Zombies

## Introduction

A Zombie (which is also known to be called, biters, creepers, walking dead, living dead, Ghouls, or more so scientifically named, Homo Coprophagus Somnambulus) Is a human being that no longer has full function of his body because of death, and now the body has come back to life, lacking the soul, because of some sort of disease or man made/ medical cause. The rotted bodies only still obtain a small portion of human abilities and usage of the brain. The zombies still have basic motor skills, and are able to walk up right, even if not that fast. They are categorized as dead because the zombie process happens after one has died, and the process denounces the human of their emotion and personality, thus, taking away the human soul. Zombies also feel no sensation to pain.

## Characteristics

Zombies have been depicted in a wide variety of ways. The zombie we are most familiar with is the type that walks around in a slow, stumbling type manner that might resemble the gait of an inebriated person; that being said there are depictions of zombies in movies such as *I am Legend* and *28 Weeks Later* in which the zombies are capable of a full sprint. Zombies are usually in varying states of decay dependent upon how long they have been reanimated for. As a result their skin may be discolored, they may be missing hair, and they may have an odor of death about them. Additionally Zombies almost always have discolored eyes, most commonly foggy, yellow, black, or extremely bloodshot.

## Etymology

The Word Zombie (zämbē) original etymology is uncertain, but has many diferent theories behind it. One is from the word, Kikongo Zumbi,"Fetish", and Kimbundu nzambi,"God", which originated in West Africa in the early 19th century. Another is from the word, Zombi, which was originally a name of a snake god, that means, "Reanimated corpse". The word could have also originated from the Louisiana, creole term, "Phantom", meaning ghost, or from the Spanish word,"Sombra", meaning ghost.

## Folk History

The origins of Zombies are actually from Haitian Vodou and do not necessarily have to be a negative aspect. In Vodou spirits can either die a natural or unnatural death. Those from unnatural deaths linger until the Gods decides that they can reunited with their families. Amy Wilentz, Voodoo Expert, published what her idea of the origin of Zombies in the New York Times. She explained that creation of the zombie myth is connected to the struggle of African slaves. She says, “The only escape from the sugar plantations was death, which was seen as a return to Africa, or lan guinée . To become a zombie was the slave's worst nightmare: to be dead and still a slave, an eternal field hand.”

## Modern Usage

What we know to be s the modern Zombie in todays society, is the ferociously threatening resurrected human corpse possessed by a biological infection. The monsters are known for there relentless behavior when attacking others by not showing any remorse as they attack. Zombies cannot respond to anything because they are technically dead, and there is no soul to navigate the dead body, so there is no sort of negotiating them from eating you. Plus they do not stop if being attacked themselves, like if you were to cut their arm off or stab them through the stomach, even if they cannot move anymore, they will still try to come after you. The Zombies of today are not based on any superstitious myths of one persons return to seek revenge, but now are brought on by some sort of sickness or untamed chemical. Also in the new Zombie portrayals, there's has been some zombies being shown as fast moving creatures instead of the slow motor functioned ones of the past.

## Lists of Texts/Media

1. Walking Dead- A TV series that tells about life after a zombie apocalypse, and follows this group of people who have survived and are still continuing to fight for there survival while overrun by the many zombies around them.

2. Day by Day Armageddon- A novel of an ongoing journal of a mans struggle to survive, while an unknown plague has fallen upon them and is turning the people around him into brain eating monsters.

3. World War Z- A movie of the world being plagued of some mysterious disease, turning the human race into aggressive, fast moving destructive monsters. The main character of the film had to use his good memory and bravery to travel around these dangerous Zombies and find the reason for the zombie outbreak.

4. I Am Legend- A film about a man who thinks he is the only survivor of a plague that killed many humans and turned 10% of the population into blood thirsty monsters known as the "darkseekers". He encounters two other survivors and together they must find a cure to save human kind or risk turning into zombies themselves.

5. Warm Bodies- A film about a world that is divided between humans and zombies. One Zombie is different from the rest and forms a relationship with a human. As they spend more time together they start to fall in love and experience how their relationship may effect the world in which they live in.

## Resources

1. Zombie. (n.d.). Retrieved October 19, 2015.

2. Online Etymology Dictionary. (n.d.). Retrieved October 19, 2015.

3. Bourne, J. (2004). Day by day armageddon. New York: Pocket Books.

4. Plot Summary. (n.d.). Retrieved October 19, 2015

5. Forster, M. (Director). (n.d.). World War Z [Motion picture].

6. *I Am Legend.* Dir. Francis Lawrence. Perf. Will Smith, Alice Braga, Dash Mihok. Warner Bros. Pictures, 2007. Film.

1. ↑ "Haiti & the Truth about Zombies." Web. 25 Oct 2015. <http://www.umich.edu/~uncanny/zombies.html>
2. ↑ Estes, Adam Clark. "A Brief History of Zombies." *The Wire*. N.p., 31 Oct. 2012. Web. 25 Oct. 2015.