Jessica Hung Cen, Period 7, 5/3/22

 Jessica Hung Cen

Period 7

5/3/22

Modern Mythology 2022

Literacy & Learning

Recently, in class, we discussed the topic of zombies and watched the movie Train to Busan. After watching this movie, I believe that it connects to one of the fundamental ideas of our course: that the true monsters are humans. In the case of zombies, this is true in a literal sense as zombies were formerly humans. Due to this characteristic of zombies, mistrust is bred within groups that need to work together to survive. This effect is illustrated in the scene where the protagonists are kicked out of the train car they are in out of fear that they are infected. They are screamed at by a jeering crowd that holds no sympathy or compassion.

This is expected, however, as humans are often depicted as cruel in the face of despair. It is a theme explored in all stories of the apocalypse. With their survival on the line, however, it can be argued that their behavior is understandable. After all, your kindness may ultimately result in your demise. In the movie, the train conductor attempted to save the old man running from the zombies, only to be thrown to the zombies so the old man could run away. In contrast, the old man, who is undoubtedly the cruelest character, was also one of the longest-lived. Yet, when he was infected, he sought comfort from the protagonist, claiming that he was scared and he didn’t want to die. At the end of his life, he sought the help of another person, despite sacrificing many. While ironic, I think that this scene also shows how humans need to be around others and thus, it is better to befriend others rather than to make an enemy out of them. 

Overall, I enjoyed how this movie illustrated the relationships formed between people in desperate situations. It was nice to watch the protagonist, in particular, turn from someone selfish who only prioritized himself and his daughter to someone who becomes more selfless. A parallel in the movie that was notable to me was the scenes where the expectant father found himself barred from entry into a train car. The first time this occurred, our protagonist himself was the one attempting to lock the door. Later on, he is enraged that this occurs and that it leads to the other’s death. His character development gives me hope for us as I believe that people tend to be cold, especially in urban areas. In an era where we are constantly bombarded with bad news, people become desensitized and indifferent. It is my hope that we can become like the protagonist in Train to Busan and regain the humanity we have lost, preferably without waiting for the zombie apocalypse to occur first.