1. Overview
 In chapters 10-13 of The Lost World, the four explorers have been trapped on the plateau.  They discover new species of life, including plants, animals and insects.  They find tracks and follow them to catch a glimpse of the creatures that they had come to find.  They watch the iguanodons play with their young.  They then stumble across a giant pterodactyl nest where hundreds of pterodactyls live in close quarters.  The pterodactyls swarm around them and Lord John Roxton shoots one.  The next morning they find that one of the Iguanodons has been killed.  Challenger concludes that there must be a check in nature that keeps the carnivores and herbivores living together without running out of resources.  Professor Summerlee argues that they should spend their energy finding a way off of the plateau, while Challenger states that they cannot leave without, at least, a chart of the entire place.  Malone decides that he can climb a tree and map the entire plateau, but when he does he comes face to face with a frightening ape-man.  They discuss that the ape-man could be the scientific “missing link”.  Malone embarks on his own adventure and discovers fires and caves; there must be human habitants of this great new world.  He flees a prehistoric monster, falls into a pit and goes back to camp where he finds that all of his comrades are missing.    Lord John Roxton returns to tell him of the ape-man attack on the camp and how the ape-men took the men to their village.  The ape-men view Professor Challenger as one of their own, for his physical characteristics are similar to theirs.  Summerlee remains captive, while Professor Challenger has stood next to the king of the ape-men.  Roxton and Malone plan a rescue and succeed.  Once everyone is recovered, Professor Challenger asks Malone to make sure that no mention be made in his writing of Roxton’s comparison of him and the ape-men.

2. Analysis
 The Lost World clearly represents the theme of fear.  The four explorers are constantly in suspense as to what they will discover next.  They are at the same time curious and excited, scared and uncertain.  The men mention repeatedly that Zambo is their “one link with the world below” (Doyle 97).  They dread the fact that they are, as far as they know, stranded in an entirely new, unknown world; Zambo is the only one that can complete tasks for them in the outside world. Malone also remarks that he “had the same feeling of mystery and danger around (them).  In the gloom of the trees there seemed a constant menace, and as (they) looked up into the shadowy foliage vague terrors crept into one’s heart” (Doyle 102).  The character conveys his fear of the inhabitants of the plateau.  It is unknown to them what is living in this world and the feeling of terror is overwhelming.   They are in constant suspense as to what enemies they may come across and what fierce creatures may be watching them, just waiting for the right moment to pounce.  Lord John Roxton relates the thoughts of all the men when he tells them, “We don’t know who or what may be near us” (Doyle 112).  Again, Conan Doyle stresses the fear of the unknown.  Fear can make people excited as well as scared.  There are those characters, such as Lord John Roxton that look fear in the eye and do not run.  Malone describes him as someone who views danger as a game between man and fate.  While others would run, fearing for their lives, Roxton dives into an adventure boldly.  The explorers are not alone in their fear.  The ape-men also fear the unknown; they run to their homes, leaving their prisoners free after Lord John Roxton shoots their king.  They do not understand the weapons of the men and therefore they flee.

3. Questions
a. Why does Professor Challenger ask Malone not to make mention of the comparison that Lord John Roxton made between him and the ape-men?
b. How does Doyle portray Lord John Roxton?