Comparing The Qualities Of Vampires And Zombies

Ideas begin to form while rumors spread, and a simple tale written by a man becomes a horror story of a monster. Whether they have been portrayed in books or films, monsters have been a big part of society for hundreds of years. Vampires and zombies are two of the most noteworthy characters who played a big role throughout history. While both vampires and zombies have ideal qualities that make them important monsters for modern times, each monster has their own significant characteristics, appeals toward their audiences, and popularity with people.
Although both vampires and zombies are considered undead monsters, they have different character traits that make them unique. Vampires are mythical nocturnal beings that feed on the blood of living
humans. They have recognizable features such as fangs, pale skin, and claw-like nails. They are intelligent, manipulative, well-dressed, upper class monsters in their thirties. The descriptions of vampires adapt to any time period; however, zombies still retain many of its original features. Zombies are known as animated corpses, who have been infected with a disease. Specific characteristics include sick and decaying flesh and bones, may be pale and hairless, and walks slow, but runs fast. They spread the infection through touch, so they have been known for their cannibalisms. These distinctive attributes help construct the little details of the monsters’ tale.
Due to the variety of different qualities, people have been fascinated by these creatures.
Guillermo del Toro and Chuck Hogan reveal why the idea of vampires lasted until now. They divulge that the origin was created from “a repressed memory we had as primates” (par. 6) and prey on people’s “individual and collective needs” (par. 7). It adds the “possibility of mystery” to our lives. Because everyone has an eagerness to believe in the impossible, this led to the rise of technological evolution. Another appeal of the vampire is people’s desire for immortality. In every story, a vampire’s bite “transforms our vile, mortal selves into the gold of eternal youth” (par. 8). They provide us with the dream of being forever young. Throughout books and films, vampires are seen one of two ways: romantic or terrifying. They are adaptable to any time period and this allows for alternative variations in how they are
depicted.
Even though vampires display a positive appeal towards people, zombies are displayed negatively. The origins of zombies come from the thought of life after death in regards to slaves. Because slavery was sadistic, “death was the only real escape and seen as a way to return to Africa” but they may turn into zombies to work the fields forever (Gandhi). This fictional myth is an attempt to frighten servants. When it was adapted to books and films, it appealed to the human’s charm of scary stories. Lately, the theory involving zombies is that they were derived from a virus, causing a mutation. It is shown in the movie, I Am Legend, where zombie-like creatures were created by the Krippin Virus. Although it is a scary thought, human curiosity attracts them to such things. This attraction is due to the high possibility that this might actually occur in real life.
This growing interest in both the classic vampires and modern zombies has caused a competition in popularity.
While vampires appeal more to women, zombies appeal more to men. Although vampires and zombies may seem equally favored in terms of favorite monster, I believe zombies will surpass vampires. Due to movies such as I Am Legend and World War Z depicting realistic, apocalyptic scenes, rumors and hoaxes have gone viral. With the sudden outbreak and possibility of the Ebola virus spreading in the United States, new ideas for books and films have begun to form. For instance, the movie Warm Bodies has already depicted the zombie as a romantic interest. Unlike zombies, vampires have already been depicted in such a way. This resulted to another Dracula movie, displayed in a whole new setting. The ideas of vampires have been somewhat halted; meanwhile, new opportunities open up for
zombies.
When comparing vampires to zombies, it is important to assess their physical characteristics, determine their charm with regards to the public, and evaluate their reputation. Vampires are blood-sucking demons, whereas zombies are the living dead. Del Toro and Hogan classify vampires either as the “romantic hero” or the “undead monster” (par. 4). On the other hand, zombies are viewed as a terrifying creature as seen on I Am Legend. Due to zombies being a more contemporary monster, it acknowledges a growing popularity with people. They are more practical due to its sense of realism. Zombies will soon overshadow the concept of not just vampires but all other monsters.