Who could imagine that a deadly disease outbreak gave birth to some of the scariest creatures in literature? But it’s true, and Elizabeth Outka, professor of English literature at the University of Richmond, walks us through how the walking dead, or zombies, grew from the flu pandemic of 1918-1919. About 50 million people died worldwide, including about 675,000 in the US, many of whom were young adults. Gravediggers could not keep up with the demand. Bodies lay in heaps in graveyards. The fear of contagion and of death spread, making its way into literature, movies – and Halloween costumes today.

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Did mass graves in the influenza pandemic help give rise to the living dead? Tithi Luadthong/Shutterstock.com

Zombie flu: How the 1919 influenza pandemic fueled the rise of the living dead

Elizabeth Outka, University of Richmond

The 1918-1919 flu claimed millions of lives worldwide. Could it also have given birth to the viral zombie?

Halloween

Today’s quote

Why would anyone want to spend their time and money to watch such macabre scenes filled with depressing reminders of just how unfair and scary our world can be?

 

Why is it fun to be frightened?

 

Margee Kerr

University of Pittsburgh

Margee Kerr
 
 
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