The Statue

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Wolf, Mari, 1927-

Contributor:

Martin, Bob

Series:

Produced from IF Worlds of Science Fiction January 1953.

Language:

English

Physical Description:

1 online resource : multiple file formats

Place of Publication:

Salt Lake City, UT : Project Gutenberg,

Summary:

"The Statue" by Mari Wolf is a science fiction novella that was published in the early 1950s. The story touches on themes of aging, belonging, and the longing for one's roots, focusing on the emotional journey of its main characters. The narrative primarily takes place on Mars, where the protagonists reminisce about their Earthly past while contemplating their life's choices and the changes that have transpired over the decades. The story centers on Lewis and Martha Farwell, elderly farmers who have lived on Mars for over sixty-five years. As they watch the Earth rise in the Martian sky, they discuss their longing to return home before it's too late. However, the realities of age, finances, and regulations on space travel pose significant barriers to their dreams. Their connection to Earth is symbolized by a surprise anniversary celebration held by their Martian neighbors, culminating in the unveiling of a statue that immortalizes them as pioneers, titled "The first Martians." Ultimately, the story powerfully explores themes of nostalgia and identity as they grapple with the decision to return to Earth, revealing the emotional complexity of what "home" truly means. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Credits:

Produced by Sankar Viswanathan, Greg Weeks, and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net

Notes:

Reading ease score: 95.6 (5th grade). Very easy to read.

Release date is 2010-05-20