The Evolving Concept of "Zombies"

It's fascinating to see the way this course can make one reevaluate one's view of zombies. From the conventional definition, one immediately thinks the walking undead creature that used to be human. Therein lies the big question in all the zombie-related texts and media samples we've seen thus far: what truly differentiates humans from monsters? Even going to the origins of Night of the Living Dead, we see the strains of humanity and how its defined. What happens to these humans when they are converted? Are they truly a complete monstrous creature? Or are they still the humans afflicted by a condition forced upon them? Danger Word was this first taste of questioning the zombie condition. It was the first time a reader might consider the possibility that zombies aren't totally supernatural and that perhaps one can still retain and use their most cherished memories once converted into a zombie. Warm Bodies took this possibility and went into a greater analysis of it. In the zombie apocalypse-stricken world Isaac Marion created, zombie can have maintain plenty of mental activity but lack the ability to act on such activity because of their body's infection. The main character R is especially susceptible to nostalgia of what the world used to be (e.g. his airplane of souvenirs, his consistent desire to obtain the memories of others, etc.). He is fully aware of the situation he is in and wants to fix it.

While love story between Julie and R may serve to show the two sides of the battle in this post-apocalyptic world, I view it as an insight into humanity. R may very well be attracted to Julie because of Perry's memories or the fact that she seems like a potential good meal. However, I think the reason why the chemistry between the two are far more legitimate then any Twilight-centric (which many have compared it to) romance is that R actually liked Julie for her stance on morality. Julie might have been bratty, talkative, and naive but she, like R, was a hopeless dreamer. Her biggest goal was to survive and revive the "corpse of the world" to it's former glory. R desperately wanted to change and help revert the condition his follow undead were afflicted with. He just wanted to enjoy the simple joys that human life used to offer. The same was shown in both Twenty-Three Snapshots and 28 Days Later, where the character would enjoy something as simple as a beer, a party, groceries, or a car ride. It brings about the wistful moral that one usually identifies with humanity: despite all the horrid occurrences in the world, there is always hope for a better future.

Simultaneously, this concept shows how a zombie apocalypse (which is a metaphor for any real catastrophe) can harden and damage some of the most kindred spirits. Despite all his faults, Perry was once a hopeful person like Julie, but the losses he suffered deeply damaged his vision for a future. Thus, he inevitably gave up on pursuing a future. General Grigio and Major Henry West are both military men so hardened by loss and dead-set on survival and restarting civilization that they become blind to their inhumane actions and, moreover, actually hurt their chances of rebuilding civilization. Isn't it interesting how all three of these characters are killed off by their own selfishness and lack of better judgment? It is the writer's attempt to show that a narrow-minded plan leads to disaster rather than survival. While survival is important, one needs to create an overall goal everyone can agree if they are all to function as a proper surviving community.