Fear – Summary | The Magic of Words

Unit One : Stories of The Supernatural
Fear – The Story from Puebla, Mexico
The Magic of Words

Though the story Fear is from the unit of the supernatural stories, it is not a supernatural story. In fact, it is a psychological story. It’s a thriller / suspenseful story based on human fear of a nervous man. This story also shows how a man behaves in a state of panic and nervousness.

The main character of the story is Armando Gonzalez. He was a man who had to look after a big family of nine members. However, he had a dream. It was a common dream to have a house of his own. With this aim, he had saved 50,000 pesos since the last many years (20 years).

On that very day, he went to the bank to withdraw 50,000 pesos because he had seen a house within that limit. The deal was finalized and he had to do the payment. He was very careful from the beginning. The bank was slightly crowded that day and he did not like it. In his turn, the bank accountant started to count the money loudly which Armando did not like. He feared other people would know that he was carrying a heavy amount and anybody could loot him.

He caught a bus to go home. There he met a man whom he had already seen in the bank. Not only that he had dashed against him and he had given a double look at Armando Gonzalez. Here, he found the same man getting on the same bus. Now, there was no doubt to Armando that man intended to rob him. Everybody in the bus was looking at him only because he was putting his hat backwards. But, what Armando thought was that they were looking at him because they had the knowledge that he was carrying 50,000 pesos. He started to see a thief on each face. This increased his nervousness all the more.

After some time, he found that the man was talking to three other boys. He thought that they were making secret plans to loot him. This heightened his nervousness and he made a plan to get off the bus at next stop and to take another bus from there and he did accordingly.

Suddenly, he also saw that the same three boys had got off there. Now, it was sure to Armando that it was a part of the robbery. Now, he was panic stricken. He started to run shouting for help. The three boys also started to run after him only with the intention to help him. But, there was no limit to Armando’s fear and he was running as fast as he could. Suddenly, his feet got entangled with some thing and he fell down. Before he got up, the three boys came up to him. Armando started to implore / beg / plead them not to rob him. They were also surprised at it and they said that they were not intending to loot him. Rather they were students and they were there for a football tournament and that they were running after him because he was shouting for help.

Now, his fear is gone and he got up and put his cap on and this time he put it rightly. At this time, all the four walked up slowly back to the street.

Important Questions

1. Summarize the story `Fear’
Ans: See the summary above for complete answer.

2. What were the things which made Armando think that someone was going to rob him?
Ans: There were so many things that made Armando think that somebody was going to rob him out. They were; a man in the bank ward and some boys in the bus looking at him etc. When Armando was at the bank, the cashier counted the money loudly. Everyone saw him withdrawing money from the bank. Next the fat man was beside him looking at him at the bank. Thirdly the fat man got on the same bus. Fourth he thought that three boys were sent by the fat man to rob him. He also found that the three boys were also following him. These things made Armando think that someone was going to rub him.

3. Why is Armando afraid of the heavy man in the bus?
Ans: Armando is much afraid of the heavy man in the bus because the heavy man was looking at him and standing next to him at the bank. The heavy man also got on the same bus. Armando wanted to be free from fear of heavy man by getting off from the bus. Those three boys, who were talking with heavy man, also got off from the bus. Armando thought that these three boys might have been sent by the heavy man. He thought they might be the helper of the heavy man. So he was always afraid of the heavy man.

Questions for Practice

1. How did Armando’s wife Eva, earn a little money?
2. What made Gonzalez think that he was going to be robbed?
3. Why did Armando believe that everyone in the bank was watching him? What was the truth?
4. Explain the changes in Armando’s behabiour as a result of fear?
5. Write the story of “Fear” in about 300 words.
6. Why were the people looking at Armando?
7. What did Armando think was the reason some people looked at him?
8. Describe what effect fear had on Armando.
9. Why did Armando leave the bus?
10. Why did Armando have the idea that everyone in the bank was watching him? And describe what various sights made him more and more nervous.