The helplessness in this drawing is threefold: the character the viewer may relate to is trapped in a small space with no hopes of escape; time is ticking, as symbolized by the hourglass and melting candles; and a hand many times larger than the person inside the hourglass holds it easily, like a toy. The figure is both literally and metaphorically in someone else's hands. Thus the fear of Trapped by Time is that of a loss of control in addition to the fear of running out of time or lack of satisfaction with what may be completed during that time.
9x12", pen and ink