How we cite our quotes: ("Story Name," Paragraph)
Quote #7
"It's a funny thing, Father, but yes, I think we'll all go back. I know, we came up here to get away from things—politics, the atom bomb, war, pressure groups, prejudice, laws—I know. But it's still home there." ("The Luggage Store," 13)
Hey, it may be racist, violent, and about to explode in a mushroom cloud, but it's still home. If we were armchair psychologists, we might call this an abusive relationship—but it shows how powerful the lure of the familiar is.
Quote #8
AUSTRALIAN CONTINENT ATOMIZED IN PREMATURE EXPLOSION OF ATOMIC STOCKPILE. LOS ANGELES, LONDON BOMBED. WAR. COME HOME. COME HOME. COME HOME. ("The Watchers," 15)
This is the Earth's message to the people on Mars during the war. There are a couple things to say about this message. First, notice that there's no clear reason why the people should go back to Earth—the message doesn't say "come home to help in the war effort." Second, that's a lot of repetition—and the phrase "come home" gets repeated five more times in the chapter. Third, notice that they say "come home" instead of "come back," so it really emphasizes the fact that these new settlers (and the people they left behind) haven't moved on. And finally, notice that the message seems to be sent from all the Earth to all the people on Mars—it's a very general sense of the word "home."
Quote #9
"And to my wife and children, without whom I couldn't have survived alone. It is only through their kindness in caring for me that I've lived on, waiting for your arrival." ("The Long Years," 116)
Left alone on Mars, Hathaway builds himself a robot family to replace his real one. They might help the place feel a little more like home, but it isn't quite home-like enough to make Hathaway relax. It's missing something. You know, like living people.