The Long Silence story
A woman becomes paralyzed in reaction to the news that her eldest son apparently killed himself. Directed by: Robert Douglas. Story by: Charles Beaumont, William D. Gordon (teleplay), Hilda Lawrence (story "Composition for Four Hands").
13 total · 1 choice · 9 major · 3 minor
| Theme | Level | Motivation |
|---|---|---|
| what if I were in a coma-like state | choice | The title of the story alludes to Nora being first unconscious for several days and then paralyzed from head to toe but (unbeknownst to those around her) conscious. |
| coping with the death of a child | major | Nora was devastated to find her murdered son's body hung up to make it look like suicide. |
| filicide | major | Ralph "accidentally" strangle murdered his stepson, Robbie. |
| greed for riches | major | It turns out that Ralph had married Nora only for her wealth and was plotting to make off with $200k he had embezzled. |
| husband and wife | major | Ralph tried to do in his wife, Nora, after she uncovered he'd strangled her adult son. The shock of the discovery left her paralyzed from head to toe but (unbeknownst to those around her) conscious. |
| medical occupation | major | Nurse Jean stood by Nora's side, and saved her from being murdered. Dr. Babcock made a couple of house calls on Nora. An apparently comatose Nora was tended to by a nurse. |
| mother and son | major | Nora initially thought her son, Robbie, had embezzled $200k from her. She later found out he was innocent, but only after the real thief killed him. Nora's son George restrained her murderous husband from killing her in the end. |
| spouse murder | major | Ralph attempted several times to get rid of Nora. |
| theft | major | Robbie was accused of having embezzled $200k, but it was in fact Ralph that had done it. |
| what if a killer was after me | major | The second half of the story focuses on paralyzed Nora's terror as she realizes her husband is merely awaiting an opportunity to do away with her. |