Fear can trap individuals in hopeless situations.

Evidence

The unhappy man dares not get out for fear of the wild beast, and dares not descend for fear of the dragon, so he catches hold of the branch of a wild plant growing in a crevice of the well. — Leo Tolstoy, A Confession, 53

Categorization

• corroborated: 2 independent passages support this claim — Leo Tolstoy, A Confession, 53
• XREF: connects to: Extreme fear can shrink a person’s presence to something almost weightless — Julien Gracq, Balcony in the Forest, 427; Survivors of abuse often develop survival tactics to cope. — Dave Pelzer, A Child Called ‘It’, 95; Despair often arises from logical conclusions about life. — Leo Tolstoy, A Confession, 93 (+4 more)

Broader Connections

• Survivors of abuse often develop survival tactics to cope. #exemplifies (0.80) — Dave Pelzer, A Child Called ‘It’, 95
• Extreme fear can shrink a person’s presence to something almost weightless #expands (0.75) — Julien Gracq, Balcony in the Forest, 427