A princess of Mars
Edgar Rice Burroughs
Contains spoilers for the entire book.
Discussion topics
Topic 01 of 08
From Arizona to Barsoom
How did you respond to the way John Carter reaches Mars, leaving his body in an Arizona cave with no explanation?
Keep the conversation going
- Why do you think Burroughs never explains it?
- What does Carter's past as a Confederate soldier add to the hero we follow?
There is no single right answer. Bring your own reading.
Discussion topics
How did you respond to the way John Carter reaches Mars, leaving his body in an Arizona cave with no explanation?
Keep the conversation going
- Why do you think Burroughs never explains it?
- What does Carter's past as a Confederate soldier add to the hero we follow?
How does Carter's strength under the weaker Martian gravity shape the adventure?
Keep the conversation going
- Is he admirable for his courage or simply lucky in his advantages?
- What did you make of his habit of telling us how brave and modest he is?
What kind of society do the green Martians have, and what does Carter find most shocking about it?
Keep the conversation going
- How does the novel treat their cruelty, their laughter at others' pain and their lack of family love?
- Did your view of the Tharks change as the book went on?
How do Tars Tarkas and Sola come to break with their own people's ways?
Keep the conversation going
- What does the secret story of Sola's birth reveal about Tars Tarkas?
- Which friendship in the book did you find most moving?
What did you make of Dejah Thoris, the princess of Helium, and of the romance between her and Carter?
Keep the conversation going
- Does she have a will of her own, or is she mostly a prize to be won?
- How does the novel's idea of romance compare with stories of today?
Why do you think the faithful calot Woola wins so many readers' hearts?
Keep the conversation going
- What does Carter's kindness to Woola show about how he differs from the Tharks?
- How does Burroughs use animals to tell us about his characters?
What does the picture of a dying Mars, with its dead sea bottoms and atmosphere plant, add to the adventure?
Keep the conversation going
- Why do you think the idea of an ancient, failing world appealed to readers in 1912?
- Where do you see this book's influence on later science fiction?
How did you feel about the ending, with Carter waking in Arizona not knowing whether Dejah Thoris lived?
Keep the conversation going
- What does the framing by the nephew who publishes the manuscript add?
- Did the book make you want to read on in the series?
There is no single right answer. Bring your own reading.