In my last post, I discussed the difference between dystopian fiction and post-apocalyptic fiction, and mentioned how sometimes, one can be considered a subgenre of the other. Now I’m back to talk about the variety of themes, tropes, and subgenres within the post-apocalyptic genre.
The word apocalypse originates from Greek, meaning to uncover or reveal. While many religions portray their own visions of the end times (Armageddon, Ragnarok, etc.), the modern-day apocalyptic genre breaks down into several categories:
Zombies/Pandemic
No post on the apocalypse would be complete without mentioning zombies, which have come to dominate the apocalyptic genre. If you ask someone outside fandom, “What’s the first word that comes to mind when I say ‘apocalypse’,” I’m willing to bet most would say “zombies!”
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