The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street

1. The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street y by Rod Serling

2. The Twilight Zone The television series was created by Rod Serling, a former teacher and writer. The television show began on October 2, 1959 and ran until May, 1964. Serling created another television show called Night Gallery. Both television shows explored human reactions to unusual situations.

4. Theme The theme of a story is its moral. What can we learn about ourselves and others? In “The Monsters Are Due On Maple Street” the theme is about human nature and our fear of the unknown. At the end of the story you will be asked to write your ideas about the theme.

5. Key to the story Hysteria-the word comes from Latin and means: Behavior exhibiting excessive or uncontrolled emotion such as fear or panic. Other words that use the base form is hysterical meaning a person (-ic [life] and –al [person]) who is overcome with fear or panic. Some reasons for hysteria is learning about an impending disaster such as an earthquake, meteor strike, or tornado. Other reasons could be frightened by an event. In “The Monsters Are Due On Maple Street,” hysteria grips the townspeople and they become a mob of frightened souls.

6. Key to the story A scapegoat is a term describing someone who is blamed for another’s wrong doing. For example, if you and a friend are caught doing a deed which you know to be wrong you could say, “He told me to do it.” By placing blame on another that person becomes the scapegoat, that is they receive the blame for everyone’s actions. When reading “The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street,” look for evidence which suggests the townspeople are seeking someone to blame for their troubles, a scapegoat.

7. Mob Mentality People in a crowd often act differently than they do when they are alone. People in a group may laugh louder, feel braver, or get angrier. Sometimes a crowd can even become dangerous. Examples- reactions of sports fans after a championship (after Detroit Pistons’ NBA Title)

8. Social Commentary Serling wanted to write teleplays about important social issues. Television executives thought his topics were too controversial. In the 1950’s & 1960’s television censors banned scripts that questioned American Society.

9. Twilight Zone Settings Serling used the science fiction & fantasy genres to deal with social issues such as prejudice and intolerance. He had more freedom because his teleplays were not realistic. The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street aired March 4th, 1960.

10. Background Monsters was written during the Cold War (1946 – 1989), a period when the U.S. & Soviet Union were engaged in a nuclear arms race. Fear led to suspicion and people were often accused of being Communist spies. A lot of anti-communist sentiment in the U.S.

11. HUAC House Un-American Activities Committee (special committee of Congress) Held hearings in which prominent Hollywood actors & directors (and other Americans) were interrogated about involvement with the Communist party. Actors & directors were “blacklisted” for alleged involvement with the Communist Party

12. Meteors Streaks of light that can be seen when debris from a comet or asteroid enters the Earth’s atmosphere High speed and friction with molecules in the Earth’s atmosphere usually cause it to burn up producing the light trail. If large enough a piece known as a meteoroid survives to lower altitudes and can cause a sonic boom

13. Setting = 1960’s No cordless phones No cell phones “Regular” phones do not use electricity. Phone calls often still went through an operator. No Ipods or cd players. “Portable” radios were battery operated. No remote starters for cars.

14. What is a teleplay? A teleplay is a play written for television. In the beginning of television, many comedies and dramas were written especially for the new medium. Today, we call them made for TV movies. Just like a regular drama, a teleplay has stage directions, suggestions for actors ad director, describe props, lighting, and sound effects. Additionally, a teleplay offers directions for the camera.

15. Teleplay Terms • fade in – the picture gradually appears on the screen. • fade to black – the picture gradually disappears until all that remains is a black screen.

16. dissolve • a new scene is blended with a scene that is fading out.

17. opening shot • the first scene of the production

18. long shot • a camera shot from far off

19. close-up • a camera shot that is very close to its subject

20. outside shot • a camera shot of an exterior

21. cut to • a sudden change from one scene or character to another.

22. pan • a swiveling movement of the camera, from one side to the other

23. The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street Maple Street, U.S.A., late summer. A tree-lined little road of front porch gliders, barbecues, the laughter of children, and the bell of an ice-cream vendor. At the sound of the roar and the flash of light, it will be precisely 6:43 p.m. on Maple Street. . . . This is Maple Street on a late Saturday afternoon, in the last calm and reflective moment — before the monsters came.

24. EMP Bombs • EMP= Electro Magnetic Pulse • Disables everything electrical • Weapon of the future • Did Rod Serling predict a future weapon?

25. Vocabulary in Context flustered-(verb/participle) Mary was flustered when she realized that the bus dropped her off miles away from her home and she was confronted with an unknown neighborhood and no idea of which way to go. • Bold • Clear • Confused • At ease

26. Vocabulary in Context intense-adjective, a describing word Martin’s intense stare was unsettling and somewhat frightening. • Mild • Dull • Concentrated • Complex

27. Vocabulary • transfixed – v. very still, as if nailed to the spot • intelligible – adj. understandable • assent – n. agreement • intimidated – v. frightened with threats • defiant – adj. boldly resisting authority • idiosyncrasy – n. peculiarity, odd behavior • menace – n. danger, threat • converging – v. closing in • explicit – adj. definite, clearly stated • variations – n. differences

28. Match the picture to a vocabulary word

29. Complete seven of the vocabulary activities: • Describe a time you were transfixed by something on television. • Write a phrase that is not intelligible. • Write one sentence that includes the words assent and variations. • Describe something tremendous that might intimidate a child. • Draw a person or animal with a defiant pose. • Describe an idiosyncrasy of someone you know. • Describe something that is a menace to society. • Draw a picture of an animal converging on their prey. • Write explicit directions from school to your house.

30. "Paranoia strikes the residents of Maple Street when they believe human-looking aliens have invaded the neighborhood." • "The only thing we have to fear is fear itself." What does this mean? (5 points Extra Credit: Who said this?) • How does fear affect the decisions you make? • What fears might be called "universal"; shared by most almost all humans? • Do you have any "isms" that someone who doesn't know you might consider "weird"? What if you were judged only by your idiosyncrasies? • Do you think life exists on other planets in our universe? What makes you think so? Might this life be friendly or hostile? • If you wanted to take over a town--without killing anyone--how might you weaken the people enough to overcome their resistance? • What is a scapegoat?

31. Vocabulary in Context Optimistic-adjective: Greek op-to see; –ic life Mariah’s optimistic outlook on her job opportunities were realized when she landed the top spot at the new law firm. • Unhopeful • Positive • Depressing • Cheerless

32. Review Questions • What do the people of Maple Street think that the UFO is at first? • Who gets them to think that it might be something else? • True or False? Always putting the same number of ice cubes in your drink is an example of an idiosyncrasy. • Who is the scapegoat for all of the fears of the people of Maple Street?

33. Theme • What is the theme of The Monsters are Due on Maple Street? What do you think Rod Serling's point is? Choose all that apply. • To show that we should be scared of aliens. • To show that we shouldn't be so suspicious of our neighbors. • To show that we often judge people by insignificant things. • To show that fear of the unknown makes us do things that we wouldn’t normally do. • To show that scared people in a group do even worse things than they would do alone.

34. Poem #435 by Emily Dickinson Much Madness is divinest Sense– To a discerning Eye– Much Sense--the starkest Madness– 'Tis the Majority In this, as All, prevail– Assent--and you are sane– Demur--you're straightway dangerous– And handled with a Chain-- • assent = say yes demur = say no discerning = showing good judgment starkest = most obvious divinest = most perfect