z for zachariah

Z for Zachariah is a post apocalypse novel which focuses on the survival of the main characters Ann Burden and John R. Loomis. It is written in diary form, from Ann's point of view, telling us how Ann fought to survive after a nuclear war. The nuclear war has influenced the novel as it has influenced the themes represented in the book such as morality and growing up.

A person's view of moralities can change depending on the situation as shown in Z for Zachariah. As the novel is in Ann's perspective we get to see things through Ann's eyes and see what Ann believes to be right or wrong. She first believes that she has to help Loomis to survive and that she must share everything with him. She does all the chores never asking for Loomis's help. Although she knows Loomis has killed Edward she still allows a relationship arguing that what Loomis had done could have been right.

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In the end hunted and shot at by Loomis, Ann changes her ideas of right and wrong to survive. Ann lies and steals yet she still can't bring herself to kill Faro or Loomis which is evident when she realises "I cannot kill him."The situation called for Ann to review and change what she believes to be right and wrong.

Z for Zachariah also explores the idea of growing up, for example the difference between an adult and a child. Ann has grown up. She matures into an adult through the hardships she goes through. After the war her family left to look for survivors and never came back and since then, Ann has stayed in the valley her whole life and has never left it "I have never left the valley." It illustrates that she is still a...