I am Legend

While reading through I am Legend by Richard Matheson what stood out to me most was the point of view that it was being told in. The way that the reader was able to get into the head of the main character, Robert Neville, really gave a feeling to how being the last known human around can get. Sure there are a lot of undead humans out there but they don’t seem to make for pleasant conversation when they just see you as another meal. The psychological aspect of what is happening to him is really fascinating when you get down to it. This plague of undead creatures that has swept over the land forcing him to hide within his home as they try to get him to come out really shows that undead creatures aren’t all claws and rip you apart. As Neville slowly begins to break down he begins to question if staying alive is really worth all that he has to go through, but he continues to fight in hopes of finding others that have survived. One part that really stood out to me was when he discovered that the radiation from the sunlight could kill the creatures that have been terrorizing him for so long. Sure its common knowledge for us today, but it does show what could happen without the kinds of things we know about certain undead things that we take for granted. Without even telling the reader that these things are vampiric in nature, Matheson only tells how Neville barricades his home against them. Garlic seems to be a universal ward for vampires due to the strong smell of the stuff that Neville has grown somewhat used to, something I wouldn’t want to have to do myself. The strength of this mans will is quite great from what I can see, being able to hold off till morning night after night with them howling at his home while he can hear them. Eventually he does soundproof his home against them, further showing that he can hold off while they continue to come back. The importance of being prepared is also focused on through Neville. The generator that he has is one of the most important things that he has, however the creatures don’t think much of it. Without that generator he would have no food and would eventually starve, but because he takes good care of it he doesn’t have to worry too much about it. He also seems to have a lot of supplies for fixing up his barricades that he has around his home, and has routes to get more when he needs them. In all from what I have read this story really is captivating in the way it is told. Without having to focus on the undead creatures that revenge the land it shows how big of a problem that they really are. The reason that I think this is important to the class overall is in the way that it shows the undead creature being a test on the psychological level rather than making it just an object of fear, at least that’s how I see it.