And a little child by Marcia Kamien

"And a Little Child" by Marcia Kamien is a science fiction story written in the early 1950s. The narrative unfolds on Mars, presenting a world where children, genetically modified to thrive in the Martian environment, rebel against their Earthling educators after growing up under their care. The story raises themes of autonomy, identity, and the unforeseen consequences of scientific manipulation. The plot centers around Professor Dayton and his class of young Martians, who were once Earth children adapted to their new home. As they transition into adulthood, led by the charismatic Bar, they assert their independence from their Earthling teachers, declaring Mars to be theirs alone. The story takes a dramatic turn as Bar and his peers destroy their scientific roots, rejecting their origins. However, when these newly self-proclaimed Martians face the harsh realities of their actions, realization dawns on them, prompting a humbling plea for their former teachers to return. The story concludes with the acknowledgment that genuine survival and development require more than mere adaptation; it is an exploration of the balance between nurturing and independence. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

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About this eBook

Author Kamien, Marcia, 1933-
Title And a little child
Original Publication New York, NY: King-Size Publications, Inc., 1954.
Series Title Produced from Fantastic Universe September 1954.
Credits Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at www.pgdp.net
Reading Level Reading ease score: 84.4 (6th grade). Easy to read.
Language English
LoC Class PS: Language and Literatures: American and Canadian literature
Subject Science fiction
Subject Short stories
Subject Conflict of generations -- Fiction
Subject Mars (Planet) -- Fiction
Category Text
eBook-No. 74160
Release Date
Copyright Public domain in the USA.
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