# Lazarus Come Forth explained — Short Fiction

> Chapter companion for Short Fiction by Ray Bradbury.

## What happens

Brandon, working on a Morgue Ship, discovers a perfectly preserved frozen body of a Scientist who holds the key to ending the war. He revives him, seeing him as a second son after losing his own son Richard. Logan, his corrupt assistant, plots to sell the Scientist to the Martians for personal gain. Brandon fights Logan, kills him in self-defense, and races to prevent the Scientist from being handed over.

## Themes in this chapter

### Mortality and the Brevity of Life

Brandon's quest to revive a frozen body and his confrontation with death and loss.

### Violence and Murder

Brandon kills Logan in a violent struggle to protect the Scientist.

### Love and Connection

Brandon's love for his lost son drives him to revive the Scientist as a surrogate child.

## Character check-ins

### Brandon

Revives the frozen Scientist, sees him as a replacement for his lost son Richard, and fights Logan to protect him.

### Logan

Corrupt assistant who plots to sell the Scientist to the Martians; killed by Brandon.

### Lazarus

The revived Scientist, referred to as Lazarus, key to ending the war.

## Key lines

> Lazarus, come forth from the tomb!

Brandon invokes the biblical story of Lazarus as he revives the frozen Scientist.

_Highlights the resurrection theme and Brandon's emotional investment._

> He's alive! He's alive! Lazarus has come from the tomb! Lazarus reborn again!

Brandon exclaims joyfully as he detects a pulse in the revived body.

_Shows Brandon's triumph and the symbolic rebirth._

> You can't have your real son; so you take the second best and you slap him into breathing life, into breathing consciousness, and before he is a day old they try to tear him away from you again.

Brandon reflects that the revived Scientist is a substitute for his lost son Richard, and now he is being taken away.

_Reveals Brandon's deep emotional pain and attachment._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/short_fiction_46_se/chapters/lazarus-come-forth
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/short_fiction_46_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/short_fiction_46_se/chapters