Focalisation In Relation To The Theme In I Am Legend By Richard Matheson
Discussion of the Use of Focalisation in Relation to the Theme in I am Legend by Richard Matheson. I am Legend is a story about Robert Neville, a man who is supposedly the only human still living in a post-apocalyptic world. An infectious virus has taken over the globe and converted everyone to vampirism. This is threatening the further existence of mankind. What comes next is Robert’s battle to outlive the vampires. The story picks on elements of the supernatural and horror, but in its core there are some deeper themes that can be contracted from I am Legend. In this essay, I want to focus on the main theme, which is the isolation of Robert towards the new society and its violent inhabitants, that eventually will lead to his alienation and even desolation. A very relevant topic such as Matias Clasen stated: “the horror of isolation is very real and very rational for members of a social species such as ours” (320). The main theme is accentuated by the kind of focalisation that is used by Matheson, which is an internal, fixed focalisation. The reader only sees the events happen through the eyes of
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Robert. Therefore, the view is very narrow and it contributes to the effect of the isolation. The first argument to support this claim about the main theme is the bombastic, classical music of Robert Neville. Robert is isolating himself from the vampires by locking himself into his room in order to survive the atrocities that are going on around him. He does this to avoid Ben Cortman, his infected neighbour who tries to trick Robert into becoming a vampire. While Cortman is shouting Robert’s name for him to come outside, Robert is turning his music up to block out the noise coming from the vampires in fear of catching the virus too. It is Robert’s attempt at isolating himself from the new society for he does not wish to be part of it. This, however, changes when there comes another non-infected person along, a girl called Ruth. Together with Ruth he is no longer the only human out there. Moreover, this shows that because of his isolation, Robert is becoming a very lonely, frustrated man who grabs every chance at companionship. Firstly, there is the dog Robert tried to befriend and secondly, Ruth. As times went by, so did Robert’s social skills over the years. This caused a problem when Robert wanted to approach the attractive female. At this point, it also becomes clear that Neville has built up some sexual frustrations after the lack of affection and love over the past years. He is a little bit lost and does not know how to handle the new situation with another person. Yet, it is very pleasing to not be on his own anymore. Robert Neville is rejecting the new and brutal society that is being formed by the vampires by isolating himself.
Robert is not pleased with the new situation and while he wants to reject it, it results in his alienation of the society. The second motif, drinking, helps to get him through the day. Drinking helps him forget the reality with which he is unhappy and from which he wants to escape. Again, he is trying to reject the new and brutal vampire society that established itself in the world. The problem of isolation is a very present concern in our society as well. In our world, people are shutting themselves out from the world and neighbours, especially in urban environments. Having contact with your neighbours is becoming rarer and rarer as people are alienating themselves from the world. Richard Matheson is highlighting this matter very subtly in the
story. Religion also takes an important part in the story. Literally, there are the crucifixes that are used to prevent the vampires from coming into people’s homes. Robert, on the other hand, discovers that this only works on Christian vampires and not for example on Jews. This is a very literal element that can be found in the book. There is also the interpretation of Robert Neville, who can be seen as a new saviour, a revival of Jesus Christ. Throughout the novel there is desperation and destruction all around. The vampires are ruining everything the society once built and they are wiping out mankind. The character of Robert brings a stray of light and hope into this darkness. He is the only survivor who is looking for an antidote for the virus and who is aware of the scientific symptoms and causes that resulted in the creation of vampires. Being the only survivor, again, is the link to the isolation and alienation of Robert. Furthermore, just like Jesus Christ, there is a public execution planned for Robert Neville, because he is threatening the further existence of the vampires and needs to be stopped. This explains how one can consider Neville as a saviour of mankind in the story. On top of that, it explains the title of the novel. The saviour is the legend. At the end of his life Neville realises this and is speaking to himself before the pills start to kick in, resulting in his death. Neville is, just like Jesus, accepting his faith for the good cause. Neville, the destroyer of the undead, sees himself as the lost great hope for mankind, while this other group only sees him as a terrible legend (June Pulliam 733). These are some arguments that support the major theme of I am Legend, which is the isolation of Robert Neville. It shows that the story is more than just a suspense horror tale about vampires and blood. Richard Matheson raises some deeper points that matter in life like religion, alienation and rejection of a society one is unhappy with. The isolation is strengthened by several motifs such as drinking, music and crucifixes, but also by the use of a fixed focalisation which restrains us to only perceiving things through Robert’s point of view.
Works Cited
Clasen, Mathias. “Vampire Apocalypse: A Biocultural Critique of Richard Matheson’s I am Legend.” Philosophy and Literature. Volume 34. October 2010. Johns Hopkins University Press. Project MUSE. Web. 16 May 2013.
Pulliam, June et al. ed J.T. Joshi. “Icons of Horror and the Supernatural: An Encyclopedia of Our Worst Nightmares Volume 2, The Zombie.” 2006. Greenwood Press. Press. Google Books. Web. 16 May 2013.
Robert. Therefore, the view is very narrow and it contributes to the effect of the isolation. The first argument to support this claim about the main theme is the bombastic, classical music of Robert Neville. Robert is isolating himself from the vampires by locking himself into his room in order to survive the atrocities that are going on around him. He does this to avoid Ben Cortman, his infected neighbour who tries to trick Robert into becoming a vampire. While Cortman is shouting Robert’s name for him to come outside, Robert is turning his music up to block out the noise coming from the vampires in fear of catching the virus too. It is Robert’s attempt at isolating himself from the new society for he does not wish to be part of it. This, however, changes when there comes another non-infected person along, a girl called Ruth. Together with Ruth he is no longer the only human out there. Moreover, this shows that because of his isolation, Robert is becoming a very lonely, frustrated man who grabs every chance at companionship. Firstly, there is the dog Robert tried to befriend and secondly, Ruth. As times went by, so did Robert’s social skills over the years. This caused a problem when Robert wanted to approach the attractive female. At this point, it also becomes clear that Neville has built up some sexual frustrations after the lack of affection and love over the past years. He is a little bit lost and does not know how to handle the new situation with another person. Yet, it is very pleasing to not be on his own anymore. Robert Neville is rejecting the new and brutal society that is being formed by the vampires by isolating himself.
Robert is not pleased with the new situation and while he wants to reject it, it results in his alienation of the society. The second motif, drinking, helps to get him through the day. Drinking helps him forget the reality with which he is unhappy and from which he wants to escape. Again, he is trying to reject the new and brutal vampire society that established itself in the world. The problem of isolation is a very present concern in our society as well. In our world, people are shutting themselves out from the world and neighbours, especially in urban environments. Having contact with your neighbours is becoming rarer and rarer as people are alienating themselves from the world. Richard Matheson is highlighting this matter very subtly in the
story. Religion also takes an important part in the story. Literally, there are the crucifixes that are used to prevent the vampires from coming into people’s homes. Robert, on the other hand, discovers that this only works on Christian vampires and not for example on Jews. This is a very literal element that can be found in the book. There is also the interpretation of Robert Neville, who can be seen as a new saviour, a revival of Jesus Christ. Throughout the novel there is desperation and destruction all around. The vampires are ruining everything the society once built and they are wiping out mankind. The character of Robert brings a stray of light and hope into this darkness. He is the only survivor who is looking for an antidote for the virus and who is aware of the scientific symptoms and causes that resulted in the creation of vampires. Being the only survivor, again, is the link to the isolation and alienation of Robert. Furthermore, just like Jesus Christ, there is a public execution planned for Robert Neville, because he is threatening the further existence of the vampires and needs to be stopped. This explains how one can consider Neville as a saviour of mankind in the story. On top of that, it explains the title of the novel. The saviour is the legend. At the end of his life Neville realises this and is speaking to himself before the pills start to kick in, resulting in his death. Neville is, just like Jesus, accepting his faith for the good cause. Neville, the destroyer of the undead, sees himself as the lost great hope for mankind, while this other group only sees him as a terrible legend (June Pulliam 733). These are some arguments that support the major theme of I am Legend, which is the isolation of Robert Neville. It shows that the story is more than just a suspense horror tale about vampires and blood. Richard Matheson raises some deeper points that matter in life like religion, alienation and rejection of a society one is unhappy with. The isolation is strengthened by several motifs such as drinking, music and crucifixes, but also by the use of a fixed focalisation which restrains us to only perceiving things through Robert’s point of view.
Works Cited
Clasen, Mathias. “Vampire Apocalypse: A Biocultural Critique of Richard Matheson’s I am Legend.” Philosophy and Literature. Volume 34. October 2010. Johns Hopkins University Press. Project MUSE. Web. 16 May 2013.
Pulliam, June et al. ed J.T. Joshi. “Icons of Horror and the Supernatural: An Encyclopedia of Our Worst Nightmares Volume 2, The Zombie.” 2006. Greenwood Press. Press. Google Books. Web. 16 May 2013.