The Hitch-Hiker story

tz1959e1x16 · 1960-01-22

A woman driving cross-country keeps seeing a hitchhiker everywhere she goes. Directed by: Alvin Ganzer. Story by: Lucille Fletcher, Rod Serling.

13 total · 5 major · 7 minor

ThemeLevelMotivation
dangerous driving major Nan's bad driving had lead to her untimely demise, we learned, and we saw several examples of it too.
death incarnate major It turned out that the hitchhiker was in fact the Grim Reaper (or some other sort of agent meant to escort Nan to the afterlife).
ironic twist of fate major Nan thought she was fleeing a hitch-hiker bent on murder, only to find out that she was in fact already dead and running from her escort to the ever-after.
persecution complex major Nan believed a mysterious hitch-hiker was following her for some undoubtedly nefarious purpose.
what if I were a ghost major In a surprise twist, it turned out that Nan had been a ghost all along.
coming to terms with things minor In the end, Nan came to accept that she was a ghost of some sort, cast aside her fears, and boldly picked up the hitchhiking Grim Reaper.
fear of being alone minor Nan didn't want to be alone on the highway and practically begged the sailor to stay with her.
ghost minor Nan may have been a ghost of some sort.
helping a stranger in need minor Nan had to entertain the question of whether she ought pick up the strange hitch-hiker or not.
loneliness minor Nan didn't want to be alone on the highway and practically begged the sailor to stay with her.