Unnamed boys
Warned not to play in the Martian cities, they do so anyway.
The boys, who are warned not to visit the Martian cities.
The parents, who make this warning.
The boys go, ignoring direct orders, and have fun playing with the bones
of dead Martians.
The parents discover what happened and punish them.
The romanticizing of youthful experiences, with its innocent sense of
discovery and wonder; and the defilement of an ancient culture and peoples
by ruthless, callous colonizers. Note that Bradbury places no judgment
on the behavior of the boys, which exposes a tension between the two thematic
strains in his work. Is this simple child's play, or desecration on top
of genocide? Is this an exploration into imagination and a world of awe,
or the first step in desensitizing children to the plight of others?
The parents of some Earthian boys are warned not to go to the ancient cities.
They go regardless of such warnings, playing with the bones of dead Martians
while pretending to be musicians. The boys return home, their deeds discovered
on the soles of their shoes, and they are punished.
Clapsaddle, Diane. "TheBestNotes on A Long Way Gone".
TheBestNotes.com.
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