The document summarizes two short stories: "Dark They Were and Golden-Eyed" by Ray Bradbury, which follows a family that flees to Mars and slowly transforms into Martians, and "The Golden Kite, The Silver Wind" set in ancient China about two rival cities. It compares and contrasts the characters, settings, and themes of the two stories. The document was written by three students for a class assignment.

1. Dark They Were and Golden-Eyed AND
The Golden Kite, The Silver Wind
A Comparison by
Carly C, John Henry J, and Joe W

2. Summary of Dark They Were and Golden-Eyed
In this story by Ray Bradbury, the Bittering family arrives on Mars
after fleeing earth. Each day is harder on the children (Dan, Laura, and
David) than the last, and though the parents (Harry and Cora) try to act as
if they aren’t scared, the children know better. Then, one fateful day, New
York City is nuked, destroying the whole city, and the rocket ships that
were going to come and save the refugees. With next to no hope left, the
Bitterings, as well as everyone else on the planet, try to go on with their
lives normally. After some time though, Harry Bittering begins to notice
some subtle differences, first in the plants, and then in the people. Mars
had begun to change them. When he noticed this, Mr. Bittering goes around
to the other inhabitants of Mars, trying to persuade them to leave the
planet with him. All of the others call him crazy, but he decides to build a
rocket. He works feverishly for a time, but eventually gives up. The whole
colony is turned into Martians, and when help finally arrives, they are not
recognized.

3. Summary of The Golden Kite, the Silver Wind
This is a story of two cities, set in China ages and ages ago. One city has walls in
the shape of an orange, and the people considers themselves to be quite dominant to
the people of the other city. However, a messenger arrives one day in the city with
the walls shaped like an orange to inform the leader that the other city has built its
walls in the shape of a pig, as if to eat the other city. This worries the leader,
because in those times, nobody would want to stay in a city that was about to be
eaten. The leader’s daughter advises them to build their walls in the shape of a club,
to metaphorically beat the other city away. They are happy for a little bit, but then
the other city builds its walls in the shape of a bonfire, to burn the club. This sort of
fighting goes on for a long time, but the people spend all of their time working to
build the walls, and no time growing crops, or doing any of their usual
activities. Finally, the daughter tells her father that the two cities need to come
two an agreement. She points out two kites on the ground, and says that just like a
kite needs the wind’s help, so does a city need the help of other cities to survive.
With that in mind, the two cities build the walls into the shape of a golden kite and
silver wind. Both of them do well economically, with neither one trying to do better
than the other.

4. Characters

5. Character Comparisons
Harry Bittering(the dad from Dark They Were and Golden-
Eyed) and the Mandarin's daughter(the lady behind the
curtain in The Golden Kite, The Silver Wind) are the most
alike because they are the most dyamic characters in the
stories and also because they are not afraid to stand out
or to think freely.

6. Character Contrasts
Harry Bittering and the Mandarin's daughter came out
differently at the end of their stories. While Harry
Bittering became a Martian, the Mandarin's daughter
received fame, praise, and lots of treasure.
Harry Bittering The Mandarin's Daughter

7. Settings

8. Setting Comparison
The two settings do not have much in common except
that both societies are the same. In "Dark They Were and
Golden-Eyed" there are two main groups of people -- those
who believe something is wrong and those who believe
nothing is wrong (and if there is it doesn't matter). In "The
Golden Kite, the Silver Wind" there two main groups of
people opposing each other. Both settings included a man
vs. man in their societies.

9. Setting Contrasts
The differences between the two stories in setting are
very large. 'Dark They Were' is set in Mars while 'The
Golden Kite' is set on Earth. The time periods are also
different, 'Dark They Were' is set in the future and 'The
Golden Kite' is set in the past. The cultures are also very
different. 'Dark They Were' it seemed like a culture very
much like ours in the basics. But in 'The Golden Kite' there
was a completely different older Asian culture.

10. Themes

11. Theme Comparison
The two themes were really not the same but shared
some simmilar aspects. For 'Dark' the theme was giving
into peer pressure does not always produce the best
results. For 'Kite' the theme was that working together
brings better rewards than fighting. Both of these themes
involve grooups and the groups work together, like we are
doing in our group. Also both work toward a better
reward.

12. Theme Contrasts
The themes are completely different. One is about one
person's choices, it is one person's choice to not submit to
peer pressure. While the other is about a multiple party
choice of working together. One causes personal rewards,
'Dark', you are not going to help anyone but
yourself. (Being a Martian is better than being a human
because human's don't appreciate what they have, this a
personal gain).