![]() A princess of Mars introduce us to Edward rice Burroughs's iconic character John Carter and the culture and landscape of Mars which is known within the universe of the novel as Barsoom. While the novel is definitely grounded in the pulp fiction genre with all the related gender stereotyping that goes with it, the protagonists view and acceptance of alien cultures underlies the subtleties of the novel an presents a more egalitarian view of the world when compared with the works of Verne & Swift. Burroughs clearly has a deep respect for the native Americans and is the basis for the red Martians who prove themselves to be noble when pitted against the war-like and expansionist Tharks. This respect and ready acceptance of foreign cultures is in spite of the protagonist being a cavalry officer of the confederate army. In fact John Carter at one point is even willing to change his skin complexion to be better integrated with the community. The novel is in the tradition of the "scientific expedition" subgenre and the reader is treated to a tour de force of Barsooms traditions, marriage customs, economy and population control. The seamless integration if this into the main plot of the novel underlies the skill of Burroughs writing. An interesting concept put forth by the novel is the author's rejection of a communal style of living( which according to the popular imagination is not common in indigenous communities and is something to be admired) as opposed to a culture based on the primacy of the individual. While in the novel, this communal culture amongst the green Martians is a result of the limitations of the planet's ability to sustain life in a harsh climate. This in turn led to the creation of voluntary population control where reading of offspring is irresponsibility of the community. While this ideal seems appealing and a utopian, the author's view is that this lack of self identity has fostered bitterness and made them more prone to violence , which ironically is exactly what is require by nature for the community to survive given the harsh climate. This fact is aptly captured by Dejah Thoris's words who is brought up with a strong send of identity "by owning everything in common,..has resulted in your owning nothing in common". While the science fiction elements of the novel may seem unremarkable to a modern reader, it is clear that the novel has been instrumental in inspiring a number of film based science fiction franchises. Overall an entertaining read. Book Details https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40395.A_Princess_of_Mars
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AuthorAvid reader of Historical fiction, High fantasy novels, Comics & Graphic Novels. Passionate about teaching & the future of education in general. Categories
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December 2023
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