"First Person Shooter," by Charles Yu, is easily one of the most interesting stories we've read in class all year, and that's saying a lot once you consider that we've already read about necrophilia, nuclear catastrophe, and even centipede-human porn, our favorite (or is that just me?).
Relative to the other stories we've read, the story also is one with the simplest plot, the least characters, and the fewest pages. It's also set in "WorldMart," a parody of Walmart and one of the blandest settings physically possible. It shouldn't be an interesting story, and yet it is. Why?
Why is, of course, often a subjective question, but I think everyone would agree that the story's charm comes almost completely from what is its most ambiguous character: the zombie woman, strolling through the store and looking for lipstick. And while there is no definitive answer, I look at two possible interpretations of just what the zombie could be a representation of:
First, a relatively-simple explanation: the zombie is intended simply to highlight the bizarreness of working in a retail store. Seriously, anyone who's ever been to Walmart or County Market after hours (😎cool kid check 😎) would know just the amount of crackheads populating the place that late. Is it possible that the zombie is but a representation of the homeless guy buying waffles at 2 AM? Maybe that's why they're only slightly scared of the zombie: at WorldMart, employees see everything, to the point where nothing phases them. This could even explain why the zombie leaves so abruptly: the zombie isn't supposed to be anything monumental to the lives' of Janine and the narrator; rather, she may be simply yet another peculiar occurrence in a job chock-full of 'em.
However, I see the zombie as something deeper: what if the zombie is supposed to represent the narrator himself? There's plenty of evidence for it, for example, on page 39, he contemplates about "degrees of zombification," and that he himself may already be "partway there." And when he describes his experiences at the store, he paints an excruciatingly-mundane picture: nonstop fluorescent lighting, a routine where he expects to work on a day off, this is what he even calls the "graveyard shift." He even details his burning desire to "consume," "possess," and "eat" Janine. Seriously, this guy is for real a zombie himself... which he only realizes by meeting "Pretty Zombie Lady!" He recognizes, for the first time, that he is not in control anymore but instead just a brainless slave to routine. To me, this explains the story's happy ending. Only when the narrator breaks free of his insecurity and inaction by asking out Janine does the zombie lady leave, as the zombie inside of him had to leave first.
Anyways, what do YOU guys think?
-HD
I found the interpretation of the zombie as the representation of the narrator very insightful. I had not thought about the fact that the zombie only leaves once he breaks free of his slavery to brainless, mundane work and his fear of asking out Janine. I was a little confused about the zombie because the zombie in the story does not display any aggressive characteristics of zombies in popular culture, like trying to kill and eat living people, but the narrator does have a burning passion to "eat" and "consume" Janine.
ReplyDeleteI personally think it is the second one more than the first one. The former certainly has merit and I think many of the people wandering around, let's say Walmart, at 2 AM do look like zombies. However, I like the more deep interpretation of the first one, that the narrator was a "zombie " himself to the monotonous routine of working in retail. I mean, he followed the zombie around the store for a long time before she left, that seems boring. Also, I thought the line that said he would stare at the fluorescent lights in the store shows how boring his retail job was. I think this is further backed up by, what you pointed out in your blog post, the ending, where he breaks free and takes a risk by asking out Janine.
ReplyDeleteWow! You have thoroughly convinced me that the narrator is a zombie. No wonder he feels a sympathy and a connection with the other zombie. Your point about the zombie within the narrator leaving along with the lady zombie is pretty profound. He's broken his chains by doing something (asking out Janine) other than slowly rotting away in Walmart, and he is at a start to regain his humanity, as well as his life.
ReplyDeleteNice work! This post makes me rethink the definition of a zombie itself. Perhaps Yu isn't referring to zombies as monsters, but much rather as beings who live without a true purpose, who lead a life as boring as being a Walmart employee. To have seen enough to where not even revived flesh phases you, there can't be anything interesting left in the world. I also like how you made me try and compare a zombie to a crackhead and it worked. You make a good argument.
ReplyDeleteI really like your interpretation of the Zombie as a reflection of the narrator and it definitely makes sense. I remember as I was reading the story i was slightly put off when he would use words like consume and posses in relation to Janine. It would explain why he was so nice to her since he saw himself in her.
ReplyDeleteI think the zombie comparison to the narrator is very accurate. A lot of times boring repetitive jobs somewhat degrade your sense of self as you repeat the same actions over and over. add to that a sense of isolation and lonesomeness in a massive store and its not hard to imagine someone going kinda crazy.
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ReplyDeleteBoth possible meanings of the zombie's appearance in the story definitely make sense, and I like how you compare the zombie to the narrator. By saying he wants to "consume," "possess," and "eat" Janine, the narrator definitely gives off zombie vibes. We always think of zombies as being undead creatures with their arms falling off, but this post brings to light that an average person could be considered a zombie because of their mundane lifestyle, like that of the undead.
ReplyDeleteThis is similar to what I was thinking when I read the story. However the whole story makes me think of that reddit meme, "Wake up Sheeple!" Like the story is trying to make a point about how the narrator is falling into a zombie-like routine and is somehow inhuman but to me it never fully conveys what would "wake him up" and un-zombie him. Like to some extent it's asking out his crush but that doesn't really change anything for him. Like he still works at WorldMart and his life is still the same.
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