A Small Town story

tz2019e2x08 · 2020-06-25

In the town of Littleton, a church handyman finds a model of the town in the church attic. Whatever he does to the model affects the town. Directed by: Alonso Alvarez-Barreda. Story by: Steven Barnes & Tananarive Due.

15 total · 1 choice · 3 major · 11 minor

ThemeLevelMotivation
what if I were a god choice With his magical model, Jason was as a god unto the little town: he answered suggestion box "prayers", smote the mayor's car; and conjured gold.
actions have consequences major The Narrator summed up Jason's catastrophically failed attempts to better the lives of his fellow townspeople as follows: "We can never calculate what change our actions will bring into the world, despite our best intentions, and whether they will be for good or ill."
letting go of the past major Nichelle told Jason he must move on from his wife's death. Jason leaving his giant gold wedding band to the town was perhaps a sign of him moving on from his dearly departed wife. There might have been an idea that the town must similarly move on (the mayor spoke of moving forwards).
superstition in society major A recurring theme was the eagerness of country bumpkins to believe in superstitious things: that the mayor was responsible for the random miracles, that Emilio was a witch.
Christianity minor The story took place in the attic of a church.
coping with the death of a spouse minor Jason mourned his late wife Trina.
drawing minor Emilio was making sketches of people and events in the town.
finding religion minor Jason moved into the church attic in order to come closer to God in the wake of his wife's tragic death.
giant monster minor Jason briefly set a giant tarantula on the mayor out of spite.
husband and wife minor Jason spoke of his late wife Trina.