"Because the aftereffects of war, terrorism, and natural disasters so closely resemble the scenarios of Zombie Cinema [they have] all the more power to shock and terrify a population that has become otherwise jaded by more traditional horror films" (Platts 548). Those are the words of Kyle Bishop, an English professor from Southern Utah University. Once you hear that quote it is hard to think of zombies without thinking about what they can represent in a timeless manner. Why do we fear zombies, and what do those fears represent? Many movies go over the idea of 'Biological Warfare' while other movies focus on the interactions between survivors, who have the inability to coexist despite their differences. I will be bringing up those issues while discussing the cultural significance that zombies have in this day and age, going over the fear we feel, what the fear represents, and what makes the monster socially relevant. .
In many ways zombies represent social anxieties, shown commonly in films associated with nuclear radiation and the possibility of an apocalyptic future. The fear of waking up one day and being thrown into this new world where the motto is suddenly "Every Man for Himself." The fear itself isn't uncommon, the idea of an apocalypse has been drilled into our heads repeatedly even through religion. This is shown with multiple verses from the bible, one example is visible in the verse, "And this shall be the plague wherewith the Lord shall strike all nations that have fought against Jerusalem: the flesh of every one shall consume away while they stand upon their feet, and their eyes shall consume away in their holes, and their tongue shall consume away in their mouth" (Old Testament Zacharias 14.12). This is of importance because The Bible is claimed to be the word of God, it is also the focus for many religions branching from the same beliefs making it one of the more commonly known books throughout the world.