Storm on the Island Theme of Fear

Well, if you were on an island with no shelter but a squat little house, wouldn't you be scared if a big ol' storm came rolling in? Between the people and angry Mother Nature, it's not exactly a fair fight in "Storm on the Island." Mother Nature pulls out all the stops—whipping wind right off the frothing ocean—and the people's fear is absolutely justified. If you have ever been right near the water during a hurricane, you know what we're talking about. The power of the storm is impressive, but totally scary; it feels like it could sweep you away without any warning. And on this island, there is nowhere to hide, so they have to face their fears head-on. Gulp.

Questions About Fear

  1. What, specifically, do you think the people afraid of?
  2. Do you think the storm is all bark and no bite? In other words, do you think the people are more afraid of what the storm sounds and looks like or what kind of damage it can cause?
  3. Does it seem to you that this fear comes from past experience? In other words, do you think the people are afraid because they've already seen the type of destruction storms can cause, or do you think they're are afraid of the unknown (because they've never seen a storm like this before)?

Chew on This

Try on an opinion or two, start a debate, or play the devil’s advocate.

The people are unnecessarily worked up about the storm, and there is no real danger to fear.

The people's fear is an important lesson to all of us: we should all be afraid of the impending doom we face from the natural world—yipes!