Introduction Zombie literature in its current form has been around since the early 1920’s, the concept of the “Zombie” itself originated in the nation of Haiti around the same time. Since it’s inception, the purpose of the zombie genre is to commentate on social issues during many periods of human history. These periods include World War II, the Vietnam War, and the Cold War. The zombie has represented several things from the nuclear bomb, to the collective fears of humanity in general, such as the fear of death and of dying. Zombies have also been represented as a physical manifestation of the flaws of humanity, such as mindless, joyless consumerism. (McGregor) George R. Romero modernized the concept of the “zombie” in the film “Night of the Living Dead”, which revitalized the genre and reintroduced it to mainstream audiences. In Romero’s films, zombies are not the main antagonist, and instead, the villains are usually other human beings, making it so that zombies are presented as a physical projection of the tensions between the characters. (Feshami) The film “Dawn of the Dead” is a commentary on rampant consumerism and greed among the american people. The film mostly takes place in a shopping mall, filled to the brim with infected shoppers. During the time that the main characters spend in the mall, they become increasingly greedy due to their complete freedom, basically, the mall becomes an urban playground, where the main characters output unfiltered greed and consumerism. (Feshami) The downfall of one of the characters in the film occurs when the group must leave the mall due to it being overrun by the infected, however, he refused to leave the mall, and to part with all of the material possessions that he acquired during... ... middle of paper ... .... He’s telling me he’s futureless. And eventually, he’ll tell me how long the infected take to starve to death.” As stated by ozog, “the character of Mailer vividly represents the origins of the Haitian zombie mythology, and the slave trade. (Ozog, 55) Selena uses a machete as her main weapon of choice, this evokes early Haitian Zombie fiction, and the Haitian slave rebellion. The slave rebellion is also referenced when Mailer is freed by Jim and it cut loose upon the Mansion full of soldiers. Ozog quotes the sayings of another writer, “For a population whose ancestors had been captured, shackled and shipped out of Africa to the far off islands of the Caribbean, dominated by vicious slave masters and forced to work for nothing more than the bare minimum of food to keep them strong enough to live another day, the zombie symbolized the ultimate horror.” (Ozog, 55-56)
Both White Zombie and “Dead Men Walking in the Cane Fields” represent the early zombie and both of them embody Cohen’s first thesis “The Monster is a Cultural Body” Both the story and the film have zombies and both of these works make their zombies appear scary with dead like characteristics, however the real reason why they are scary is that, at the time, they tried to change society and that scared people. The people that liked society the way it was didn’t want another group to gain power or righ...
Max Brooks explains in his article ‘’The Movies That Rose From The Grave’’ [2006], that zombies and the supernatural forces have impacted and have become popular in the world today. The first main idea that Brooks points out is the way society has changed the meaning and glimpse for the supernatural creatures like zombies causing them to become increasingly popular. To support this zombie movies have changed from darkness and mystery to violent and bloodier scenes therefore making them more prevailing. The second main idea that is discussed by Brooks is how the media has helped to increase the popularity of zombies, vampires, ghosts. Highlighted by the author particularity both ‘’resident evil,
Romero’s cult classic work “Night of the Living Dead” displayed characters enacting their stereotypes, portraying men and women in their stereotypical sexist behaviors. Themes of such stereotypes are hinted within the movie, hidden underneath the idea of carnal, flesh eating ghouls. The character Barbra, is the embodiment of the helpless woman in horror films. Ben, the power controlling domineering male of the remaining survivors in the farmhouse. Harry, another male figure who try to apply his strength and ego amongst the group. Helen, is depicted as the unhappy housewife who is semi-defiant to her husband. These portrayals accurately depicted the stereotypes America held during the 1960s, effectively mirroring the time in which it was
Torie Boschs “First eat all the lawyers” appeared in Slate october 2011. Her piece was to reach out to horror fans and to explain to them why zombies are a great monsters in current media. Zombie fanatics who read this short essay will love her vast knowledge of zombies while others who still do not understand why zombies are horribly terrifying can get behind her argument. Bosch explains that the current zombie craze has to do with our current society and how white-collar workers would be left defenceless in a world over run with a rampant horde of zombies. While blue-collar workers can flourish in this current state as they have more skills suited for survival.
James Parker essay “Our Zombies, Ourselves,” informs readers that the zombie has almost outranked the vampire, and why they’re so popular. This undead monster originated from a Caribbean folk nightmare and was adapted over time by, the Halperin brothers, William Seabrook and George Romero and numerous others. Much like the vampire, zombies owe their fame to the progressiveness of technology, allowing them to consistently invade various media forms. The zombie has infested countless tv shows, movies, video games, and books, throughout the 21st century. Zombies themselves are soulless corpses who were regurgitated back into the world of the living. This making them rejects from the underworld, this presents the zombie as rejected yet inexpungable. What makes the zombie so popular, however, is that symbolizes everything that is rejected by humanity. “Much can be made of him, because he makes so little of himself. He comes back, He comes back, feebly but unstoppably” (Parker). The zombie represents humanity itself as well as what is rejected by humanity. Much like individuals today, the zombie is burdened by life’s demands, converting to nothing but a rotting, groaning human shell that stumbles through life without a purpose. The zombie is symbolizer of the real world, and all things irrepressible, whereas the vampire is a symbol of an alternate world and all things
Just because two things have something in common does not mean that they are the same. Linda M. Hasselstrom’s story is about the events that led up to her deciding that she needs to carry a gun. Max Brooks’ writing tells readers about the history of zombies and their growing popularity. Both of these writings explain the causes of specific events, Hasselstrom deciding to carry a gun and why zombies are so popular. These two pieces of writing, Linda M. Hasselstrom’s “A Peaceful Woman Explains Why She Carries a Gun” and Max Brooks’ “The Movies That Rose from the Grave”, differ in information, format, and purpose.
As said in the previous discussion regarding the second chapter of Better Off Dead: The Evolution of the Zombie as Post-Human, zombies and their culture are examined and broken down in order to understand their motives for the progression of zombies globally. Through different perspectives from individuals based around the world, the discussion of the zombie culture debates over the idea that zombies have not just evolved within the narratives that have brought them to life, but they have evolved in such a way that ultimately transforms the narrative itself. However, in this specific chapter, “They are not men.they are dead bodies!” : From Cannibal to Zombie and Back Again, Chera Kee breaks down the introduction of zombies into mainstream consciousness, and eventually cinema.
The pages of Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury were to show a plausible disaster in America, even though the events never happened; it could still come true to an extent. We can see why Mr. Bradbury made such a novel as to bring the idea of what could happen to our minds. If we stray from the knowledge seeking ways we contain in our society, we would and still might find the tides of conformity flush away our humanity. We do strive to keep this disastrous dystopia only created in our dreaded thoughts and ideas. If such a change occurred here, we would address the situation as a hazard of a great form, a situation that makes us into a type of zombie. Yes, some kind of zombie, they might be as the undead community as to always keep a fake smile. Yet, we cannot help but wonder; what makes a zombie? Is it the need for basic brain activity involvement every minute of their shallow lives? Possibly, the hidden depression that weighs their legs down gives them the sight of zombie drags? We could speculate that maybe these zombies of Fahrenheit 451 just look hungrily for love! Always to be dissatisfied by the quick and sudden luxuries. Zombies are the end to the survival of the majority population in humanity; this is why seeing Millie, firemen, and the city as zombies is okay, they prove the former statement through their actions of conformity. To understand and solve these questions and statements we will dive into the meanings of conformity and individuality, how Montag the protagonist of this novel sees the world, and we will chose in our own minds through this information the evils and goods between conformed life and independent persons.
George Romero's reinvention of the zombie in night of the Living Dead (1968) is clearly a critique of elements of the American society, and the film as a whole is easily twisted into a warped view on the 'American Dream'. Themes throughout Romero’s film, dealing with controversial topics during the time that the film was made, are still, to this day debated by critics and film historians. Themes of racism and war are defined within the movie, hidden underneath the idea of carnal, cannibalistic zombies and over the top heroes who, eventually, succumb to the reanimated; despite their every effort. These themes are colored over and painted to hide beneath subtle references to the typical American Dream during this time, and Romero does quite the good job at it too. This dream, whilst continuously changing in the everyday lives of modern Americans, can be loosely defined as a national ethos of the United States, or a set of ideals dealing with freedom and the opportunity for success - an upward social status that can be achieved through hard work and effort.
AHHHHhhhhhh........! Imagine being awakened by a soft, distance scream. Wide awake, the world returns to being silent except for a racing heartbeat. Suddenly, a soft resonating moan starts to fill the empty air of the bedroom. Looking out the window, the world is an eerie grey with nothing moving but the occasional garbage blowing in the wind. Suddenly the horizon begins to change as a crowd of people begin to emerge. Watching nervously, the figures get closer and turn into something much more menacing. They are all disease-invested, flesh-rotted, brain-hungry zombies! Where did these undead monsters come from? How do they survive? What helped them crawl into the popular culture and continue through the changing fads of past decades? The zombie craze was “born” for the hardcore horror fans but has been kept “alive” by fear and publicity that is focused towards everyone.
In Night of the Living Dead, the zombies were eventually eliminated. Or were they? Theorists argue that the monster’s elusiveness is due to its physical, psychological and social characteristics that cross the lines of classification. Human’s innate fear of the unknown is due to their inability to make a distinction or draw a clear conclusion. This is explained further in Jeffrey Cohen’s second thesis in “Monster Theory” that claims that; “the monster never escapes” (Cohen, 14). The zombie as a monster can never be destroyed completely and if it is, it leaves a remnant the make people feel uncertain of its destruction. Base on Cohen’s theory, the zombie’s different interpretation allows it to emerge in other forms (a faster, smarter zombie?)
...r can not be satisfied. The zombie is a consumer. Zombies are most often used as a metaphor these days for uncontrollable consumerism that plagues our generation. We blindly buy without thinking, either because of a low price, lust, or simply we just want more. We are guilty of “Zombie Consumerism”. Zombie consumerism is evident in George Romeros' film, Dawn of the Dead. In this movie, a shopping mall is where the characters take refuge and becomes the setting in which the humans stay in the battle of the zombies. They gorge themselves in free food and are delighted about having almost everything at their fingertips all to themselves. It sound's perfect. They can consume anything they want and they will be okay, forever. It is ironic then when there is nothing left and they must find new sources of shelter and food and resources, or become the resources themselves.
I had never intended to read World War Z before this class began. In fact, I did not realize there was a text version in addition to the film version. This collection of personal stories from different aspects of the zombie wars was a mixed bag for me. There were some recollections that pulled on my heartstrings, and others that I could have gone without ever reading. In times of great turmoil, people are shown to be exactly who they are, their true colors shining through all of the masks and deception they have created. The entire world lived in fear during the time period of this novel, and watching their loved ones disappear or become part of the army of the undead had to be terrifying. The author might have chosen this topic because the threat of zombies invading the world is a fear that is as real to some as the war overseas is to others.
In the article, “A Zombie Manifesto: The Nonhuman Condition in the Era of Advanced Capitalism” by Sarah Juliet Lauro and Karen Embry, the authors’ evaluate the idea of the zombie and its connection to capitalism and post-humanism. According to the authors, the zombie represents much more than just a fear, it represents a loss of oneself to many different things, primarily to a capitalist society. The authors have come to the conclusion that humans have a fear of what they cannot control, and that is why the zombie is so big in entertainment. We see zombies everywhere, in movies, books, tv shows, fundraisers, marathons, and so much more. They have been around for decades, but recently they have become very popular. The authors believe this is
The idea of a zombie is made up and it comes from nzambi, the Kongo word for the spirit of a dead person. In states such as Louisiana, or the Creole culture they believe zombies represent a person who has dies and brought back to life with no speech. Kings psychological argument on how we have an urge to watch horror movies because it helps to re-establish our feelings and feel natural again. Klusterman’s sociological essay helped us see the comparison of zombies and humans in real life. In conclusion zombies are not real, they are make believe but help bring a sense of normality to