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Story Backdrop--"The Monsters are Due on Maple Street"
Album Description
These materials could be used in conjunction with "The Monsters are Due on Maple Street," a Twilight Zone screenplay written by Rod Serling. "Monsters" may be science fiction, but it's a product of its time--the Cold War.
[A horrible monster glared at them]
Teaching Notes
By the end of the screenplay "The Monsters are Due on Maple Street," it's implied that "monster" is a tricky term. The "monsters" could be the aliens featured at the end, but Serling, the writer, really means that the "monsters" are the humans.
This image would be a good opener for what we qualify as a "monster."
Reference link: http://www.loc.gov/item/2009617306/
Reference note
Summary: A fierce, ogre-like man with spectacles and a book under his arm clenches his fist at a group of small, frightened children who are seated on the ground before him.
Contributor Names: Herford, Oliver, 1863-1935, artist
Created / Published: 1895 [publication date]
Subject Headings: - Harris, Joel Chandler,--1848-1908--Mr. Rabbit at Home
- Adults--1890-1900
- Children--1890-1900
- Monsters--1890-1900
Notes: - Illustration for Chapter XX, "The Woog and the Weeze."
- Inscribed below image: He just stood and glared at them. Chap XX.
- No copyright information found with item.
- Signed, lower left: O. Herford.
- Title from Mr. Rabbit at home.
- Bequest and gift; Caroline and Erwin Swann; 1974; (DLC/PP-1974:232.371)
- Published as an illustration in: Mr. Rabbit at Home: A Sequel to Little Mr. Thimblefinger and His Queer Country / by Joel Chandler Harris. Boston: Houghton, Mifflin and Co., 1895.
Repository: Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division Washington, D.C. 20540 USA http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/pp.print
Digital Id: cph 3b40816 //hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/cph.3b40816
Chas. H. Yale's fantastic spectacle, The evil eye, or The many, merry mishaps of Nid and the weird, wonderful wanderings of Nod
Teaching Notes
In "The Monsters are Due on Maple Street," there are some villains, and there are some heroes. This image could open up a discussion about heroes and villains.
- What do you have to do to be a villain?
- A hero?
- Who are our heroes?
- Who are our modern day villains?
- Who were the heroes and villains of the Cold War?
- How have our ideas about heroes and villains changed as history has progressed?
Feeling a bit alien, celebrate your differences in:...
Teaching Notes
One of the conflicts in "The Monsters are Due on Maple Street" arises when the residents of Maple Street point out the differences of others that live there. Idiosyncrasies are identified, and those neighbors are accused of being aliens. Literally. This image would help spark the discussion about how differences could be celebrated, or they could be used to cause damage.
Reference link: http://www.loc.gov/item/2015646692/
Reference note
Summary: Poster shows a caricature of a person with multiple arms, legs, and eyes by Marc Thorpe.
Contributor Names: Thorpe, Jim, 1951-, artist
Thorpe, Marc, illustrator
Created / Published: [College Park, Md.] : [The Design Service Project Department of Housing and Applied Design, University of Maryland], [1983?]
Subject Headings: - Therapy--1980-1990
Genre: Posters--American--1980-1990
Offset photomechanical prints--Color--1980-1990
Notes: - Title from item.
- Signed: Jim Thorpe (design) and Marc Thorpe (illustration).
- Forms part of the Artist poster filing series (Library of Congress)
- Promotional goal: U.S. G6. 1983?
- Gift; Jim Thorpe ; [1983?]
Repository: Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division Washington, D.C. 20540 USA http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/pp.print
Digital Id: ppmsca 43489 //hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/ppmsca.43489
The planet Mars, observed September 3, 1877, at 11h. 55m. P.M.
Teaching Notes
I would use this image in conjunction with "The Monsters are Due on Maple Street" to survey what the students' perspectives are about aliens.
- Do you think extraterrestrials exist?
- Where might they be?
- If they visited Earth, would it be for good reasons or bad ones?
Reference link: http://www.loc.gov/item/2018694896/
Reference note
Created / Published: [United States] : [publisher not transcribed], c1881
Subject Headings: - Celestial bodies
Genre: Prints
Notes: - General information about the Popular and Applied Graphic Art print materials is available at: https://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/pp.pga
- Title information compiled by Junior Fellows, 2005-2017.
- Charles Scribner's Sons, copyright claimant.
- Trouvelot, E. L., designer.
- Category designation on original folder: Astronomical.
- Product advertised: Prints.
Repository: Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division Washington, D.C. 20540 USA https://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/pp.print
Digital Id: ppmsca 44234 https://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/ppmsca.44234
'LC Performance. Interview. Conversation With Rod Serling'
Teaching Notes
This interview with Rod Serling would help give kids some perspective on why he wrote "The Monsters are Due on Maple Street."
Reference note
'https://www.loc.gov/item/mbrs00829947/'
To all aliens
Teaching Notes
Extraterrestrials are a major part of the plot in "The Monsters are Due on Maple Street," but "aliens" aren't the actual enemy--mostly! This poster could be used to spark a discussion about the multiple meanings of the word "alien" and how they're related. Also, it could help students track how that word has changed in its usage over time.
Reference link: http://www.loc.gov/resource/ppmsca.05647/
Reference note
Summary: Poster showing a small American flag, with text in English, German, Hungarian, Czech, Yiddish and Italian.
Created / Published: [1917]
Subject Headings: - World War, 1914-1918--Economic & industrial aspects--United States
- World War, 1914-1918--Social aspects--United States
- Noncitizens--1910-1920
Genre: War posters--American--1910-1920
Lithographs--Color--1910-1920
Notes: - Title from item.
- Text continues: If the war has affected your living or working conditions, if you want to learn the American language and become a citizen, if you wish employment, advice, or information, without charge, apply to Room 1820, Municipal Building. Mayor's Committee on National Defense. Committee on Aliens.
- Forms part of: Willard and Dorothy Straight Collection.
- Exhibited: "Capitol Visitor Center" at the U.S. Capitol, Washington, D.C., 2012-2013.
- Exhibited: "Echoes of the Great War : American Experiences of WW I" in the Thomas Jefferson Building, Library of Congress, Washington, D.C., April - Nov. 2017.
Repository: Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division Washington, D.C. 20540 USA http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/pp.print
Digital Id: ppmsca 05647 //hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/ppmsca.05647
cph 3g09045 //hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/cph.3g09045
House on Laconia Street in a suburb of Cincinnati, Ohio
Teaching Notes
Although this isn't a photo of Maple Street, it may give students some idea of a suburban setting, which is where Serling's screenplay takes place. It could also be a jumping off point for discussion:
- Do you have neighbors?
- If so, how well do you know them?
- Have they ever irritated you? How?
- Have they ever helped you? How?
- If you don't have neighbors, do you ever wish you did?
Reference link: http://www.loc.gov/item/2017759067/
Reference note
Contributor Names: Mydans, Carl, photographer
Created / Published: 1935 Dec.
Subject Headings: - United States--Ohio--Hamilton County--Cincinnati
- Cincinnati--Ohio
Genre: Nitrate negatives
Notes: - Title and other information from caption card.
- Transfer; United States. Office of War Information. Overseas Picture Division.
- More information about the FSA/OWI Collection is available at http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/pp.fsaowi
- Temp. note: usf34batch1
Repository: Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division Washington, D.C. 20540 USA http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/pp.print
Digital Id: fsa 8b26797 //hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/fsa.8b26797
Sunday morning visiting between neighbors, Jackson, Ohio
Teaching Notes
This image, used in conjunction with the suburban neighborhood image, could be used to deepen the conversation about what it means to be neighbors. The ideas of trust, mistrust, and community are central themes in "The Monsters are Due on Maple Street," and this image could help get kids talking or writing.
- How should we treat neighbors?
- How do we treat neighbors?
- Do we treat neighbors differently based on their age? Race? Financial status? Their idiosyncrasies?
Reference link: http://www.loc.gov/item/2017728080/
Reference note
Contributor Names: Jung, Theodor, 1906-1996, photographer
United States. Resettlement Administration.
Created / Published: 1936 Apr.
Subject Headings: - United States--Ohio--Jackson County--Jackson
- Small towns--Ohio
Genre: Nitrate negatives
Notes: - Title and other information from caption card.
- Transfer; United States. Office of War Information. Overseas Picture Division. Washington Division; 1944.
- More information about the FSA/OWI Collection is available at http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/pp.fsaowi
Repository: Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division Washington, DC 20540 USA http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/pp.print
Digital Id: fsa 8a14296 //hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/fsa.8a14296
[Senator Joseph McCarthy standing at microphone with two other men, probably discussing the Senate Select Committee to Study Censure Charges (Watkins Committee) chaired by Senator Arthur V. Watkins] / TOH.
Teaching Notes
A central theme in "The Monsters are Due in Maple Street" is that there are outsiders planted within the community to harm and/or spy on the community. In short, McCarthyism. This image of Senator McCarthy could help serve as a jumping off point for further research and discussion.
Reference link: http://www.loc.gov/item/2015647009/
Reference note
Contributor Names: O'Halloran, Thomas J., photographer
Created / Published: [June 1954]
Subject Headings: - McCarthy, Joseph,--1908-1957--Public appearances
- Committees--Washington (D.C.)--1950-1960
- Legislators--Washington (D.C.)--1950-1960
Genre: Film negatives--1950-1960
Notes: - Title devised by Library staff from contact sheet folder caption.
- Date from contact sheet folder caption.
- Contact sheet available for reference purposes: USN&WR COLL - Job no. 394, frame 9.
- Contact sheet folder caption: "Watkins-McCarthy hearings. Sen. Joseph R. McCarthy and Sen. Arthur V. Watkins of the Select Censure Committee. June 1954 TOH."
- Forms part of: U.S. News & World Report Magazine Photograph Collection.
Repository: Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division Washington, D.C. 20540 USA http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/pp.print
Digital Id: ds 07186 //hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/ds.07186
"There are Martians Among Us!"
Teaching Notes
Although this is only available at the LoC, it was too good not to include. It hits on almost every major theme of Serling's "The Monsters are Due on Maple Street," and I think kids would enjoy the idea that it was co-created by Stan Lee.
The subject headings under this are just too connected to "Monsters" to disregard:
Subject Headings- Anxiety--1960-1970- Extraterrestrial life--1960-1970- Spouses--1960-1970- Unidentified flying objects--1960-1970