When asked to apply my status as a "citizen" to "This Is Not A Test", I realized that essentially all of the main characters in the novel inhabit the role of "citizens". While Cary does show some initiative in attempting to lead the group, initiative is really all it is; Trace is constantly shooting him down and Cary can rarely get more than one other character to support his decisions. Indeed, many of the group's problems seem to stem from this lack of organization. I'm not suggesting that some kind of dictator-like leadership is necessary, rather that because there are no defined roles within the group, the characters are loose cannons and frequently come to verbal blows. This structure (or lack thereof) is not a sustainable system for a small group of zombie survivors.
When we are first presented with the school as the group's "fortress", they have been defending (?) it for several days. This should have been enough time for them to rally and recognize how dire their situation is. Instead, they are constantly going off alone to wander the potentially dangerous halls of the school, and groan when it's their turn to serve breakfast like children being made to do chores. While one might argue that they are children and still in shock from the onset of the zombie epidemic, I think they are old enough to grasp the seriousness of their situation. Only Cary seems to feel the urgency that seems necessary in such a life-threatening situation, but this is clearly not enough. *SPOILER ALERT* Eventually, it is the childish mentality of the other characters that leads to Grace's death and subsequently to the group leaving the relative safety of the school. Had the other characters a little more sense and listened to Cary when he urged them to try to find Baxter's secret entrance, Grace would not have died. If there is a lesson to be learned here, it is that organization and discipline are critical in the face of a zombie apocalypse.
On an unrelated note, here is a group of zombie protestors:
I hear what your saying . This is not a Test takes an unusual route character-wise. Typically we see the protagonists of Zombie lit really rising to the occasion maybe not at first but eventually. In this story we see them surviving but they don't seemed to have gained any emotional maturity from the experience. The unlikeableness of the characters really sets this novel apart.
ReplyDeleteI just finished reading This Is Not a Test, and I see your point. It would have been nice if the other characters were more supportive towards Cary's decisions, especially Trace. I feel that Trace, despite his ill feelings towards Cary, should have put them aside for the sake of the situation at hand. Also, as you pointed out, the shock of a zombie apocalypse is not an excuse for their lack of maturity. However, it is hard to ignore the fact that these are teens with different personalities that need to group together to survive, and I feel that this novel demonstrates how due to this issue, it is difficult it is to uphold a successful leadership structure.
ReplyDeleteI am also a citizen in my group and I had similar thoughts when I was reading. Honestly, I didn't see the decisions made by the individuals as very realistic. In a zombie apocalypse I am pretty positive that I would never wander off on my own. No matter how brave I was, I would still want a bathroom buddy. The novel made the characters seem too brave, yet very immature at the same time, which was a weird mixture. I feel like the death of Grace was bound to happen from the beginning. She got along with everyone and was the one person who was able to quickly resolve conflicts. Without Grace, the group was bound to break apart and we see this when they leave the school. Do you think that if she hadn't died that the group might've made it to safety?
ReplyDeleteThese are really good points, I do agree that the novel takes a different route protagonist/character wise. That said, I think Cary emerges a leader from the beginning and therefore he is not truly a citizen. He literally leads the group to the Gym, is prepared to sacrifice group members (Harrison) for the good of the group, and demonstrates strong survival/organizational qualities. I think that this book targets a younger audience and because of this, the characters are shown as more developing roles, ie not a designated leader.
ReplyDeleteBut as it is pointed out above, this is an apocalyptic novel. Weaker characters like Harrison, however unlikely, portray more realistic emotion than most of us would care to admit. Everyone is dead, people are eating each other, you just ran for your life, your a 13 year old boy who nobody likes=kinda rough, probably a little PTSD. So yes wandering around the school, alone, seems pretty unrealistic and incredibly stupid.