"I Am a Legend": The Irony and Serendipity of the Victory Achieved When Two or More Waging Groups Are Aligned Toward the Same Threats or Goals."We can create a common global society blessed with a shared culture of peace that is nourished by the ethnic, national, and local diversity that enhances our lives if we learn to cultivate the necessary goodwill." (Afkhami 1) It may be challenging to bring alienated groups together, but once their goals are unified and their differences are ignored, goal accomplishment increases exponentially. Different groups of people may spend eternity fighting and defending themselves against each other and viewing each other as aliens or enemies, but once they are faced by a common challenge, they are unified to overcome the trial and they even realize that all they have been doing is fear each other for reasons that do not really matter.
Quote A1
"He didn't know how long it was they sat there holding each other close. He forgot everything, time and place; it was just the two of them together, needing each other, survivors of a black error embracing because they had found each other" (Matheson 87).
Explanation
Life here on earth is marred by all sorts of division and subdivisions among them; financial divisions, racial divisions, regional divisions just to mention a few. The irony is that the way we view other people as being different from us is the same way they see us as aliens. To add to this, our problems have little or no divisions, perhaps that's why they always existed. Richard Matheson's book points out to two individuals, Ruth and Neville, both of whom face the similar problem of immense sadness and depression after the loss of their loved ones. The two are however worlds apart, different. Neville is the last remaining human in an earth filled with man hating vampires, he lives in fear of the vampires attacking him, he fears them and kills them off every chance he gets. Ruth on the other hand is a vampire, who through use of medicines and pills is able to suppress the much-associated disgusting form and blood thirsty traits of other vampires. Also, Ruth fears Neville for he is different from her, being a human. However, Neville finds Ruth beautiful and is attracted to her. The two however get to know each other and fall in love. The two give each other company and are able to be free from the feeling of loneliness and depression.
For a moment, the two forget their differences and take the opportunity to know each other. They forget the many problems facing them and their lives. For a moment there is peace, they overcome their common problem of depression and loneliness by giving each other companionship.
In relation to today's experiences. Division seems to the one thing that has remained with us throughout history. From the era of xenophobia between the settling white population from Europe and the indigenous communities of Native Americans, slavery and black versus white racial segregation, to the post Pearl Harbor attack that led to the alienation of the members' Japanese community and the current problem of religious phobias directed to the Muslim community. It is evident that division is among the key factors that have remain with us through time. It is not clear why people chose and still choose to be divided but one thing that is for sure is that perhaps ignoring these differences and working together to achieve a common goal would help us get through hard times or overcome problems by brainstorming and putting our resources together and working towards coming up with relevant solutions.
For example, instead of discriminating against the Muslims community, and blaming a whole community for participating in acts of terror. It would be better to accept these people as they are, furthermore they did not choose to be born where they were, same way we did not choose. Understanding and accepting them could help us solve the issue and stop radicalization of young Muslims (Fuchs 802).
Quote B1
"Pit race against race, religion against religion, prejudice against prejudice. Divide and conquer! We must not let that happen here." (Jha n.p)
Explanation
It is a well-known fact that a building with cracks will not stand through the trying times, united we stand divided we fall. Division is visible even within a divided group. For example, African Americans are divided from the whites in racial lines, the whites are divided in terms of economic capabilities i.e. the rich, middle class and the poor (Vought 36). The African Americans are divided further in terms of origin, this could be in terms of country of origin, towns, streets etc. but in the times of epidemics or disasters, such as disease outbreak, a terrorist bomb attack just to mention a few, it will not be reported that the white people have been bombed or the black people have anthrax or what other diseases.
However, to the world reports will say that America has been bombed or Americans have an anthrax endemic. Unity among us is bound help us overcome problems big and small, this is because of our different abilities and access to resources. Richard Matheson's book emphases on the comfort and elimination of solitude that Neville and Ruth provided each other. For a long time, they had not experienced love, companion and the joy of having someone by their side. Neville had a dog which provided the companionship that he needed. He cared for that dog with great affection but it was not enough for him, it could not provide the kind of companionship that a woman can give a man.
Works Cited
Afkhami, Mahnaz. "Be a Hero for a Better World." BetterWorldClubs.com
(2015): 1. Document.
Fuchs, Lawrence H. "Cultural pluralism and the future of American unity: the
impact of illegal aliens." International Migration Review (1984): 800-813.
Matheson, Richard. I Am Legend. Reissued. 1st ed. London: Transworld Publishers,
1971. Print.. 60-96
Vought, Hans. "Division and reunion: Woodrow Wilson, immigration, and
the myth of American unity." Journal of American Ethnic History (1994): 24-50.
