Perhaps I've been reading The Walking Dead a bit too much, but every time I go grocery shopping or to run errands at the mall, I always picture myself in a zombie apocalypse and think, "What would I do?" I'd like to think that I would fight off the other zombies, protect my friends and family, and do everything I can to stay alive, but would I? We've finally found a few chapters in which the authors aren't afraid to say that humans can be monsters too (thank goodness) but what is it exactly that makes someone a monster? Perhaps it's the time Bishop discusses of when someone goes from doing what is right to what is necessary. At some point you have to throw the rules out the window of what society expects of you, and do what you can to survive. But what about when this divide isn't so clear? I'd like to think that I'm a good person and that I always do the right thing, but sometimes I don't (shocking, I know)! Does doing one bad thing make you a bad person, or worse, a monster? I don't think so. I think the distinction here lies in repetition. When you make the same silly decision over and over again, it's not a mistake anymore. At this point, you know it's wrong, you're completely and utterly aware of that, yet you do it anyway. So, you're actively choosing to do something that you know is wrong or perhaps that you've convinced yourself is necessary to make you happy. At that point, I think you've started to become a monster. At first, Rick and Shane are doing what they have to do to survive. So, what is considered "the right thing to do," isn't on the top of their priority list, which is completely understandable. But what about when they keep acting out of survival instincts, yet potentially hurt others? That's when I think they may turn into monsters.
Something I've been wondering about, which hasn't really been addressed yet (that I can remember) is whether or not you are ALWAYS a monster. Some of the characters in The Walking Dead become zombies, and some become their own form of human monsters, but are they always that way? Just thinking about these human monsters and not zombies, once you're considered a monster, can you ever become "un-monstered?" Can you ever be saved from this terrible state?
Can you ever become “un-monstered”? is an interesting question. I really like it. Perhaps you can, but only if you are willing to try. Let’s think of monsters as addicts, some addicts were forced into that lifestyle, some chose that lifestyle, but every single one of them is hurting and suffering. They are also hurting the people around them. They know that they are addicts and that they are hurting themselves and their loved ones. Yet they cannot stop. The addicts’ family and friends can make them try to get help over and over again and they can force them to go to rehab, but unless the addicts want to get help and they are willing to do whatever it takes to become sober, it won’t work. The will to change has to come from within. The monster knows he/she is a monster, and they know what they have done. If they are truly sorry and if they truly care, then yes they can be “un-monstered.” Anyone has the potential to change for the better and be good, it is just easier to be the monster.
ReplyDeleteAnne, I think that you raise several thought-provoking questions in your blog. For example, you state, "Can you ever be saved from this terrible state [being a monster]?" To answer this question, I do believe that people can return from a monstrous state back to a place of grace. At this point, the notion of redemption becomes relevant. One of my favorite aspects of the Star Wars saga is that, in a sense, the story is about the redemption of Anakin Skywalker (Darth Vader). Although he commits horrible and monster-like deeds throughout the many films and expanded canon of the story, at the end, he is redeemed by his son, Luke, rediscovering the good person that was repressed for so long. The main lesson that I have learned from this plot development is that no matter what actions I take within my life, there is always a chance to return to the path of righteousness. In the case of The Walking Dead, Rick Grimes has displayed several instances of behavior that could be categorized as monstrous. However, since the story of The Walking Dead is not yet complete, I can not definitively say that Rick will turn away from his monster-like tendencies and become the person who he once embodied. At the same time, though, I do believe that he is capable of such a transition, since redemption is a quality inherent within everyone.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad to hear that another person has as many questions about zombies as I do! As I read through the Walking Dead comic and the readings from Monster Culture, I became more interested in zombies and decided to start watching the Walking Dead on Netflix. As I watched some of the first episodes I started to think about what I would do as the characters, just as you did. I would like to think I could remain strong and fight off the zombies in a world of chaos but at the same time it is so difficult to even imagine. I feel like it is almost impossible to NOT become a monster in a world like a zombie apocalypse. Life is never going to be innocent in any way.
ReplyDeleteAnnie, your blog post reminds me a lot of what I'm writing about in my portfolio! Briefly, it basically discusses that characters in the Harry Potter novels are heroes or monsters due to the sum of their choices rather than just ONE choice or their past, etc. I feel like you're making the same point here by asking "does one bad thing make you a monster"? My answer is... absolutely not. And my answer to "can someone become unmonstered?" is that yes... absolutely! Like I said, it's all about choice here. I think if someone decides they don't want to be a monster anymore and repetitively makes good choices, they can become "unmonstered!" As for zombies...well... don't think they have much choice, now do they?
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