# Fear and Control in Short Fiction

> Theme guide for Short Fiction by Manly Wade Wellman.

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.

## Where it surfaces

- [The Invading Asteroid](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_37_se/chapters/the-invading-asteroid): Global authorities struggle to maintain order as public fear escalates over the asteroid's unknown origin.
- [II: An Incredible Story](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_37_se/chapters/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—"](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_37_se/chapters/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.”](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_37_se/chapters/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.”](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_37_se/chapters/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!”](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_37_se/chapters/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?”](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_37_se/chapters/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](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_37_se/chapters/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!"](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_37_se/chapters/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.”](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_37_se/chapters/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.”](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_37_se/chapters/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.”](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_37_se/chapters/xiv-i-was-i-am-a-wolf): Zoberg uses hypnosis to control Susan; Wills confronts his fear to attack the creature.
- [I: Drafted](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_37_se/chapters/i-drafted): Jake's fear of Varduk's retribution and the play's intended terror highlight themes of fear and control.
- [Jake's Story](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_37_se/chapters/v-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](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_37_se/chapters/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](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_37_se/chapters/ix-davidson-gives-a-warning): Varduk exerts psychological control over Schaefer and Davidson through fear and mysterious power.
- [X: That Evening](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_37_se/chapters/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](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_37_se/chapters/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](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_37_se/chapters/iv-the-mandifers): Mandifer attempts to control Enid through mesmerism and sacrifice; Lanark asserts military authority to arrest him.
- [V: Blood in the Night](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_37_se/chapters/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](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_37_se/chapters/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](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_37_se/chapters/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](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_37_se/chapters/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](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_37_se/chapters/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](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_37_se/chapters/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](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_37_se/chapters/xiv-enid): Enid is herded by the undead like a sheep, with Mandifer mocking her helplessness and controlling her path.
- [The Dreadful Rabbits](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_37_se/chapters/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](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_37_se/chapters/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](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_37_se/chapters/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](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_37_se/chapters/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](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_37_se/chapters/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](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_37_se/chapters/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](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_37_se/chapters/iii): Elonie attempts to hypnotize Yandro to control him, and Gederr uses fear of the Newcomers to rally the people.
- [Half Around Pluto](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_37_se/chapters/half-around-pluto): Wofforth struggles to maintain command and morale as fear of death and dwindling supplies drive Jenks and Corbett to violence.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_37_se/themes/fear_and_control
- Themes index: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_37_se/themes