Prepared by
HEURISTIX
Laurie Blass and Pam Elder
Instructional Designers


"One for the Angels" - Synopsis

BACKGROUND

Writer: Rod Serling; Director: Robert Parrish; Cast: Ed Wynn, Murrray Hamilton, Dana Dillaway, Jay Overholts, Mickey Maga; Original Air Date: First season, 10/9/59.

Aging sidewalk salesman Lou Bookman is a beloved figure in his neighborhood. One day, Mr. Death pays him a visit and informs him that his time is up≠he's scheduled to die at midnight that night. Feeling not quite ready to go, Bookman bargains with Mr. Death for a delay, claiming that he's never made a really big pitch yet, "a pitch for the angels." Mr. Death agrees, but since someone must die at midnight, he chooses an eight-year old girl who lives in the neighborhood. The child is hit by a car and is not expected to live. Not wanting the little girl to take his place, Bookman sets up his stand and begins to pitch his wares. Racing against the clock, with only Mr. Death as a potential customer, he indeed gives a pitch for the angels. At the stroke of midnight, the girl recovers and Bookman goes willingly to his appointment.


Focus: Self-sacrifice

Discussion

Before viewing "One for the Angels", discuss the following in small groups:

1. Is it ever possible to value one person's life over another's? Under what circumstances? For example, is a child's life more valuable than a 70-year old man's? Is a hard-working single mother's life more valuable than that of a prison inmate convicted of murder?
2. Imagine that you have talked your way out of being subjected to a horrible or frightening experience. You then learn that someone else must suffer the experience in your place. Would you have a change of heart and exchange yourself for the other person? Under what circumstances?
3. Think of and share examples of situations in which a person might want to make a sacrifice for another person, for a group of people, or for an important cause. Then try to think of an example of an ordinary person who has done just this--made a great sacrifice in order to help a person or a cause.


ACTIVITIES

During Viewing:

Note the following:
1. What kind of person is Lou Bookman? Is he special in any way?
2. Describe Bookman's feelings during the course of the story. How does he feel when he first meets Mr. Death? How does he feel after he negotiates the delay? How does he feel when he learns that the little girl might die? How does he feel at midnight after he makes his pitch?
3. Note the choice of an eight-year old girl to die in place of Bookman. List her characteristics and analyze them to determine what she may represent to the audience.


After Viewing:
1. Find out about and take notes on an ordinary person who has made some kind of sacrifice either to help another person, a group of people, or an important cause. Some ideas include firefighters, citizens involved in community action to fight drugs or help the homeless, or volunteers who work to save the environment. You might even be able to find someone at your own school or in your own community. You can get ideas from newspapers, magazines, or books at the library or by visiting one of the following websites:

• The American Red Cross at http://www.redcross.org/march/people.html.
• The Josephson Institute of Ethic's Everyday Heroes site at http://www.charactercounts.org/ayca-loc.htm.
• The Giraffe Project's Profiles of Giraffes page ("giraffes" are people who stick their necks out!) at http://www.giraffe.org/profile2.html.
• The Points of Light Foundation's Daily Points of Light page at http://www.pointsoflight.org/dpol/dpolhome.cfm.

2. Prepare an oral presentation about the person you discovered and present your hero to the class.
3. After you've heard all the presentations, as a group, compare the heroes that you discovered. What qualities do they share? Who or what benefited from their sacrifice?
What effect did their sacrifice have on their lives afterwards, if any? 4. As an extension activity, consider getting involved with an organization that helps people in time of need. Here are some organizations that may have offices in your community:

• American Red Cross
• American Refugee Committee
• CARE
• Catholic Relief Services
• Doctors Without Borders
• Oxfam America
• Refugees International

Journal

If you don't already have one, start a Twilight Zone theme journal and write an entry about the following topic:


If necessary, for whom or what would you make a sacrifice right now, at this time in your life? You don't necessarily need to think of a person, but perhaps an important cause that is worth the sacrifice of your free time or hard-earned money to support. If you like, share your entry with the class.

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