Films and books have attempted to construct the ideology of the living dead through characters called zombies. The art depicts a new world that is controlled by beings that lack a sense of individuality. The two articles under evaluation look at the concept of the walking dead or zombies and their sexuality. Shaka McGlotten and Steve Jones hit the nail on the head by providing the imagery of sex amongst zombies. They derive excerpts from films and books that have addressed the issue. Emma Vossen also looks at the apocalyptic anticipation and romance of the walking dead in her article “Laid to Rest”. This essay develops a brief overview of the general concepts drawn from the passages.
The prominent idea that both articles address is the phenomenon of sexuality amongst zombies. McGlotten and Jones find the topic interesting especially at a time when the media has increased the presence of the walking dead in the popular culture. The depiction of zombies in films and writing extends from horror works such as the “Survival of the Dead” to comedies like Zombieland. The characters have also penetrated play since they can be found in common computer and video games such as Dead Island. The ubiquity identifies the walking dead as monsters that find themselves on the brink of death and life. The disruptions are associated with social anxieties such as biological warfare and capitalist intentions (McGlotten and Jones, 2014).
The zombie analogy has led to a massive cultural trend that fuels many scholarly works. The creatures reproduce the social contexts as a type of plague that aims to eradicate human existence. McGlotten and Jones provide the introduction regarding sexuality amongst the walking dead. They also look at the works of those who have contributed towards the realization of the exploring factors involving zombies (McGlotten and Jones, 2014). Some of the writers they mention are Emma Vossen and Marcus Hames, who have made significant contributions to the subject matter. The individuals develop the fantasy of the walking dead illustrating people’s beliefs. For instance, some societies attribute the walking dead to acts of sorcery and witchcraft.
The zombies are said to have sexual identities, especially in pornographic arts. However, their sexuality and actions are quite different and strange from those of human beings. The walking dead may have the similar desire of intercourse, but their limitations and capacities of human embodiment make the sexual illustrations rather difficult and weird to some people. Emma Vossen devours Kirkman’s zombie tales to understand the apocalyptic anticipation and their relationships. Kirkman highlights the walking dead phase as a form of new life that does not experience worldly problems such as job securities, debts, and economic struggles. The fresh start allows people to focus more on relationships (McGlotten and Jones, 2014).
In contrast to the real globe that presents difficulties to human beings, the apocalyptic era gives romantic fantasies of experiencing love and having families in a comfortable environment. It offers some utopian escapism and hope for an appealing future. The zombie frontier allows human characters to reinvent themselves and proceed with a life that has a valid purpose through simple survival tactics. Emma Vossen translates the perception of utopia from an unrealistic perfect area to a society that can be formed by destroying the foundations of the current community. The walking dead are depicted as people who live a lifestyle that is proximal to death; hence, they aim to utilize every spare moment left in their lives (McGlotten and Jones, 2014). Conclusively, the two excerpts bring out the aspect of sexuality amongst zombies as a romantic fantasy that allows them to devote all their efforts and time to love. Despite their limitations, they still maintain the desire and the sexual actions just as normal human beings. Their affection is also not affected by worldly factors.
Reference
McGlotten S. and Jones S. (2014). Zombies and Sexuality. North Carolina: McFarland Publishers.
