“Their bombs and their guns”: Zombies, Guns and Cranberries

As I began to analyze the violence present in the episodes we watched of Dead Set, I realized that in addition to the killer zombies, we encounter many other destructive devices. Characters use scissors, knives, axes, and even lamp posts to protect themselves and to kill the flesh-hungry zombies that come their way. The most notable weapon that the characters use, however, is the gun. Guns are not only crucial to the survival of many of the characters, but they are also integral to the progression of action throughout the series. Without guns, many of the main characters in the show could have been killed at the outset. In a sense, the presence of the gun enhances their chances of survival which enables the viewer to create a deeper relationship with each character. In turn, when each character subsequently dies, the viewer experiences the loss in a more genuine way. Guns are significant because they provide the characters with control and agency over the situation — when paired with a gun in hand, the zombie becomes the victim. Guns also serve as a plot device as they fuel an overall warlike tone and frame much of the action in the story.

The show also succeeds in showing the implications of abusing the power of the gun. We see that when Alex encounters Riq she assumes that he is a zombie and shoots at him right away. Additionally, the police officers utilize the gun to shoot freely at innocent characters. Although Alex and the police officers use the weapon as a means of protection, they submit themselves to the power of the gun and in a sense, let it control them. Another important scene involving guns occurs towards the end of the series when Patrick and Joplin steal the weapons in order to execute their escape plan. This results in the shooting of Riq and the eventual downfall and destruction of the other characters. In this instance it is evident that the abuse of the gun serves as a device to advance the plot and make the action more dramatic. The presence of the gun in this scenario made Patrick and Joplin seem like the zombies, giving them full control as the other characters submit to their power. This leads me to question if Charlie Brooker (creator of Dead Set) intended to make a statement about gun violence and its role as a destructive force since its presence is so crucial to the storyline.

The possible hidden meaning involved in the presence of guns also leads me to question whether the show works to represent a “reaction to the greater cultural consciousness — primarily social and political injustices” which Kyle William Bishop claims zombies do (Bishop 15). As I was thinking about zombies and guns I found myself humming the tune to “Zombies” by the Cranberries, a famous Irish rock band. Fitting, right?! The song was written in 1994 in response to the IRA (Irish Republican Army) bombing of Warrington, England in 1993. The lyrics reflect the turbulent political situation in Northern Ireland at the time as well as a cry for peaceful protest. I find the intersection between bombs/ gun violence and zombies in this song interesting, as it can potentially relate to some similar ideas regarding destruction in Dead Set. As Bishop writes, the “popularity of the zombie has continued to flourish in other media,” which can be seen through the utilization of zombies and the metaphors they evoke in song form (Bishop 17). For instance, the extensive violence occurring between Britain and Ireland fueled an emotional void that made society become zombie-like. Additionally, the repetition of  the words “in your head, in your head” represents how war has also become zombie-like through its inescapable and terrifying nature. By using zombies as a metaphor for the painful reality of war, it can be implied that war is not only inhuman, but it consumes human emotions.

If we were to look at Dead Set through the same lens, there may be a deeper meaning associated with the presence of weapons as a destructive force and whether the series intends to tackle the social and political injustices associated with gun violence. Has the gun in a sense become a zombie? As you think about it, be sure to tune into the aggressive and haunting tone evoked by the Cranberries powerfully evocative song, “Zombies.”

Works Cited

Bishop, Kyle William. American Zombie Gothic: The Rise and Fall (and Rise) of the Walking Dead in Popular Culture. McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers, 2010. Print.