What's He Doing in There? by Fritz Leiber

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Author Leiber, Fritz, 1910-1992
Illustrator Bowman
Title What's He Doing in There?
Note Reading ease score: 74.6 (7th grade). Fairly easy to read.
Credits Produced by Greg Weeks, Stephen Blundell and the Online
Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net
Summary "What's He Doing in There?" by Fritz Leiber is a humorous science fiction short story written in the late 1950s. The narrative centers around a cultural anthropologist's encounter with the first Martian visitor to Earth, highlighting themes of miscommunication and cultural taboos. The story deftly explores the absurdity of human and alien interactions, particularly when reflecting on the mundane aspects of life like bathroom etiquette. The plot unfolds as the Martian, having landed on Earth, retreats to the bathroom for an extended period, prompting concern from the professor and his family about what he might be doing. Speculation runs wild as they consider the possible consequences of the Martian's actions, ranging from illness to cultural misunderstandings. The story builds tension and humor around the family's anxiety, revealing the alien's innocent intentions and misconceptions about terrestrial customs when he eventually emerges, blissfully unaware of the fuss he has caused. Ultimately, it serves as a delightful exploration of cross-cultural interactions, emphasizing the challenges and misunderstandings inherent in communications between vastly different beings. (This is an automatically generated summary.)
Language English
LoC Class PS: Language and Literatures: American and Canadian literature
Subject Science fiction
Subject Short stories
Subject Martians -- Fiction
Subject Human-alien encounters -- Fiction
Category Text
EBook-No. 29504
Release Date
Copyright Status Public domain in the USA.
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