they ate the food

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What makes “Dark They Were, and Golden-Eyed” a work of science fiction? Include common elements of science  fiction.

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Which answer is best?

​Carefully read the provided text. It is an answer to the following question.

Science features are everywhere and the story takes place on Mars, the Bittering family arrive on the planet a rocket- that's science. That makes this story science fiction.

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Multiple Choice

Which answer from the prior three slides is best?

• Slide 56

  "In science fiction, technology or science-based features..."

• Slide 57

  "he arrive on mars they..."

• Slide 58

  "Science features are everywhere..."

"Dark They Were, And Golden-Eyed"

Text by Ray Bradbury; Questions by WMS literature textbook