As in Frankenstein, Jaws. As in Cinderella, Aladdin. As in A Night in. Casablanca, The Marriage of Figaro. As in Moby Dick, Lord of the Rings, Indiana Jones.

Legends of the slaughter of a destructive monster are to be found all over the world. The thought underlying them all is that the monster slain is preternatural and hostile to mankind. The earliest known written story- The Epic of Gilgamesh. Both we and the hero are made aware of the existence of some superhuman embodiment of evil power.

You know, coming home and finding things all right, though not quite the same. - Sam Gamgee in The Lord of the Rings, J. At first the strangeness of this new world, with its freaks and marvels, may seem diverting, even exhilarating, if also highly perplexing. But gradually a shadow intrudes. The hero or heroine feels increasingly threatened, even.