Zombie-centric literature as narratives of the beginning and the end

Abstract

Although post-apocalyptic literature is particularly characterized by attempts to depict the world being destroyed by a cataclysm, some researchers emphasize its germinative nature. This predilection stems from the fact that the plots of the narratives of the dawn of the anthropocene era centre around characters-survivors, who – having endured the catastrophe – try to domesticate the danger area. While the chaotic and haphazard actions of many protagonists are not volitional, but rather a result of fortunate coincidences, they do in fact acquire specific goals, which may include finding a safe retreat, getting the lost family back together, or building the future in a completely new habitat. In this perspective, the end of the world actually signifies only the end of a certain era, or civilizational stage, and becomes a turning point indicating the beginning of a new order, different from the previous one. The prefix “post” in such narratives signals an aesthetic intention to create a “re-started” biotope, which is different from the constructs that imitate the reality known to the readers. Therefore, the worldbuilding strategies of the authors focus on the description of the end and subsequent revival, the new beginning.