The Runaway Skyscraper story
A Manhattan skyscraper full of people "falls" in the direction of the fourth dimension to a time before Europeans had colonized North America. It was republished in the June 1926 issue of Amazing Stories.
8 total · 5 major · 3 minor
| Theme | Level | Motivation |
|---|---|---|
| group morale | major | Much was made of keeping up the skyscraper inhabitants morale in an effort to prevent a panic from breaking out. |
| infatuation | major | Arthur and his secretary Miss Woodward fell in love fell in love while being stranded in pre-Columbian Manhattan, and the story concluded with news of their marriage. |
| leadership | major | Much was made of the engineer Arthur taking charge organizing the food supply, sleeping arrangements, and so on. |
| time travel | major | A Manhattan skyscraper fell through the fourth dimension, leaving its 2000-odd inhabitants stranded in pre-Columbian Manhattan. |
| what if I could never go home | major | A Manhattan skyscraper fell through the fourth dimension, leaving its 2000-odd inhabitants stranded in pre-Columbian Manhattan. |
| mass hysteria | minor | Arthur and a gray-haired bank manager were concerned that an pending food shortage would result in a mass panic setting in among the skyscraper inhabitants. This nearly transpired, but a flock of wood pigeons crashed into the building at night, giving the people enough food for a few days. |
| secret crush | minor | Indication were given at the start of the story that Arthur was secretly in love with his secretary Miss Woodward. |
| the Native American stereotype | minor | The natives were described as savages, although no hostilities ensued, and eventually the skyscraper inhabitants began trading with them for foodstuffs. |