I Am Legend-From Vampires to Zombies

You think you’re the only one left. You spend your days scavenging for supplies, fixing your house after attacks, and hunting them. On cloudy days, you are confined to the street your house is on, so you don’t wander too far off and get caught outside by dark. It’s extremely lonely, and as often as not you spend your nights drowning your sorrows in alcohol; it fails to block out their words. You live like this because they- the people that once made your world normal- have been infected. Vampires, zombies, whatever. They hunt at night and they’re extremely aggressive…. And they want you.

This is the kind of world Richard Matheson throws the reader into, but instead of having you live through the story, you see it play out from over the shoulder of Robert Neville, the supposed only survivor of the infection that has spread over the world and transformed humans and animals alike into aggressive, blood-thirsty killers. Because Matheson throws Neville into such a situation right from the get go-He skips the intro and leaves you to piece together Neville’s history as the story goes on- it is almost impossible to stop at the end of a chapter, because they’re all exciting and many have Massive cliff-hangers that force you to read on. As you move throughout the story, Neville learns to tolerate his predicament, though every time he reaches a point of comfort, Matheson throws in a new story twist that causes everything to crash down on Neville, creating even more excitement. The story ends in a huge climactic semi cliff-hanger, which leaves you with enough information to end the story satisfactorily, keeping it from dragging on unnecessarily. Overall, I Am Legend is a great story, and, while it won’t take weeks to read, you will NEVER be bored with what is there.

Most people are probably aware of I Am Legend because of the 2007 movie released featuring Will Smith. I, too, was unaware of the fact that the book even existed until I saw it on my brother’s book shelf on a day home from school. When I picked up the book and began to read, I couldn’t help but notice some enormous differences between the book and the movie. The first difference is an obvious one: in the book, the infected are basically vampires, while the movie portrays them as more similar to your typical zombie. The causes of the infection in the movie and the book are also different, as in the movie it’s caused by a cancer cure gone wrong, and in the book it’s caused by something to do with bomb radiation. Unlike in the movie, the “book” Robert Neville, is not African American, but light-skinned with blonde hair. Another HUGE difference is the presence of Neville’s dog, Sam. In the movie, he is at Neville’s side from the start, and remains a faithful companion until he, too, is infected. In the book, Neville finds the dog part-way through the story, only to have it die a week after he brings the sick thing into his home. In the book, Neville is the last known pure-human, while in the movie, you find out that there is at least one colony of surviving humans. The woman Neville meets is really human in the movie, while in the book she is half vampire, and ends up betraying him. Rather than the story ending with Neville sacrificing his life to get a cure he discovered to the colony of remaining humans, like in the movie, the book ends with Neville getting executed by the half-vampires half-humans.

Despite the differences between the two, they’re both great entertainment. Though die-hard fans of the novel might feel too “pure” to go see the movie, those that do watch it will find that it is almost if not just as exciting as the book, and I’m not the only person who thinks this. Famous movie critic and major fan of Matheson’s breath catching novel Steven Barona says this about the movie: “All differences aside, this movie is amazing! It captures all the energy of the book, and at the same time puts and interesting twist on the whole plot that gives an old story a fresh feeling.” Famous critics who started at the other end of the spectrum have nothing but praise for the story as well. World-renowned critic Henry Carvajal had never even heard of the book until after seeing the movie, yet after reading it, this is what he had to say: “Wow. Getting to see where this great movie originated from was awesome! It was crazy seeing how the movie differed from the book. Once you get past the core idea of the story, they both branch off on their own paths, telling two different but related stories that are both good fun to experience.” So there you have it. Not only do you have my expert opinion, but you’re also backed by two of the most well-known critics of the century. So, what are you waiting for?! Go read the book; watch the movie!!! By the time you’re finished, you too will believe that it was well worth your time.

Gavin Schuerch,

Student reporter

Norwalk, CT 06851

(203)-849-1352

Mr. Miller81

West Rocks Road

Norwalk, CT 06851

Dear Mr. Miller,

I recently read the invigorating “I Am Legend,” which started with a bang and had me thirsting for more throughout the entire read. I came across the book lying around the house on a sick day from school, and I’m glad I did. Even through a 102 degree temperature, I pounded through the book because I just couldn’t stop. A good amount of my sleep was lost over the next few days.

The author, Richard Matheson does away with all the annoying and boring setup and throws you straight into the fray. As you read, intensity continues to spike as you piece together Robert Neville’s (The protagonist) history and how he came to be in his current predicament. Chapters throughout the book end in blazing cliffhangers that force you to read on, and Matheson often has you weeping over Neville’s losses.

In my 750 word article, I want to talk “I Am Legend.” Matheson gave me a flavorful book that I really enjoyed, just when I needed one, and I want to do the same for other people in need of a good book. In my article, not only will I review the book and tell why people should read it, but I will also compare the book with the movie. Anyone who saw the movie a few years ago will be interested in the article, people who enjoyed the book read it simply because it is more on a well-loved book, and people who have experienced the best of both worlds will look forward to a fresh viewpoint. People will want to read this article, and I hope you think so too.

TOUHY FAMILY MAKING A DIFFERENCE

Gavin Schuerch, student reporter

As the Touhy family drove home late the Saturday night of April 26, they couldn’t help but notice Michael Oher, sloshing through the pouring rain towards some unknown destination with a plastic shopping bag filled with an extra set of clothes. When the Touhy’s stopped to ask where he was headed, Michael, then known as “Big Mike” replied, “To the gym.” What he didn’t say was that it was the only warm place he had to stay that night. Ms. Touhy, the proverbial “queen bee” of the family, would not have Michael sleeping in a gym when she and her family had so much. She offered Mike a place to say that night, though it is doubtful that she foresaw that that one, seemingly harmless act of kindness would change her life in the way that it did.

Michael’s one night in the Touhy house expanded into weeks, and then into months. Early on in his stay, Ms. Touhy asked Mike if he wanted to stay there, and he replied, “I don’t wanna go anyplace else.” Even early on, Michael felt welcome at the Touhy’s home, and slowly he would become a major part of the family, with Ms. Touhy even becoming his legal guardian. Of course, Michael’s relationship with the Touhys wasn’t all cake and roses.

Mike’s bond with the Touhys is tested many times throughout their relationship. Most notable of these “tests” is when Michael is interrogated by the NCAA woman, who makes him realize that the Touhys may only have taken him in to send him to play football at their favorite college, “Ole Mis.” It would make sense. The Touhy’s had always pushed him towards playing football and going to Ole Mis, and he never really questioned it. When this dawned on Michael, the results were disastrous. He ran away from home for a night and almost got himself killed. When he finally realized that the Touhys’ home was where he belonged, he decided to return home.

Michael eventually did choose to play ball at Mississippi, though only because he wanted to, not because of the Touhys. After college he went on to play football in the NFL. While this is an amazing achievement on his part, the Touhys can be given a lot of credit for Michael’s success. Because they were kind enough to give him that chance, kind enough to give him a place to stay on that fateful Saturday night, Mike was able to go on and do what he wanted. Perhaps if the Touhy family hadn’t shown Michael this kindness, he wouldn’t be playing in the NFL, and would have turned sour like so many other kids in situations like his. But he is, and it is the Touhy family that has made this difference.