The monsters are due on maple street Rod sterling

Themes to Look For and Discuss Fear/Paranoia Fear and suspicion can cause normal, peaceful people (neighbors and friends) to turn on one another. Despite having known each other for some time, idiosyncrasies drive them to re-examine how well they know their neighbors.

Mankind as Its Own Worst Enemy Themes (con’t) Mankind as Its Own Worst Enemy Prejudice People as Wild Animals Ever noticed how mankind pulls itself down? This theme is present in this story and throughout history When people make prejudgments they are often irreversible. Once a thought is put into someone's mind, it is hard to root out. This is why prejudices are so dangerous. In the residents' search for a scapegoat, suspicion and prejudice lead to dire consequences. Throughout the story, the author creates metaphors around the people acting like animals. This symbolizes the loss of control humans have once hysteria and paranoia take control. They become no better than animals, living by instinct rather than rationality.

Plot mountain

Exposition On quiet, suburban Maple Street, somewhere in America, the inhabitants notice a meteor-like object fly overhead. After it passes, all electronics and electricity go dead.

Inciting incident A young boy named Tommy tells a story he read about aliens arriving from outer space. Believing his story, the people start to suspect each other of being secret aliens.

Rising action Pete Van Horn, leaves to check the next block over. Mr. Goodman's car mysteriously starts. Everyone accuses him of being an alien. Steve tries to talk some sense into the mob, but fails. He becomes a suspect as attention is directed to the radio in his basement!

climax The mob sees a figure coming towards them. Charlie grabs a gun and accidentally shoots Van Horn, who has returned. Suddenly Charlie's lights go on, and now he is the prime suspect.

Falling action Everyone is hysterical. Charlie screams that the real alien is Tommy, the young boy who knew the events before they happened.

resolution In the end, aliens watch the town as it destroys itself. A simple trick by the aliens turned the residents against each other; they themselves were the monsters, not the aliens.