Monster or Hero: A Post-Apocalyptic View in Richard Matheson’s I am Legend
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.70091/Atras/vol05no2.3Keywords:
Apocalypse, Post-apocalypse, Survivalism, I am Legend, Human CivilizationAbstract
Human beings are surviving creatures. They will do whatever it takes to survive. However, as much as they are hell-bent on surviving, humans are also strangely fascinated with the concept of the apocalypse—that the world hosting us will one day cease to exist. This strange fascination with the apocalypse goes way back in history when ancient civilizations expressed their remarkable views regarding the apocalypse. People’s fascination with the apocalypse was also reflected in their literature. Taking Richard Matheson’s novel I am Legend as a scope of the study, this paper delves into the philosophical underpinning aspects of the post-apocalyptic genre. It analyses the author’s portrayal of the post-disaster world. Furthermore, it goes beyond I am Legend to explore the feasibility and the internal consistency of various post-apocalyptic scenarios in literature, prompting broader understanding and reflection on the anxieties and aspirations that fuel these narratives, examining themes of societal collapse, the fight for survival, the reconstruction of civilization, and the search for meaning in a devastated world. The present article aims to shed light on Matheson’s scenario on the apocalypse, which significantly draws the reader’s attention bearing in mind the COVID-19 scenario. So, to what extent does Matheson’s apocalyptic scenario relate to our world today?
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