A Princess Of Mars Literary Analysis

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Race is a prevalent concept in Edgar Rice Burroughs’ novel, A Princess of Mars. The two principal Martian races—Green and Red—are characterized by drastically different beliefs, abilities, and social organizations. Although differences in their ways of life can be misconstrued to suggest the presence of a racial hierarchy, Burroughs makes no specific delineations about one race being superior over another, thereby reinforcing the idea that the equally created races are simply divided by their respective cultures. John Carter, the protagonist, describes the Green Martians as having, “scrawny bodies, long necks and six legs” (24). He likens them to the Indian warriors who had chased him before his travel to Mars (30) as the Green Martians are trained in and pride …show more content…

Burroughs, therefore, portrays the races in a very balanced manner, substantiating the interpretation of equally valued races. Also, the animosity between the two races is not fueled by any perceived sense of racial superiority, but instead is a manifestation of the cultural differences: “It is only the men of her kind [Red Martians] that war upon us [Green Martians], and I have ever thought that their attitude toward us is but the reflection of ours toward them, while we are at peace with none; forever warring among our own kind as well as upon the red men, and even in our own communities the individuals fight amongst themselves” (87). In conclusion, Burroughs presents two Martian races that are largely different to validate that all races are created equal and the differences in abilities result from cultural disparities. Burroughs’ focus on race in this novel is critical as it serves as a reaction against the biological racism fueled by eugenics in the 20th

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