Essay: World War Z by Max Brooks (book) – heroes

A hero is someone who is courageous enough to take a risk to benefit themselves and the people around them. In World War Z, the heroes are called to adventure when a zombie apocalypse shocks the world. In the movie, Gerry Lane takes it among himself to travel through the underworld to cure the plague that has struck the world. In the novel, the interviewer collects information from a series of heroes that fought to preserve their lives and the people around them. Although the book and movie use different tactics to demonstrate a hero’s journey, through their respective use of character development and growth, the journey remains intact.
The hero’s journey is a set of stages that all literary heroes experience throughout their travels. It evolved from Joseph Campbell’s The Hero with A Thousand Faces, and consists of 12 stages the hero goes through. These stages consist of Ordinary World, Call to Adventure, Refusal, Meeting with the Mentor, Crossing the Threshold, Tests, Allies, Enemies, Approach to Inmost cave, Ordeal, Reward (Seizing the Sword), The Road Back, Resurrection, and Return with Elixir. The novel and film World War Z offer two different forms of the hero’s journey.
The reader is introduced to Gerry Lane and his family in the opening scene of World War Z as they are enjoying a nice family breakfast in the peace of their home. This gives the reader a look at Gerry’s ordinary world until this crumbles to pieces when the apocalypse hits the U.S. Gerry manages to fight off the zombies and get his family to safety on a naval ship, and then receives his call to adventure. His former co-worker from the United Nations informs Gerry that he needs his help traveling through the underworld to cure the plague that has overcome the place they call home.
Gerry refuses because he knows he cannot bare to leave his family, but Gerry then realizes he has met his mentor. A mentor figure is the character in the hero’s journey that convinces the hero to accept the call by giving the hero exactly what he needs. Gerry’s mentor informs him that if he does not fight, then he will be forced to kick Gerry and his family off the boat. This encourages Gerry to cross the threshold into the underworld to attempt to cure the plague and save the world.
Gerry’s tests, allies, and enemies are very present in this apocalyptic world as he fights to find the cure of this plague through zombies, plane crashes, and the injuries and infections of himself and his peers. Gerry approaches the inmost cave when he makes his voyage to acquire the medicine which is guarded by a plethora of hungry zombies. He runs and fights off the zombies until he makes it into the room where he hopes the medicine that can cure the plague lies.
Gerry acquires the medicine he has been looking for, but one ordeal stands in the way of him and safety. He turns around to see a former doctor turned zombie eyeing him down through the glass door. Gerry looks around in horror wondering if this could be the end. He holds up a sign to his observing peers which reads, “TELL MY FAMILY I LOVE THEM.” (“World War Z.”) Gerry then builds up some courage and decides to face his greatest fear. He infects himself with the potential “zombie camouflage” infection. He takes a deep breath and opens the door which once separated himself from the undead.
The zombie approaches him, identifying Gerry closely, and allows Gerry to walk right by him with no interest. Gerry is rewarded with his life, but still has to walk the road back through the zombie infested hallways. Gerry, hoping with all his might that the camouflage will fool the rest of the hungry flesh-eaters, takes a sip of Pepsi and starts his quest. He is greeted by a herd of hungry zombies, and somehow walks by them untouched and filled with confidence.
Gerry has found the cure, but his work is far from done. Gerry says, “We have bought our self some time.” (World War Z.”) This is the resurrection. They have found the cure to the plague, but they still need to save the rest of the world. The hero has done everything he could and more. He finally returns to his family with the elixir of his life and the cure of the plague. All the hardships, zombie battles, and separation paid off. Gerry returns a new man who has become wiser, stronger, and braver.
In the novel, the interviewer travels all across the world to hear first-hand insight from each hero’s journey. One of the many hero stories the interviewer collects comes from Todd Wainio. Todd’s call to adventure strikes when he decides to join the military before the apocalypse’s climax. He didn’t know exactly what he was getting into at that time. His crossing of the threshold occurs during the Battle of Yonkers when he is finally greeted by the living dead. Todd approaches countless tests, allies, and enemies while fighting for survival all throughout the U.S., and being forced to watch his fellow militants turn into flesh-eating monsters. Todd’s approach to the inmost cave occurs when Todd’s squad leader, and close friend, is diagnosed with PTSD. This creates an ordeal for Todd as he is forced to take over the position as squad leader. Todd is already stressed enough having to fight just to live another day, and now he has to look out for his entire squad. The squad manages to achieve some success under Todd’s leadership and takes on the road back to where they started the adventures in Yonkers, New York. They continue fighting on the path of where they crossed the first threshold, and eventually return safely. Todd and his squad realize they have returned with the gift of strength and independence.
Todd and Gerry are two heroes who sacrifice everything in order to protect the ones around them. They both come from backgrounds that have to do with protecting this country, and feel it is their duty to find a way to cease the madness plaguing their country. Gerry battles to find a cure for the plague, and Todd is called to adventure because he is a militant who serves to protect the citizens of the country he loves. Todd and Gerry both return to their ordinary world after overcoming tests, ordeals, and their roads back to return with the elixir. A major similarity between the two protagonists is that they returned with the elixir of becoming better individuals. They realize what they have gone through and how much bravery, strength, and independence they have shown in their journey to become heroes.
Another hero from the novel the interviewer introduces to is Travis D’Ambrosia. Like Gerry and Todd, Travis is a military hero that didn’t exactly sign up for the call to adventure to exterminate these lifeless creatures. Travis is a Supreme Allied Commander who finds himself in the midst of the militaries war campaign to put a stop to this plague. Travis is more than aware about the militaries plans and tactics, but he is not the one to say they are perfect. Like Todd, he doesn’t agree with the militaries every move, but his heroic tendencies allow him to cross the threshold and fight for what is right. Travis is the man in charge who calls the shots for other hero’s journeys. His flesh-eating tests, allies, and enemies force him to become the strong hero who leads his troops towards the rewards of protection and survival.
Heroes are the individuals we look for to stand up in the times of crisis. Todd, Gerry, and Travis all accept their calls to adventure, and are rewarded with self-improvement. World War Z illustrates to us how heroes all grow from the same seed even though there reasoning for their journey might differ. In the end, our heroes are all fighting towards the same objective while investing in themselves as an improved individual. World War Z indicates to us that crises show our heroes the values necessary to improve the quantity of life.