Monsters Are Due On Maple Street Summary

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Rod Sterling's message to the readers of “Monsters Are Due on Maple Street” is to not let fear control your actions. The theme begins to appear in the story when the power on Maple Street suddenly goes out and no technology works, not even hand-held radios. Then, Tommy introduces the idea that aliens have landed and disguised as an ordinary family. After that has been explained, the scene turns to Les Goodman who is trying to start his car. Once he realizes his car won't start up, he turns and walks away. Just as he is three feet away from it, his car starts up. Man One then says, “He got the car started somehow. He got his car started! [The people stare, somehow caught up by this revelation and somehow, illogically, wildly, frightened.” Moments …show more content…

Steve tries to support Les when Charlie starts to accuse Steve of being too anxious when Don brings up a questioning activity that Steve has. Don says, “ There's no need gettin' so upset, Steve. It's just that...well...Myra's talked about how there's been plenty of nights you spend hours down in your basement workin' on some kind of radio or something. Well, none of us have ever seen that radio--”Everyone, then turns to Steve and starts backing away and stare at him hesitantly, not able to tell if he is an alien or just a normal person. In conclusion, when the people on Maple Street had an unexplained incident they all let fear take control of their minds and brought up any evidence to have against one of their neighbors. Just as Steve said in the story, “You're standing here all set to crucify - all set to find a scapegoat - all desperate to point some kind of a finger at a neighbor! Well now look, friends, the only thing that's gonna happen is that we'll eat each other up alive-” Or how during the Cold War all the citizens in America turned against one another and started what is now called “McCarthyism”, how everyone learned to let fear take control, and make them suspicious of everyone they turned to. Rod Serling brought this problem in this episode because it is a real-world problem that has come up so

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