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Crysbelle Lopez Professor Lynda Haas Writing 37 November 12, 2013 World War Z Essay The form in which a literary text is presented to its audience depicts the basic structure and fundamentals of a particular genre. Like many writers, Max Brooks developed his story World War Z as a novel. World War Z is a novel based on a series of interviews taken by the interviewer ten years after the greatest zombie epidemic took place; they called it the Great Panic. The basic purpose of a novel is to depict and interpret human character in which the reader is both entertained and aided in a deeper perception of lifes problems (Taormina). In order to bring about these particular characteristics, a novel must consist of three important conventions, which include: a cohesive and probable plot structure, sharply individualized and authentic characters, and a persistent illusion of reality. In Max Brookss World War Z novel, these particular conventions are present throughout, making it a perfect example of what the novel genre is all about. One of the many conventions found in novels is that of a distinct novel structure. In the case of World War Z, its particular plot structure is what helps distinguish it from other novels and develop an entertaining structure for readers to enjoy. The novel is divided into eight chapters, each consisting of various interviews which the interviewer carried out with distinct people in distinct places around the world. Max Brookss did not set these interviews in order by
Comment [RL4]: Thesis statement. Max Brooks World War Z displays these particular conventions indicating its status as a novel. Comment [RL5]: Element 1-Structure Formatted: Highlight Formatted: Highlight Formatted: Highlight Comment [RL1]: You should add a hook to draw readers in. Maybe talk about Max Brooks first. Talk about what he did differently instead of what he did the same. Comment [RL2]: Make sure to talk about the rhetor and the audience to fully address the rhetorical situation. Formatted: Highlight Formatted: Highlight Comment [RL3]: I believe this is specifically called an epistolary novel.

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date or by place of occurrence, instead, he divided the interviews into chapters which help distinguish the main idea behind each interview. Although it would have been easier for Max Brooks to simply place his focus on one specific location, it was his decision to include various aspects of the world and its people that help strengthen this novel. As stated by Steven H Silver in his review World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War, the fact that Max Brookss carried out this unique layout is what helped the book establish a totally global feel as people remember the way the zombies behaved in warm climates like Canada or tropical places like the tropical island of Manihi. At the same time, Brooks is able to show how different cultures dealt with the zombie menace and how the zombies, who are essentially mindless, react to different environments. It is the global feel established in the novel that creates a more personal relationship with the readers, resulting in the captivation of its audience. According to Nicholas Sparks in his excerpt The Four Basic Elements of Any Novel, its these types of plots which are defined by readers with the simple phrase, I couldnt put the book down. It is in each of these chapters within the novel that readers encounter the various individualized and authentic characters. Aside from consisting of a unique novel structure, novels also contain individualized and authentic characters. There are a little over 43 distinct characters present in Max Brookss novel, each individually described by the interviewer at the start of their interviews. It is through the use of distinct diction and tone that the readers are able to bring each and every one of the characters to life. One of the many characters presented through the progression of the novel includes Jurgen Warmbrunn. Jurgen Warmbrunn is an Israeli spy who can be seen as one of the many protagonist in World War Z. He is one of the writers behind the Warmbrunn-Knight report, which is a 100 page report on strategies in which the zombie epidemic could have been

Formatted: Highlight Comment [RL6]: Maybe talk about the chapters names and show how their story relates to the chapter title. Formatted: Highlight Comment [RL7]: Good use of quotes but makes sure to tell who Steven Silver is. Formatted: Highlight Formatted: Highlight

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Comment [RL8]: Make sure to talk about who Nicholas Sparks is. Hes a well-known author, right? Has he won any awards or any prestigious awards that makes him an authority? Formatted: Highlight Comment [RL9]: I think you should conclude with answering your thesis. And then using this sentence. Comment [RL10]: Element 2Characterization Formatted: Highlight

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prevented from becoming global. Readers are able to perceive him as being a very precautious and persisting man. His precautious characteristic is seen when he neglected the idea of the Reds talking about the reanimation of actual dead bodies (28) as being true. Jurgen let the matter drop, tried to forget about it. Still, as one of [our] great national heroes used to say: [His] spider sense was tingling (29). Readers encounter his persistence at the conclusion of his interview when Jurgen exclaims that no matter how unlikely or far-fetched a possibility might be, one must always dig deeperyou dig and dig until you strike the absolute truth (29 ). Each of the characters in the novel is individually described to the readers to give them a more realistic personality, which in turn allows the readers to connect with them in a more personal level. It is through the incorporation of realistic characters that the novels are cable of creating a persistent illusion of reality. Novels are written to create a persistent illusion of reality and connect it to those events occurring in the real world. Through the eyes of each character in World War Z, a different perspective is given to the actions taken by government officials and other distinct individuals. Many of the characters such as Todd Wainer, a soldier during the Great Panic, and Jurgen Warmbrunn, an Israeli Spy, all serve as government critiques. The interviews of these two characters serve as critique of the American Government and their lack of effort towards the prevention of problems. Readers are able to distinguish the crude reality of the American Government, they dont work to prevent problems from happening and instead wait until the problem is made in order to find ways to solve them. This is a problem that many citizens today are very well aware of. The actions taken by the Government has costs the lives of many and will continue to do so if no changes are made.
Comment [RL15]: Maybe use a quote here from Todd and Jurgen to back up that statement. Good analysis though. Formatted: Highlight Comment [RL12]: I think you should talk about another character or two to show that more characters are individually described. Formatted: Highlight Comment [RL13]: Try to add in a quote from an expert source on characterization Comment [RL14]: Element 3 Illusion but I think you meant allusion. Make sure to change illusion to allusion if that is so. The meanings are different! Formatted: Highlight Formatted: Highlight Formatted: Highlight Comment [RL11]: Good use of quotes from the character.

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World War Z, by Max Brooks, illustrates all the basic fundamentals of a novel genre. With its distinct novel structure, individualized and authentic characters, and persistent illusion of reality the novel is able to create a personal connection with its reader allowing them to reflect with the occurrences taking place throughout the novel. It is this relationship that keeps the readers constantly looking for the resolution; the conclusion of the problem in hopes of attained the solution they have developed through the progression of the story.

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Work Cited Brooks, Max. World War Z: An oral history of the zombie war. New York: Crown, 2006. Silver, Steven H. "The SF Site Featured Review: World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War." The SF Site Featured Review: World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War. 2006. Crown Publisher. 12 Nov. 2013 http://www.sfsite.com/12a/ww237.htm Sparks, Nicholas. "Writer's Library." Writers Library. 2013. AutoCrit Editing Wizard. 12 Nov. 2013 http://www.autocrit.com/editing/library/the-four-basic-elements-ofany-novel/ Taormina, Dr. Agatha. "Definition of the Novel." Definition of the Novel. Ed. JuneJuly 2008. 12 Nov. 2013 http://www.nvcc.edu/home/ataormina/novels/history/define.htm
Comment [RL16]: I think we needed at least 4 sources besides WWZ. Make sure to do at least that. Scholarly articles use lots of sources