I Am Legend: A Creation Myth

Apocalypses are defined as the end of the world, whereas creation represents the beginning. What comes in between? Once an Apocalypse ends, a creation story begins; thus, there is a cycle. This cycle is portrayed by Richard Matheson in his novel I Am Legend. The protagonist, Robert Neville, survives an apocalyptic world war and a dust-storm-carried disease, but he survives alone. He is the end and the new beginning. Thus, Matheson suggests that within an apocalypse, there can still be elements of a creation myth. To truly begin again, Neville must resort to warrior-like behavior: killing. Neville only has the intention of staying safe and finding a companion to make the apocalypse more bearable. However, during an apocalypse, things never go
Neville previously lived alone prior to meeting Ruth and constantly wants a companion. During the middle of the day when he first notices Ruth, he realizes she must not have the vampiris germ when he says, “A woman. Alive. In the daylight” (Matheson 109). During a creation myth, there are normally elements such as: nothing, no life, and chaos. In I Am Legend, Neville’s life represents a chaotic world with, to what he thinks, no life left. He lives in a very chaotic world, where he does not know when his last day will come. Throughout the novel, Neville is also looking for a companion to restart society, which is one of his main goals. However, he cannot accomplish his goal without Ruth. Finding a companion would bring sanity back to Neville, and relieve stress from his life. The first two humans alive, Adam and Eve, portray the humans responsible for starting humanity. Originally, Neville has the idea that he and Ruth must do the same, however, the problem with Ruth is trust. Prior to meeting Ruth, Neville lived by himself during the apocalypse, and does not want to risk his safety: “For awhile he'd thought that he trusted her. Now he wasn't sure” (Matheson 112). Since Neville lived by himself before, he would have to get used to living with someone else, however, "A man could get used to anything if he had to” (Matheson 4). The entire novel is about survival
What represented the birth of a new society comes to an end eventually, and the cycle continues of apocalypse to a creation myth. The novel starts off describing Neville’s apocalyptic life, being the only one alive, living in a dump, and having a murderous persona. Throughout the novel, Neville continues to approach things with a one sided view. In the very end of the novel he realizes that others kill to survive as well, and in order to survive in an apocalypse, one must have an open mind. To conclude, within an apocalypse, there can still be elements of a creation myth; the cycle from an apocalypse to creation story is fueled by humanity's murderous behavior and the threat of new ideas, therefore, I Am Legend represents both an apocalyptic and creation myth