Although Zone One by Colson Whitehead can be classified as a zombie novel, it is about so much more than just zombies. Whitehead uses the setting of a zombie apocalyptic to explore and expose topics like racism, capitalism, and government exploitation of citizens. While themes of racism are more subtle at first, the anti-capitalism commentary that Whitehead gives is clear from the first few pages of the novel. This commentary on capitalism is also intertwined with a commentary on the government, and how it exploits its citizens. The novel follows the story of Mark Spitz, one of the volunteer civilian sweepers assigned to exterminating the remaining zombies in lower Manhattan so it can be reinhabited. The events in the novel seemingly take place months after the initial outbreak of a virus that turns people into zombies. In this new world, essentially everyone who survives is said to suffer from Post-Apocalyptic Stress Disorder (PASD). In order to put a positive spin on the narrative and rebrand survival, the government promotes the idea of the “American Phoenix.” This rebranding comes with its own logo, of course, and as a part of the movement, the camps of survivors are renamed things like “Bubbling Brooks” or “Happy Acres.” Merchandise, such as hoodies and sun visors, are handed out. The so-called “pheenies” of this new America even have their own anthem, “Stop! Can You Hear the Eagle Roar? (Theme from Reconstruction). However, Whitehead implies that this movement is less about genuinely helping the survivors deal with the aftermath of the initial outbreak and emotionally process their trauma, and more about stirring the masses and encouraging them to risk their lives for the reconstruction effort.
Although set in a world where supernatural flesh-eating zombies exist, the topics that Whitehead addresses in the novel, like PASD and what is essentially propaganda for the reconstruction effort, mirror conditions and events in the real world. For instance, PASD is reminiscent of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), a mental health condition often afflicting soldiers due to the horrors they witness during war. The propaganda described is also reminiscent of the propaganda distributed in America during World War II. The National World War II Museum describes how the U.S. government created the Office of War Information (OWI) specifically to oversee the propaganda initiative. As part of this initiative, artists, filmmakers, and intellectuals were recruited to design posters, pamphlets, newsreels, radio shows, and movies that would persuade the American public to support the war effort. Posters were one of the most important products of the initiative, and they were mass produced and distributed around the country. National Archives showcases some of the more famous posters, such as those depicting Rosie the Riveter (“We Can Do It!”) and Uncle Sam (“I Want You for U.S. Army”). The article describes how these types of posters were created to encourage men and women to join the war effort, either by enlisting in the armed forces or working on the home front. The previous article by the National World War II Museum describes how propaganda works by using psychological tactics, guilt, and emotions. The posters were not just meant to encourage and inspire Americans, but also to warn, scold, and scare. Ultimately though, the goal was to convince the public to support the war effort by appealing to their patriotism and loyalty. Psychology Today states that, even though propaganda can be used to achieve “good” ends, like the end of a war or a successful reconstruction effort, it is still problematic because facts are often distorted or ignored in the effort to sell the product. This becomes clear in Whitehead’s novel when the reality of the situation is revealed – that camps are being overrun with zombies at an alarming rate and everything is far from normal, despite what the government wants its citizens to believe. It turns out that the government’s relationship with Fort Wonton and the work on Zone One is simply PR, as it will be years before the island can realistically be resettled. Thus, the government in Buffalo is exploiting the citizens at Fort Wonton and presumably will not send aid even though the living dead are besieging them. Taking all of the events from the novel into consideration, it is clear that Whitehead is against the institution of capitalism and the corrupt ways that governments promote their causes and exploit their citizens. The government in the novel promotes the idea of the “American Phoenix” in order to advance the reconstruction effort and use civilians as free labor. Ultimately, the government goes as far as to betray their own people by not revealing their true intent with the Manhattan project and presumably not sending aid when Fort Wonton is overrun with zombies. That being so, Whitehead’s novel makes me wonder, how is the U.S. government exploiting its citizens today? Is the government’s promotion of capitalism harming U.S. citizens more than it is helping? What type of propaganda is being promoted today?
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AuthorHi, I'm Rhi! In these blog posts, I will be exploring and reflecting on common themes found in post-apocalyptic literature. Archives
April 2021
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