The Beacon story

tz1985e1x11a · 1985-12-06

A young doctor stumbles into a strange town where the citizens fear and worship a lighthouse. Directed by: Gerd Oswald. Story by: Martin Pasko & Rebecca Parr.

8 total · 3 major · 5 minor

ThemeLevelMotivation
divine retribution major The people in an isolated, coastal town lived in abject fear of their demanding and merciless lighthouse god. In particular, whoever the lighthouse light would shine on at night would soon die, if not from an illness, then by accident.
human sacrifice major William explained that years ago, a person chosen to be sacrificed was spared and the town fell on hard times. Now the lighthouse wanted a substitute or the hard times will come again. The story ominously concluded with Dr. Barrows evidently being sacrificed to the lighthouse god.
superstition in society major Dr. Barrows stumbled on an isolated coastal town whose inhabitants believed their long departed ancestor inhabited their lighthouse as a god.
beating one's self up minor Teddy worried his sister became sick because he had wished she would died a month prior.
fear of strangers minor Mary Ann didn't like the idea of having the stranger Dr. Barrows around her children, even though her daughter was quite ill.
mother and daughter minor Mary Ann exchanged words were her ill daughter.
mother and son minor Mary Ann disapproved of her young son Teddy taking Dr. Barrows to the spooky lighthouse.
remorse minor Teddy worried his sister became sick because he had wished she would died a month prior.