Medicine for Melancholy

1. Discuss the future of the space program as depicted in “The End of the Beginning,” “Icarus Montgolfier Wright,” “The Gift,” and “The Strawberry Window.”

2. Using “A Medicine for Melancholy,” “The Wonderful Ice Cream Suit,” and “The Smile,” discuss Bradbury’s belief that smiles can remedy the ills of a materialistic world. Do you agree with him?

3. Discuss Bradbury’s water imagery as a symbol of transformation and regeneration in “The Day It Rained Forever” and “The Shore Line at Sunset.”

4. Describe Bradbury’s philosophy about death in “The Time of Going Away.”

5. What moralization does Bradbury imply with his use of mirror imagery in “The Headpiece”?

The October Country

1. Carnival imagery is a major source for Bradbury’s discussion of the presence of evil in the world. Discuss his use of this imagery in “The Jar” and “The Dwarf.” What is the philosophical message which appears in each of these stories?

2. Discuss the theme of loneliness in “The Wind,” “The Homecoming,” and “Uncle Einar.”

3. Using specific examples to support your answer, discuss the conflict between reason and faith in “There Was an Old Woman.”

4. Explain how Bradbury uses fire imagery to emphasize the importance of love and kindness in “Touched with Fire.”

5. How does water imagery enhance and explain the relationship between Anna and Frank in “The Cistern”?