Why do most of us require the tonic effect of mystery and terror? This question is not new, but it retains its interest.

Our security is always threatened in our every day lives. The Cold War may be a thing of the past, but the weapons that made it so frightening still exist. They may be in the hands of terrorist organizations, people much less given to logical reason than our former rival, the Soviet Union. Many diseases such as tuberculosis, once thought under control, are making comebacks, and new diseases are appearing. Why do we need artificial thrills when our lives in the real world are constantly threatened? Benchley in Beast comments on the panic Jaws created in the 1970s. His characters in Beast wish to avoid this, but writers such as Benchley have made huge profits by scaring people.

1. Has Benchley accurately depicted Architeuthis...