The Day The Children Vanished The theme is the author's reason for writing the story. This message or main thought presented by the author is usually based on their beliefs and principles. The main thought being communicated by the author of "The Day The Children Vanished' is the psychology of how people react in the face of fear and anxiety. This main thought is established, developed, and enhanced through the use of literary techniques contained in a P.A.C.T.S. analysis. When inspecting this P.A.C.T.S. analysis, we can further understand the ways and means of how the author generates a mood and depicts the theme successfully. The most crucial element of any story is the plot and through it, the author associates the theme of the novel. The title plays a great role in the short story. It gives the audience an immediate idea of what the story is going to be about. This particular title, "The Day The Children Vanished', suggests to the audience a mystery surrounding children. Since all children are seen as being innocent, this makes the audience at once sympathize for them. As the story advances, the condolence is extended to the parents who are the heirs of the children. Through the frantic parents, the author now begins to examine human behavior and how it reacts when faced with fear and anguish. The inciting event, when the parents begin to realize that there was no factual explanation for the disappearance of the children and the idea of them vanishing into thin air seemed saner. "Some kind of gag. We can't figure it out, the bus never came through the dug way." (Trooper Teliski, pg 410). This inciting event provides space for the mind to grow increasingly paranoid and illogical. In the midst of all the confusion, the first reactions of the townsfolk were to blame the formerly respected Jerry Mahoney. For example, Mr. Goreman, Mr. Peabody and a few others headed by trooper Telinski, stormed into the house of Pat Mahoney and demanded information linking Jerry to the kidnapping. They posed questions like "Did he have the need for money?" trying to get information which would associate Jerry to the disappearance of the children (Pg 413). They brought up Jerry's past and came to foolish conclusions like "Maybe Jerry go sick all of a sudden. It happened to men who saw action overseas"¦" (Pg 413). They fail at considering that Pat Mahoney is going through the same anxiety and distress as they are, as Jerry like their children, was his son on that very same vehicle. Pat is depicted to be quite crazy through his misleading answers and his ridiculous trips into memory lane. We only learn at the end off the story that Pat Mahoney was in fact not crazy, but one of very few people who managed to maintain their sanity as he had objectives of his own. The increase in suspense and complication excelled when the children's clothes and other articles were found just outside the quarry. Pat Mahoney said to Mr....
