# XXI explained — Short Fiction

> Chapter companion for Short Fiction by Leonid Andreyev.

## What happens

The chapter captures a moment of intense psychological fear and urgency, as the narrator questions their own terror and finds themselves walking faster and faster, reflecting a state of panic or dread.

## Themes in this chapter

### Madness and Rationality

The narrator's self-questioning and escalating pace suggest a struggle with rationality in the face of overwhelming fear.

### Isolation and Alienation

The internal monologue and sense of being terrified without clear external cause imply a profound isolation.

## Key lines

> Why am I terrified? Why do I walk faster and faster?

The narrator questions the source of their fear and notices their own increasing speed.

_Highlights the internal conflict and physical manifestation of anxiety._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/short_fiction_34_se/chapters/xxi
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/short_fiction_34_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/short_fiction_34_se/chapters