Z = Zombies
Z is for Zombie! I want to end A-Z Challenge with a look at a popular modern day obsession: the reanimated corpse!
It's really bizarre. At least with vampires you can point and say: thats a metaphor for something. But more often than not zombies are rooted deeply in science fiction than entities of fantasy; they were once human, then by disease or scientific hubris, (occasionally by miracle and magic) they died, and then tried to eat someone. It's impossible. It can't happen. But we can't stop asking: What if? What if the dead rose up to wage war against the living?
In Max Brooks's World War Z, he examines the zombie apocalypse from a pessimistic but eerily realistic viewpoint. You see the confusion in the initial stages of the outbreak, the fear of citizens and the people who will try to profit from that fear. You see government reactions across the globe, as they struggle to contain the outbreak and later, their people.
The Newsflesh Trilogy by Mira Grant, introduces zombies as an obstacle course for political bloggers who are about to discover the conspiracy that destroyed life as everyone knew it, the conspiracy that will continue to destroy unless they can survive long enough to blow it wide open. There's something endearing about these characters; they speak to modern day phenomenon of tech-addiction and vaccine fear, while embracing a future where the dead are never far away.
Handling the Undead by John Ajvide Lindqvist, is one of the rare instances where no explanation for the zombie uprising is given. Its not about the dead, or even the Undead, it's about the living. It examines the moral implications and the emotional obligations of what it would really mean if your loved ones returned from the grave. How far will the living go to protect the deceased?
It's really bizarre. At least with vampires you can point and say: thats a metaphor for something. But more often than not zombies are rooted deeply in science fiction than entities of fantasy; they were once human, then by disease or scientific hubris, (occasionally by miracle and magic) they died, and then tried to eat someone. It's impossible. It can't happen. But we can't stop asking: What if? What if the dead rose up to wage war against the living?
In Max Brooks's World War Z, he examines the zombie apocalypse from a pessimistic but eerily realistic viewpoint. You see the confusion in the initial stages of the outbreak, the fear of citizens and the people who will try to profit from that fear. You see government reactions across the globe, as they struggle to contain the outbreak and later, their people. The Newsflesh Trilogy by Mira Grant, introduces zombies as an obstacle course for political bloggers who are about to discover the conspiracy that destroyed life as everyone knew it, the conspiracy that will continue to destroy unless they can survive long enough to blow it wide open. There's something endearing about these characters; they speak to modern day phenomenon of tech-addiction and vaccine fear, while embracing a future where the dead are never far away. Handling the Undead by John Ajvide Lindqvist, is one of the rare instances where no explanation for the zombie uprising is given. Its not about the dead, or even the Undead, it's about the living. It examines the moral implications and the emotional obligations of what it would really mean if your loved ones returned from the grave. How far will the living go to protect the deceased?
If you're looking for metaphor and meaning in zombiehood perhaps the lesson taught is this: No matter how bad the dead behave, the living can always behave worse. And isn't that a frightening thought.
Got a favorite Zombie novel?
Why do you think we love zombies?
I love zombie stories, and I especially loved how they've evolved over time. They're becoming more human-like. Zombies just fascinate me.
ReplyDelete~~DJ
They have had quite the evolution over the years!
DeleteSo many ZOMBIES posts for letter Z Day.
ReplyDeleteLove the horses in your Google+ profile/avatar photo.
Congratulations on completing the A to Z challenge for 2015.
We made it! (I did 5 blogs this year for the series - all on different topics. Whew.)
Thanks for stopping by at
The Mane Point: A Haven for Horse Lovers . Hope you will visit again.
LOL, I didn't happen upon another zombie post during my Z day blog hop; I was sure they existed I just couldn't find them! One person did World War Z the Movie which was as close as I got....
DeleteThank you so much for participating in the A to Z Challenge! You rock! Congrats on getting to the letter Z! Reminder: there will be an A to Z Reflections round on May 4th. There will be a Linky for it on the main blog, so please look for it there! Please post your reflections on the challenge, visit others, and catch up on the blogs you didn't have time to read!
ReplyDeleteTeam Macha, Helping Co-Host Zalka
Maui Jungalow
Thank you!
DeleteI'll get my Reflections posted soon, and drop by!