Essay Questions

What is a zombie?

A zombie is a fantastic creature that is dead. A zombie was once a person who got infected through various means and then became a living dead. In pop culture, zombies eat other human beings and by biting them or injuring them, they create other zombies just like them.

Why was Mary locked into a room in a church after her mother died?

After Mary’s mother was infected by the zombie bite, she was put into a cage and let there to die. During that time, Mary stayed by her side, keeping her company. After the mother died, Mary was taken to the Church and forced to stay in a little room for almost a week. The reason why Mary was forced to remain in that room was because she was isolated from the rest of the community because she came into contact with a person infected by a zombie. By putting her there, the community reduced the risk of having someone being infected by a zombie walking with the rest of the healthy population.

What are the origins of the zombies in the novel?

While the origin story is never explicitly said, the Sisters hint that the zombies appeared as a result of humanity’s efforts in trying to cheat death. Sister Tabitha tells Mary that zombies first appeared when humans tried to mingle with the natural order in the world and when they tried to reverse the natural course of things. While the other characters see no connection between the zombies and religion, the Sisters claim that God punished humanity by making them zombies when they tried to be like God and control death.