The Man in the Bottle story
A genie grants four wishes to an unsuccessful pawnbroker and his wife. Directed by: Don Medford. Story by: Rod Serling.
14 total · 1 choice · 6 major · 7 minor
| Theme | Level | Motivation |
|---|---|---|
| be careful what you wish for | choice | Mr. and Mrs. Castle learned the hard way that it is important to be wary of unforeseen consequences when given the opportunity to have one's wishes fulfilled. |
| actions have consequences | major | The genie kept urging Arthur to think over the consequences of his wishes before making them. |
| deciding what to wish for | major | Mr. and Mrs. castle deliberated at length over how to dispose of their four wishes. |
| facing financial ruin | major | The Castle's and the elderly woman were all close to being broke, not able to pay their bills. |
| genie in a lamp | major | There was a variation of this theme using a wine bottle instead of a lamp. |
| husband and wife | major | Arthur deliberated with his wife on numerous occasions. |
| ironic twist of fate | major | Arthur wished for wealth but the tax man took it. He later wished for power but became Hitler hours away from death. |
| generosity | minor | Arthur was exceptionally generous to the old woman. |
| greed for riches | minor | Arthur used one of his wishes to get a million dollars. |
| historical figure | minor | Arthur was briefly transformed into Hitler. [Adolf Hitler] |