This summary provides a concise overview of a student's analysis of two excerpts from the book "Night of the Living Dead" by Lori Allen Ohm. In the first excerpt, the character Ben argues with Mr. Harry Cooper over who is in charge of surviving people sheltering in a house during a zombie outbreak. In the second excerpt, Mrs. Cooper tells her husband that arguing will not help their situation and that they need to work together to escape the zombies. The student reflects on how personalities can clash under stress but cooperation is needed for survival.

1. Savannah Block
Pre-College English
10-29-08
Night of the Living Dead by Lori Allen Ohm
Scene 3, Page 26:
Now get the hell down in the cellar. You can be boss down there, but I'm boss up here!
My response:
This excerpt, said by Ben while he and Mr. Harry Cooper are arguing, shows a great deal of his
personality and how he deals with his troubles and issues. I believe he thinks of himself as a martyr to
a certain extent. He needs the house under control. He realizes that this conflict with Mr. Cooper
cannot continue any longer; the surviving people should not be arguing, but trying to find some help or
a place to hide out while this rising dead chaos ensues. Such an outlook makes myself wonder if I am
piling unneeded chores onto my shoulders.
My father serves as a great example for Ben's train of thought. He believes he must accomplish a wide
variety of chores during his “two day paradises” when he is not at work. These tasks he completes are
because he imagines he has to get them done that day. This belief builds up to the point where he is
stressing himself out about a project that could most likely wait so that he has time to unwind.
Sure, Ben's situation may be a tiny different, but sometimes procrastinating (although a horrible habit
to get into...and then break) gives “you-time,” a time to breathe and soak in life in general. Everyone at
some point needs to remember that they need a break.
Scene 4, Page 28:
We might not enjoy living together, but dying together isn't going to solve anything.
My response:
This quote has to be my favorite quote from Night of the Living Dead. While Harry and Helen Cooper
converse in the basement of an abandoned house, zombies are swarming all around, yet this married
couple cannot help but argue and argue! Here, Mrs. Cooper makes a very valid point that can be
attributed to more than just their rocky relationship. Complaining and not getting along, whether such
happenings are between Mr. And Mrs. Cooper or Mr. Cooper and Ben, is not going to help them
escape the confines of the resurrected dead. Earlier, Helen tries to get her husband to understand that
“those people upstairs aren't our enemies,” referring to Ben and Tom. Despite their personality clashes
and lack of compromise on both sides, Helen attempts to make it clear to Mr. Cooper that they want to
leave and away from these things just as badly as they do.
There has been numerous times I can recall where I have been a little snippy at a person because of a
bad day. What this line screams the loudest, in my opinion, is that we have to remember that no one is
ever truly “out to get you.” We as individuals have to remember that everyone wants the same basic
principle: to get through the day. If that includes fighting off zombies, then so be it!