Zombie (novel)

Zombie is a 1995 novel by American writer Joyce Carol Oates, which explores the mind of a serial killer. It was based on the life of Jeffrey Dahmer.

Zombie
First edition cover art
AuthorJoyce Carol Oates
Cover artistLeonard Telesca
LanguageEnglish
GenreFiction, Horror, Thriller
Published1995 (Dutton)
Pages181 pp
ISBN0-525-94045-6
OCLC32168426
813/.54 20
LC ClassPS3565.A8 Z43 1995
Preceded byWhat I Lived For 
Followed byWe Were the Mulvaneys 

Dahmer stated in an interview with Stone Phillips, "The only motive that there ever was to completely control a person, a person I found physically attractive, and keep them with me as long as possible, even if it meant keeping a part of them."[1]

A short-film adaptation starring Bill Connington was developed from his successful one-man stage adaptation directed by Tom Caruso.[2]

Plot

The protagonist, Quentin P, seeks to create a zombie out of an unsuspecting young man. He intends to find a perfect young male companion and re-wire his brain, thereby turning the victim into a mindless sex slave.[3] His several attempts at creating a zombie, by doing improvised surgery on the victim's brain, all end in failure, however, as the men he abducts, rapes and tortures all die at his hands. By the end of the novel, he has begun to enjoy killing for its own sake.

Adding to his frustrations is his increasingly suspicious family, particularly his father.

Awards

The book won the Bram Stoker Award for Superior Achievement in a Novel.[4]

The play adaptation starting Bill Connington and directed by Tom Caruso won awards, including the FringeNYC Overall Excellence Award for Outstanding Solo Show.[5]

Play Adaptation

The solo play was first performed at the New York International Fringe Festival, and then opened at the Studio Theatre on Theater Row, on West 42nd Street in New York City.[6] The play was later produced live at John Jay College in New York City,[7] and Burien Actors Theatre outside of Seattle via a live Zoom performance.[8] The play was also adapted into a short film.[9] All of the versions were performed by Bill Connington.

The play adaption of Zombie received notable reviews from The New York Times, [10] The New York Sun, [11] and Variety Magazine. [12]

References
  1. Phillips, Stone. "Jeffrey Dahmer Interview - Extended Footage". Interview. Archived from the original on 2021-12-19. Retrieved November 27, 2008.
  2. "Home". zombiethefilm.com.
  3. Johnson, Greg (1998). Invisible Writer: A Biography of Joyce Carol Oates. New York City: Dutton. p. 201.
  4. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on November 10, 2006. Retrieved October 23, 2006.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) Boston Book Review's Fisk Fiction Prize
  5. Hetrick, Adam (25 August 2008). "Fringe Festival Announces Overall Excellence Award Winners". Playbill. Retrieved 27 March 2023.
  6. Gates, Anita (2009-02-22). "The Pervert in the Basement". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2023-03-27.
  7. Peter, Thomas (10 March 2010). "Connington Brings Oates' Zombie to Life in NYC Starting March 10". Playbill. Retrieved 27 March 2023.
  8. Schaefer, Scott (2020-05-26). "Burien Actors Theatre's Shelter-In-Place Season continues with 'Zombie' this weekend". The B-Town (Burien) Blog. Retrieved 2023-03-27.
  9. King, Loren (2011-04-10). "Taking the short route reaps reward". Boston.com. Retrieved 2023-03-27.
  10. Gates, Anita (2009-02-22). "The Pervert in the Basement". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2023-05-07.
  11. "'Zombie': Burrowing Into an Unbeautiful Mind". The New York Sun. 21 August 2008. Retrieved 2023-05-07.
  12. Thielman, Sam (2009-02-23). "Zombie". Variety. Retrieved 2023-05-07.


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