Themes and message

Human nature and survival

The theme of human nature and survival is explored in Liz Jensen's short story "Survival Syndrome" in connection with Londoners and Dimitri, the main character. At the beginning, the Londoners’ survival instinct is highlighted through various details that Dimitri provides about their lives after the flood. While many leave London (p. 242, l. 11), those who stay try to adapt (p. 243, ll. 22-24) to the new living conditions in the city, which includes “hunger, bad hygiene and waterpox” (p. 242, l. 12).

As the situation in London worsens, Londoners begin to rely solely on their survival instinct. They become suspicious and violent (p. 244, ll. 41-42), emotionally detached from the tragedy they are experiencing and, implicitly, lose their capacity of compassion and solidarity (p. 243, ll. 28-31). However, Mr McLaverty shows compassion for orphaned children (p. 244, ll. 16-17), which could show that Dimitri’s perception of people becoming more self-centered and detached might be, in part, a projection of his own transformation into a callous individual.

Dimitri becomes less concerned with people’s hardship and more interested in getting the perfect picture (p. 243, ll. 38-40). He...