I Am Legend Analysis

Societies have always had troubled through the idea of difference between people. These differences come from the societal norms that are accepted toward a group of people. It seems it is only natural for human beings to hate one another due to the differences that they have. Race plays a major role on the norms that exist in a society of one culture, many cultures, poor, rich, young, and old, but also creates the clear binary of civilized or uncivilized. Belonging to a group or a culture can either classify them as either civilized or uncivilized. White supremacy which is the belief that white people are superior to those of all other races, especially the black race, and should therefore dominate in society can be seen all throughout history.

Patterson points out during the Civil Rights movement the famous case Brown vs Board of education determined “separate but equal” was in fact not equal. This would lead to segregation laws being turned illegal at the state and federal level. The power that the oppressor had over the minority had weaken and year later I am Legend was written. The idea of norm in the majority comes into play when Neville realizes he is not the center of society. Matheson states:

Then sudden silence, as though a heavy blanket had fallen over their heads. They all stood looking up at him with their white faces. He stared back. And suddenly he thought, I'm the abnormal one now. Normalcy was a majority concept, the standard of many and not the standard of just one man (pg. 93).

The standard that Neville speaks about is the values white supremacy upholds. These are the standards such as separate but equal that the vampires fight to create their own society. This society is accepting of their kind, values, and beliefs. Neville is the constant fight to oppress the minority due to whites being endorsed as the dominant race. In McIntosh article brings in the idea of whites as the majority having control of society. McIntosh

There was one main piece of cultural turf. My skin color was an asset for any move I was educated to make. I could think of myself as belonging in major ways, and of making social systems work for me (pg.