“The Monsters Are Due On Maple Street” Essay In the teleplay “The Monsters Are Due On Maple Street” by Rod Serling. The theme is that thoughts and attitude can be more destructive than bombs and other weapons. Mr. Serling explicitly states the theme in the last scene of the teleplay. As the story begins all the people living on this street are having a great day until a “meteor” passes by the town and everyone starts to argue and fight. “It isn’t just a power failure Charlie. If it was, we’d still be able to get a broadcast on the portable”(3) This hints that there will be something more to the story than a power failure. Also the streets people are already arguing about this “meteor”. “It’s always that way in every story I ever read about a ship landing from outer space.”(4) “Except the people they’d sent down ahead of them. They looked just like humans.” This is how the search for a scapegoat is ultimately started and where everyone became aware of the situation at hand. …show more content…
“And he never did come out to look at that thing that flew overhead. He wasn’t even interested”(5) Don said. This is where Don starts the revolt against Les Goodman. This is also where Les and his family are pinned as the “aliens” of the town. “Let’s not be a mob”(6) yells Steve. This gives an example of how the streets people are affected by their thoughts and other people's words. “ Well sometimes I go to bed late at night. A couple of times… I’d see Mr. Goodman here in the wee hours of the morning standing out in front of his house… As if he was looking for something” (7) This is another time when someone tries to pick on and single out a street