How we cite our quotes: ("Story Name," Paragraph)
Quote #1
"Biological metamorphosis through psychological imbalance!" ("The Earth Men," 210)
This is Mr. Xxx being astounded about the "psychotic genius" of the Earth Men, who he thinks are actually the "psychotic" projection of crazy Martians. What's funny is that Mr. Xxx finds it easier to imagine that a crazy Martian could actually change his shape—"biological metamorphosis"—than accept that Mars is actually being invaded by an alien (to him) race.
Quote #2
But one day Earth will be as Mars is today. This will sober us. It's an object lesson in civilizations. ("—And the Moon Be Still as Bright," 81)
Captain Wilder thinks Earth and Mars are following the same path—that Earth will one day be as dry and (potentially) lifeless as Mars. This was actually what lots of people used to think: that Mars was older than Earth but started out the same, so looking at Mars was like looking at the future of Earth. Hooray: something to look forward to.
Quote #3
In a moment the town doors would flip wide, people would run out through the new miracle of oxygen, sniffing, gusting in lungfuls of it, cheeks pinking with it, noses frozen with it, lungs revivified, hearts leaping, and worn bodies lifted into a dance. ("The Green Morning," 40)
This scene from "The Green Morning" parallels a scene in "Rocket Summer": when the rockets made the weather warmer, people rushed out to play, just like they're about to now. What weird is that, in "Rocket Summer," technology changes the world; in "The Green Morning," nature changes the world.