Z For Zachariah

Dystopian or post-apocalyptic literature is writing that explores a fictional society that differs in key ways from the real world. Often, these stories take place in the future after a war, disaster, or some other monumental, global change. They can also be set in alternate timelines or separate worlds entirely—worlds that parallel the real world while heightening the elements of danger, suffering, and injustice. The term “dystopian” comes from the word “utopia,” with a utopian society being the ideal life; conversely, a dystopian society is one with major hardship, destruction, or undesirable elements that make life difficult. Often, these differences highlight important aspects of our own society, such as a dictatorial regime to emphasize the importance of individual rights or a natural disaster to depict the importance of getting environmental change and destruction under control.

Throughout the history of dystopian fiction, seminal works are often linked to the anxieties and fears of the time in which the work was produced. For example, one of the first mainstream dystopian fiction novels was George Orwell’s 1984 (1949). Written after World War II and in the wake of the consolidation of the Soviet Union, the novel serves as a commentary on the dangers of a controlling, intrusive government. The novel depicts a society where the citizens’ moves are tracked by a totalitarian government, referred to as “Big Brother,” that uses technology, psychological manipulation, and propaganda to control its citizens. In this way, the novel serves as a warning against totalitarianism, reflecting early Cold War fears about the spread of the Soviet system.

Similarly, The Handmaid's Tale (1985) by Margaret Atwood tells the story of Offred, a young woman who becomes a “Handmaid,” serving only as a vessel to produce children for the Commander. The society in which Offred lives is one that has been corrupted by a group known as the Sons of Jacob, who overthrow the United States government, suspend individual rights, and instill an authoritarian government rooted in a misogynistic brand of Christian fundamentalism. Central to that restrictive government is their treatment of women, who are unable to go to school, own property, or even control their own bodies, instead being used by men to reproduce. In this way, The Handmaid’s Tale reflects late-20th-century anxieties around the growing political power of the Christian right. As Ronald Reagan was elected president in the United States and Brian Mulroney became prime minister in Atwood’s home country of Canada, organizations like James Dobson’s Family Research Council and Pat Robertson’s Christian Coalition gained significant political influence, promoting a version of Christianity that was deeply patriarchal, anti-LGBTQ+, and opposed to women’s bodily autonomy. In this way, Atwood used her novel to explore what would happen if such figures had unchecked power. 

Robert C. O’Brien’s Z for Zachariah is a similar exploration of the fears of its time. Written in the early 1970s and published after O’Brien’s death in 1974, the text was written at the height of the Cold War. Throughout the 1960s and early 1970s, the nuclear arms race was a key component of geopolitics as the United States and the Soviet Union worked to build their nuclear arsenals following the first use of an atomic bomb at the end of World War II. Additionally, this period was one of technological advancement, not only in weaponry but also in science, automation, space travel, and more. These advancements led to anxiety in the public, as they saw science rapidly growing without fully understanding the impact or potential ramifications.

This uneasiness, coupled with the potential for nuclear disaster, is reflected in Z for Zachariah. The character of John Loomis is a scientist who worked for years before the war for the United States Army, developing a form of plastic that would withstand nuclear radiation. Instead of trying to prevent nuclear disaster, Loomis and the Army sought to find ways to survive the fallout once the inevitable occurred. The destroyed world that Ann and Loomis inhabit reflects the worst fears of the American public: the destruction of humanity through unchecked military and technological growth. Additionally, Ann’s survival skills, reliance on the land, and resilience reflect the importance of the individual. With a society becoming increasingly reliant on technology and a world rife with war and conflict, O’Brien’s narrative stresses the importance of individual strength and the benefits of understanding the world that humanity inhabits—instead of destroying it.