Fear and Control

Where it surfaces

• 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.

• XI: "To Meet That Monster Face to Face!"

  The characters grapple with fear of the unknown werewolf, but Judge Pursuivant emphasizes facing it dauntlessly to regain control.

• XII: “We Are Here at His Mercy.”

  Talbot and Susan's growing paranoia about Judge Pursuivant and the creature's attempt to control Susan through enchantment.

• XIII: “Light’s Our Best Weapon.”

  The group's fear of the unseen creature and the use of light as a weapon reflect the struggle to control the unknown.

• XIV: “I Was—I Am—A Wolf.”

  Zoberg uses hypnosis to control Susan; Wills confronts his fear to attack the creature.

• I: Drafted

  Jake's fear of Varduk's retribution and the play's intended terror highlight themes of fear and control.

• Jake's Story

  Jake's intense fear during the attack contrasts with Varduk's authoritative control, as he commands the creature to retreat, highlighting the theme of mastery over terror.

• VI: The Theater in the Forest

  Varduk's commanding presence and the characters' wariness, especially Jake's refusal to discuss his adventure, suggest underlying fear and control.

• IX: Davidson Gives a Warning

  Varduk exerts psychological control over Schaefer and Davidson through fear and mysterious power.

• X: That Evening

  Varduk's manipulation of the rehearsal and the atmosphere of dread illustrate the theme of fear as a tool of control.

• II: The Cavalry Patrol

  Lanark's cautious deployment of pickets and guards reflects the need for control in a hostile, uncertain environment.

• IV: The Mandifers

  Mandifer attempts to control Enid through mesmerism and sacrifice; Lanark asserts military authority to arrest him.

• V: Blood in the Night

  Quantrill's fear of the blue light causes him to flee, showing how supernatural elements disrupt human control.

• VII: The Rock Again

  Enid describes a tightening, thickening sense of evil around and inside her, and fears that leaving would spread the curse.

• VIII: The Grapple by the Grave

  Lanark's fear and loss of control during the encounter with the undead creature, contrasted with his eventual recovery and return to safety.

• X: Enid Mandifer Again

  Enid's stepfather taught that 'fear is stronger than love' and that 'Those Below rule by fear,' emphasizing fear as a tool of control.

• XII: Jager

  Jager's creeping approach, his cold sweat, and his hesitation at the ambush-like ravine highlight the theme of fear and the struggle for control.

• XIII: Lanark

  Lanark's growing terror as he realizes his weapons are useless; the undead's relentless pursuit and the disembodied hand's crawling symbolize loss of control.

• XIV: Enid

  Enid is herded by the undead like a sheep, with Mandifer mocking her helplessness and controlling her path.

• The Dreadful Rabbits

  Ransome's challenge to the superstition and the community's enforcement of the custom reflect the tension between fear of the unknown and the desire to maintain control.

• It All Came True in the Woods

  Clay uses stories to manage Helen's fear, but the giants embody uncontrollable terror; Helen's control comes from her faith in the pipe.

• The Half-Haunted

  Scrope lives in constant fear of the haunting, and the spirit attempts to control the house through terror.

• The Liers in Wait

  Charles II experiences fear and a sense of being controlled as he is drawn involuntarily to the hut and seized by the coven.

• I: The Cursed Damozel

  The vampire exerts control through hypnotism and fear, while Jaeger and the chaplain assert control through military discipline and religious authority.

• IV: The Gathering of the Vultures

  Hypnotism is used to control Susan; the besieging horde uses fear and ritual to intimidate; Jaeger counters with calm preparation.

• III

  Elonie attempts to hypnotize Yandro to control him, and Gederr uses fear of the Newcomers to rally the people.

• Half Around Pluto

  Wofforth struggles to maintain command and morale as fear of death and dwindling supplies drive Jenks and Corbett to violence.