Topic > Analysis of the Social Contract in The Walking Dead

The AMC drama The Walking Dead follows a small group of survivors as they struggle in a post-apocalyptic world where zombies have wiped out most of humanity. Despite its roots in the horror genre, however, The Walking Dead focuses more on the "people" of its narrative rather than the zombies as they face the difficulties of not only staying alive but also finding food and shelter. But the biggest problem for the group isn't resources, but the other people our main characters encounter. He is always an antagonist surrounded by his minions. These antagonists survived by committing most sins, such as threatening and killing people to obtain supplies. But why would these antagonists have people following them and helping them commit these heinous acts? It is a social contract, an agreement between members of a society in which each member benefits. This usually means that personal freedoms, morals and obligations are usually sacrificed or changed in the process. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay What's particularly interesting is that each of these groups of antagonists always comes in groups and is never just one person. The Governor was Rick Grimes' first real antagonist, but he wouldn't have been as menacing without the town of Woodbury behind him. In the post-apocalyptic world, no one can do it alone. Having community behind you can turn survival into life. When these communities are introduced, they all tend to have different values, morals, and rules, and each of them lives within a community that lives by the same as these. Rick Grimes' group generally seems to be the only group that seems to have an interest in returning the world to normal with the idea of ​​law and order. Over the course of ten seasons, the crew fought with at least seven other distinct enemy groups. Each has their own philosophy that differentiates them from Rick's group. However there are only a few that had interesting and fascinating social contracts between members. The Wolves seem to be the easiest Walking Dead antagonist groups to analyze. The name alone is very explanatory. They are wolves, they show animal qualities, they cannot be reasoned with, they move in packs and are always in the mood for destruction. Each member has a W on their forehead as a symbol of their group. The world they live in has made them ferocious and ferocious without regard for their own lives or the lives of others. It is obvious what is required if someone wants to join this community. He must have the tenacity to travel to another community to plunder, destroy, plunder and kill every single inhabitant. Wolves don't just kill people, they let them turn into zombies to keep as traps in places that seem full of supplies. So, for every person who is killed, their bodies must be brought home. The next group is called "Terminus", and these people are everywhere. Leader Gareth and his cannibal friends only lasted four episodes, but with the depth of their history in terms of social structure, they represent one of the most interesting groups of antagonists to ever appear on the show. Terminus and its people began as an innocent refuge. Their "Sanctuary for All" philosophy was originally real as the group wanted to help and save people before a violent group of people took advantage of their offer and then started raping and killing them for their troubles. Eventually, Gareth and his friends managed to regain control of Terminus and imprison or kill all of themkidnappers. The community changed their philosophy to “You are the butcher or you are the cattle.” They have become cannibals occupying an abandoned train station which they have called "Terminus". The community is made up of many people who befriend, kill and eat humans, as it is easier than hunting animals. Cannibalism is a real-world norm composed mostly of primitive natives and cults residing in isolated locations. But natives and cults consume human flesh because it is part of their culture and religion. Their people have been doing this for generations as cannibalism has been taught and embedded in their brains. Terminus is working hard to survive, and all its inhabitants have accepted it. This is the social contract that the members of this community have signed up to. Everyone does their part and helps in some way. Every member who lives there is obligated to help lure survivors to Terminus, befriend them, create a safe and pleasant atmosphere, and when the survivors are most vulnerable, the members must kill them. Since human flesh is the only food source available, the group must eat it if they want to survive. No matter their feelings and morals on the matter, these are the rules of life in Terminus. The following group represents a very creative and imaginative lifestyle known as "The Whisperers". The Whisperers are a very primitive society that shuns and distrusts civilization and humanity. They see humans as animals who have always pretended not to be, and they see the apocalypse as an opportunity to embrace that lifestyle. Like many species, they have a pack order, with an Alpha as leader, a Beta as second in command, and so on. The leader is expected to be the strongest among them, regardless of race, beliefs, religion and gender. They also do not use names, abandoning their previous identities. Because they consider themselves animals, Whisperers view rape and murder as a social norm, so anyone in the group is offered no protection from sexual assault and is instead given the chance to fight and defend themselves. This is so ingrained in Whisperer society that, sometimes, not even the victims of these sexual assaults consider it rape. Whisperers are nomadic, always moving in packs and never staying in one place for more than a day. While they do not have a base of operations, they do have a general area in which they operate. Whisperers are fiercely territorial and will normally attack intruders on sight if they deem them a threat. If the intruders seem unable to cause them trouble and trouble, the Whisperers may try to recruit them, though they will still kill them if they refuse. Instead of seeking refuge behind walls, they disguise themselves as zombies by wearing their skin. This allows them to travel in packs and even control navigation. They thought they relied primarily on hunting and gathering. To summarize, in this society, if someone wants to join and accepts the Whisperer's social contract, they become part of a community but are still somehow alone. Any personal or team problem, you should solve it yourself. If you even consider going up the chain of command to be a menial matter, you will be killed and your corpse will be fed to the army of the dead. Depending on who the alpha is, everything you have learned and believed must be forgotten. Every aspect of your mind is dictated by the alpha, you cannot express your opinion, interrupt or respond to the leader unless you want to challenge the alpha to a duel. Whatever the leader says, you must do so without question as personal freedom is given up. All groups have their own philosophy on survival, but none of them.