Over time, both zombies and vampires have been depicted in a variety of ways. Zombies have become a beloved monster in cinema, despite the fact that vampires have been given a romantic and non-monstrous image. They are now a part of modern media and have moved from being a part of voodoo religion to a more prominent role. Zombies are feared for their demeaning and consequential role in society. The zombie can represent everything that could happen to humanity. These zombies have a lot of religious undertones, including Christianity.
The media is the major influencer in the evolution and development of zombies. In part, religion has been shaped by media. Secularization means that religion has less power and influence over a society or nation. The media is now the largest influencer, thanks to its accessibility and rise in technological resources. Stephen King says that “the horror movie has become the modern public lynching”. Fictional stories serve a purpose for mankind. The influence of pop culture on public perceptions, fears and future visions can be achieved through the use of storylines and character-development. “Vampire Gentlemen and Zombie Beasts,” a description and analysis of zombies reveals that other religions, like Christianity, could be applied for their benefit. The implication of zombies in a higher purpose or meaning to life is one religious concept they elicit. Zimmerman and Tenga argue “Vampire Gentlemen and Zombie Beasts” that zombies can inspire viewers to seek meaning in life. According to “zombie fiction”, humanity will soon be integrated into a global herd of people without a history. This is an allusion to the idea of a world that lacks religion, where humans will be assimilated into a global herd without purpose or meaning. Zombies create fear in people who live in unexamined lives, a symbol of all the evil that can befall humanity. Zombies can be described as humans after death. Their behavior is akin to that of the person whose corpse they belong, but it’s exaggerated. This allows them to recall our thoughts and feelings about ourselves. King claims that in “Why We Crave Horror Movies”, you can feel normal again. Zombies are able to transcend the judgments of good and evil in our minds. Zimmerman & Tenga argue that they are also “evolving forms of the story of death and life”. Zombies are more human-like than any other monster. However, they have a disturbing and unconscious reincarnation. Because they are basically walking, decaying versions of human bodies, they help viewers visualize their inevitable death. The portrayal that death is an unexplainable horror can also be a source of entertainment. King states, “it encourages us put aside our more civilized adult penchant to analysis. . . This invitation to lapse in symplicity or irrationality or even outright crazyness” is channeled by religion through their conceptual role afterlife. One definition of Christianity states that “every wrong step is sin”.
The seven most dangerous sins you must be aware of include the following: Zombies are a representation of a fantasy that we might have if we were to be exposed to it or believe in it. While vampires and zombies are at opposite ends of a spectrum when it comes to depicting monsters, there are some similarities between them in that they both represent the Seven Deadly Sins. Vampires and zombies both portray gluttony as one of seven deadly sins. Gluttony describes a need to eat excessively. It is also defined by Christian leaders as “the pursuit and enjoyment of this pleasure as an intrinsic value”. This can be seen in zombies, vampires, and other creatures that eat humans relentlessly in a manner that is never ending.
Tenga as well as Zimmerman admit to the existence of zombies. They are mechanical and bloodthirsty. They don’t care much about the welfare and destruction of societies. They are known for their ferocious actions, which are similar to many monsters. Vampires, on the other hand, have more romanticized descriptions of zombies and are seen as more terrifying. Pride is one of the most grave sins. Pride is dangerously corrupt selfishness that puts one’s own interests and needs above all others. Zombies, with their endless consumption and indulgence, are similar to consumer cultures that is continuously promoted and advertised to create hungry patrons.
“Vampire Gentlemen and Zombie Beasts” describes how zombies spread across borders and erase human memories, turning everything they encounter into a unthinking, undifferentiated consumer crowd. This is very similar to current consumerism. Nearly every product we use is designed to be addictive and generate monetary rewards for large aggressive corporations. According to the authors, zombies, “horrifying in their sheer number, are a literalization what has already occurred” in today’s consumer-driven, mechanized, and depersonalized age. This is why zombies in modern films that terrorize cities are reminiscent of our product-hunger reality.
Sloth is another Deadly Sin that Zombies represent. A feeling of sadness about the spiritual, loss of self-respect, and a mental state that causes boredom, apathy, and indifference can all be called sloth. It could also be described as a lack of self-control, which can lead to a slowing down of spiritual progress toward eternal living and failure to complete responsibilities and do the right things (Dirk). Zombies represent our lowest capabilities. They lack self control and are incapable of thinking properly. Zombies are exactly like sloth. Although they often appear in large numbers, they lack the will to think for themselves and their own interests. They are the postdeath human form. Zimmerman and Tenga both state that the zombie reminds us we will soon be eating flesh without control or thought. Although we fear it, it is fascinating to us. Why is it that people are drawn to the lowest parts of themselves? Stephen King claims that it appeals to the worst of us. It is our worst fears realized, our most basic instincts unchained and morbidity without chains. The zombie is not only a depiction of the worst about humans, but it “appeals at the worst within us”. The zombie allows us to feel the excitement, fear, and relief of aging, even if it is only for a second.
Cluck Klosterman presents a new interpretation of zombies, “My Zombie, Myself”, as we make our way out of the sins that lead to sloth, mental sluggishness, annoyance, and boredom. Klosterman’s article is different from Zinger and Timmerman. The zombie does not represent us. It becomes a comparison between us and the zombie. The daily monotony of life, the emails from work, and the internet are the main culprits for our spiritual loss. We lose passion for ourselves, our lives and our purpose. Technology has become more essential for modern’survival’. However, most people can recognize that attachment to their electronics is terrifying and exciting. Klosterman says that “this is our collective terror projection: that we’ll be consumed.” Zombies can be compared to the media and internet. . . All of it comes at you endlessly (and thinklessly), but if I surrender, I will be overcome and absorbed. The fear of God is lessened in an age when people are less likely to engage with traditional belief systems. He praises it, saying that “It’s difficult, but disenchanting.” . . This is our world and we are just living in it. The killing of zombies could be like the death of our demons. But it can also seem to be an attack on the mundane tasks that make up this new world. This zombie is tied to religion and the need to fulfill a fulfilled purpose. Klosterman admits to the fact that sometimes life can be draining, particularly when we are faced with monotonous and frustrating aspects of our daily lives.
Zombies have been given a special place in horror’s popularization and secularization, which has allowed them to be used as metaphors and fears to many people. In many ways, zombies are human representations. These aspects also have a connection to religion, mainly Christianity, due to their depiction of the Seven Deadly Sins. This is why people love zombies. People love the way the zombie portrays humanity. Consumption and the endless killing of zombies are a result of our modern life of email and online tasks. We are also drawn to the darkness within ourselves through zombies and their brutality.
