The Traits of a Hero
The history of literature is full of heroic figures, from Odysseus to Harry Potter. Typically, these heroes possess extraordinary traits, be they strength, intelligence, or courage. In Zone One, however, Whitehead repeatedly emphasizes the fact that Mark Spitz is entirely unexceptional. In fact, he's described as being average to the point of mediocrity. As Whitehead writes: “He was a mediocre man. He had led a mediocre life exceptional only in the magnitude of its unexceptionality.” (p. 183). Yet instead of hindering him, Whitehead suggests that Mark Spitz's mediocrity was essential to his survival because "now the world was mediocre, rendering him perfect" (p. 183). In this way, Mark Spitz appears as a pointed response to the traditional hero figure. As Whitehead makes clear throughout the novel, anyone can be a hero – even those who seem the least likely.
The Limits of Hope
Hope plays a prominent role in Zone One. Characters hope for a cure to the plague and hope that things may eventually return to normal. Likewise, The Tromanhauser Triplets are described as being "localized hope" (p. 52). For some, hope is necessary in order to keep striving the horrors of life after the plague. Mark Spitz, however, shares a very different relationship to hope. For him, "hope is a gateway drug" (p. 222). In other words, hope is a dangerous distraction from the reality in which he finds himself. Instead of imagining what life could be like in the future, Mark always focuses on the situation around him.
While one could read Mark's abandonment of hope as a tragic outcome, Whitehead alternatively suggests that it is an essential factor in Mark's survival. Mark's ability to think realistically and act pragmatically–to not be distracted by dreams of the future–has kept him alive. Of course, Whitehead is not suggesting that hope is dangerous or useless but rather that there is a limit to the power of hope.
The Importance of Compassion
While Mark might be an entirely unexceptional person, he nonetheless possesses an incredible amount of compassion. Indeed, he protects and cares for Kaitlyn and Gary even though they share little in common. Most importantly, he feels compassion towards the stragglers and skels. Whereas Gary and No Mas express contempt for the stragglers and often treat them in demeaning ways, Mark treats them with dignity and sees resemblances between them and the people he loved before the plague. To him, killing the stragglers is an act of mercy; a way to free them from their horrible situation. Here, Whitehead suggests that Mark's ability to emphasize and care for those around him is an important factor in his survival. On the other hand, Gary is punished for his cruelty to the stragglers when he plays with the inanimate body of a fortune teller and it awakes and bites him, forcing him to kill himself before he too becomes zombified. In this way, Whitehead encourages his readers to have respect and compassion, even towards the things which seem most inhuman to us.
The Endurance of Capitalism
Cultural theorist Fredric Jameson once famously remarked that "it's easier to imagine an end to the world than an end to capitalism." With Zone One, Whitehead seems to endorse this claim. Even though society has collapsed and the vast majority of the population has died, capitalism continues after the plague. For example, sweepers like Mark are only allowed to use products that have been sponsored by brands who supply Zone One in exchange for tax breaks, and Whitehead notes that shortly after Fort Wanton is established in Manhattan "gentrification had resumed" (p. 35). Moreover, at the farmhouse in Massachusetts, Jerry dreamed of returning to sell real estate because "once rightful owners and heirs are sorted, business will start up again" (p. 223).
It is almost comedic how these characters hold onto their business concerns even as the world around them has collapsed, yet Whitehead is making an important point. He is suggesting that even as rampant capitalism is leading to environmental destruction–the end of the world, like that depicted in Zone One–we still cannot imagine other ways of living. In this way, he encourages his readers to find forms of value beyond the pursuit of riches and possession and to imagine ways of living more equitably and sustainably.
The Power of Human Bonds
Just as the plague killed so many people and destroyed so many families, Whitehead also demonstrates that it created many new forms of attachment and connection. For example, while Mark had many failed relationships before the plague, he later meets Mim and experiences "the healthiest relationship he'd ever had" (p. 241). Likewise, he grows incredibly close with Tad, Margie, and Jerry, to the point that he considers them "family" and says that he "couldn't think of where else he'd rather be" (p. 224). Later, Mark has a touching interaction with the Simons, "that rare thing in the family, an intact family unit" (p. 319). While these relationships are often short-lived, Whitehead uses them to illustrate the power of human connection. In so doing, he suggests that it is the bonds shared between us that make life liveable, even in horrible circumstances.
The Value of Memories
Given that much of Zone One consists of flashbacks to life before the plague, it is evident that memory plays an essential role in the novel. These flashbacks are triggered by events in the narrative that prompt Mark to remember parts of his past life. For example, the novel begins with Mark recalling his childhood visits to his uncle Lloyd's apartment, a memory occasioned by the sight of his uncle's abandoned apartment building in the distance. These memories provide Mark with a sense of peace, for no matter how bad his situation becomes, he always has pleasant memories to reflect upon. Here, Whitehead is suggesting that memory can be an incredibly valuable resource, a renewable source of joy even in dark times.
The Contemporary Plague
While Whitehead describes the horrors of the plague and the subsequent apocalypse in great detail, he also indicates that his post-apocalyptic landscape world shares many similarities with the way the world is now. The sweepers frequently encounter stragglers who became infected with the plague while at work. These workers, like Ned the Copy Boy, performed rote, mundane tasks in a way that suggests they were zombified long before the plague itself. Additionally, in a flashback to the Last Night, when Mark was partying at a casino with his friend, the narrator describes how "the slots maintained their sturdy population of glassy-eyed defectives, the protohumans with their sleepless claws" (p. 66). Likewise, in a flashback to his arrival in Zone One in a helicopter, Mark recalls seeing a big crowd in Central Park down below. Seeing the way they "ranged on the grass and walkways without purpose or sense" Mark immediately thinks "it's been taken over by tourists" (p. 74).
Through these comparisons, Whitehead suggests that while we may fear a zombie apocalypse, many of us are already living a zombified life. Be it from a boring job or an addiction to entertainment, Whitehead points to the ways in which we've lost our autonomy and sense of purpose. Pointedly, in a conversation between Lieutenant and Mark, Lieutenant admits that he regards the plague as a "comeuppance for a flatlined culture" (p. 217). Of course, Whitehead is critiquing people for working rote jobs or for watching television after a long day–rather he's trying to make us more mindful of our present cultural situation.
