The Gift story

tz1959e3x32 · 1962-04-27

A visitor from outer space tries to present a gift to a Mexican village that greets him only with suspicion. Directed by: Allen H. Miner. Story by: Rod Serling.

12 total · 2 choice · 5 major · 5 minor

ThemeLevelMotivation
fear of strangers choice The mountain villagers intrinsic fear of strangers led them to misinterpret a friendly space alien's actions as being hostile.
xenophobia in society choice The mountain villagers intrinsic fear of strangers led them to misinterpret a friendly space alien's actions as being hostile.
childhood as an outsider major The orphan boy Pedro said to the alien that he felt like an outcast in the mountain village in which he resided.
extraterrestrial being major The mysterious stranger turned out to be a crash-landed alien.
friendship major The mysterious stranger befriended the lonely orphan boy Pedro.
ironic twist of fate major Fearful Mexican village folk kill an alien and burn his possession, only to find out that he actually came in peace and that they had just destroyed a vaccine for cancer.
orphanhood major Pedro was a nine year old orphan who supported himself by working in a bar.
blindness minor A blind man explained that darkness was his friend.
Christianity minor We heard speculated that if God came to Earth, they'd shoot him too. The alien was called the Devil and Satan.
cure for cancer minor An alien came to Earth bearing the chemical formula for a cancer vaccine as a gesture of goodwill on behalf of his people.