Short Fiction · Question
How does Short Fiction develop the theme of Fear and Control?
Answer
Short Fiction by Manly Wade Wellman develops Fear and Control across the chapters the companion marks for this theme.
Fear is depicted as a tool of domination, whether through supernatural threats, mob violence, or psychological manipulation, with characters asserting that 'fear will always vanquish love' and using terror to command others.
Global authorities struggle to maintain order as public fear escalates over the asteroid's unknown origin.
The threat of a hidden Martian invasion creates a climate of fear, leading to strict secrecy and military control over the captured prisoner and the planned counterattack.
Wills's elaborate precautions reflect an attempt to control the unknown, but the creature's sudden violence shatters that control, evoking primal fear.
Evidence in the book
- The Invading Asteroid
Global authorities struggle to maintain order as public fear escalates over the asteroid's unknown origin.
- II: An Incredible Story
The threat of a hidden Martian invasion creates a climate of fear, leading to strict secrecy and military control over the captured prisoner and the planned counterattack.
- III: "That Thing Isn't My Daughter—"
Wills's elaborate precautions reflect an attempt to control the unknown, but the creature's sudden violence shatters that control, evoking primal fear.
- IV: “I Don’t Know What Killed Him.”
The handcuffs and sealed room create a controlled environment; fear grips the characters as they realize a killer is among them.
- V: “They Want to Take the Law Into Their Own Hands.”
The mob's fear and desire to control justice drive them to attempt lynching Wills, while the community's fear of the Devil's Croft controls their actions.
- VI: “Eyes of Fire!”
The narrator's escalating fear and loss of control as he is stalked by an unknown, non-human entity in the dark grove.
- VII: “Had the Thing Been So Hairy?”
The narrator's terror drives him to irrational flight and violence, highlighting fear's power over reason.
- X: Bloodlust and Compassion
The town's bloodlust and mob violence demonstrate how fear drives the desire to control and punish the perceived monster, regardless of evidence.
