Procreation in 28 Days Later

One thing I found interesting about 28 Days Later was the inclusion of the survivor’s need to procreate. Shortly after arriving at the mansion run by soldiers, Jim discovers that they see Selena and Hannah as a means for survival, for procreation. This theme of procreation also made me think of The Word for World is Forest. In both stories, women are a portrayed (through the eyes of some characters) as only being important because of their ability to birth a new generation. The men who see the woman as such cling to this idea; it is their motivation for survival. Yet they don’t regard the woman with any respect, treating them as dolls at the men’s disposal. In contrast there are characters in both stories that do not regard the woman solely as offspring generators. Jim does views the woman with just as much respect as he has for himself. Selver in The Word for World is Forest also represents a man/society that views woman as crucial to the world, for much more than procreation. This contrast in how different men view woman shows the different reactions an individual may have when faced with the possibility of the extinction of their species.