Genre
Horror
Setting and Context
A near-future post-apocalyptic society
Narrator and Point of View
An unnamed, third-person omniscient narrator.
Tone and Mood
The tone is horrific; the mood is tense and uneasy.
Protagonist and Antagonist
Zero is the protagonist; Alicia's rapist is the antagonist.
Major Conflict
The major conflict of the novel occurs when Alicia was raped and her child was sadly stillborn, so she decides that she will hunt for Subject Zero.
Climax
The climax of the story is reached when all human civilization is completely destroyed by a mutated virus.
Foreshadowing
The election of Peter as president for the Republic of Texas is foreshadowed by his strong character.
Understatement
The impact of rape is understated throughout the novel.
Allusions
The story alludes to what society could be like if a virus was to take over the whole world.
Imagery
The imagery of a desolate, barren land is present in the novel.
Paradox
N/A
Parallelism
There is a parallel between Michael and Carter's need for survival.
Metonymy and Synecdoche
The burned stick is a metonym for the end of the human race.
Personification
N/A
