“unrepressed individual, a revolutionary figure who disregards and destroys traditional mores and values”. I feel that Q_P_, the main character in Joyce Carol Oates’ Zombie also fits the description of Krueger given by Caputi in her article. There are several instances of behavior and attitude displayed by Q_P_ in Zombie that I feel put him in the same category as the serial killer described by Caputi. He does not have the same morals and values as those shared by most others in society, but instead he displays a total neglect for traditional morals and values for those of his own. Not only is the lifestyle that he chooses to live against the morals of society but the choices he makes to in order sustain his lifestyle are against the morals typical of the society in which he lives.

Q_P_’s basic lifestyle, homosexuality, is something that is not generally accepted under the normal values of society. This is displayed throughout the entire novel by Q_P_’s desire to hide the fact that he is homosexual. It began as a small child w

Q_P_ also displays his disregard for the mores of society by viewing the past as something that doesn’t matter. Most people in society have memories of the past, no matter if the memory is good or bad they still tend to look back on these memories. Q_P_ totally disregards the past and only looks to the future. “For all that has happened, has happened. From the beginning of time. I accept this.” (168) This is a quote of Q_P_ from the book, here I believe he is showing us that his past mistakes and failures (murders) do not matter to him. I think he feels that what happened in the past no longer makes a difference, and instead of dwelling on his own failures he must move on and concentrate on his next “zombie”. I believe that in Q_P_’s case he can not afford to dwell on the past, because if he does he will be reluctant to attempt creating another “zombie”, which he feels he must have.

Q_P_ also displays this disregard for the mores of society through the lack of respect he displays for murder. He lacks the typical view of murder held by society. Instead of having the sense that murder is something that is wrong, he does not even feel that he is murdering these be people but that they are attempts at bettering his own life. Q_P_ treats as murder as something that he must do in order to make things better for himself, therefore to him it is not murder and it is not wrong. He does not feel that he is murdering these people but that they are just failed attempts to better his own life. Throughout the entire novel Q_P_ never refers to any of the people killed as murders but as mess ups, failed attempts at creating his zombie. After his first three zombies died he said, “My first three ZOMBIES-all F’s

Some topics in this essay:
ZOMBIES-all F’s”, EYE CONTACT”, Q_P_ Zombie, Freddy Krueger, Jane Caputi, Krueger Caputi, Oates’ Zombie, create “zombie”, , throughout entire, serial killer, eye contact, society instead, values society, society father, disregard mores society, attempt creating, traditional mores, read caputi’s essay, eye contact”, q_p_ displays disregard, displays disregard mores, throughout entire novel,