Z for Zachariah

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Z for Zachariah is a children's novel by Robert C. O'Brien which was published posthumously in 1975. It is written in the first person perspective of a 16 year old girl named Ann Burden, who survives a nuclear fallout in a small American valley town.

Initially, Anne believes she is the only survivor anywhere. Her family left the valley to find other survivors, leaving her alone to take care of the family farm. Over a year later she notices someone walking over a ridge into the valley. Anne hides out in a distant cave as the person approaches. The stranger appears to be wearing an odd plastic suit and sleeping in a tent. The stranger later begins to realise that this valley has not been affected by radiation poisoning and removes his plastic suit to bathe in a river which unknown to him has in fact been contaminated. Anne returns to her house to find that the man inside the tent has become seriously ill, delirious with radiation poisoning. It is when he is ill she discovers he murdered a colleague before the nuclear war. Still, she nurses him back to health only to find he turns on her until she is forced to leave.

The book covers a number of mature themes including loneliness, isolation and loss, as well as more controversial plotlines including attempted rape and murder.

Z for Zachariah won an Edgar Award in the juvenile category in 1976. The book's title is explained by the main character. Recalling that Adam, whose name begins with the first letter of the alphabet, was the first man according to a Bible-themed children's alphabet book, she presumes Zachariah is the Bible's last person, as he is the last person named in the book.

[edit] Television

A television adaptation of Z for Zachariah was shown as part of the BBC's Play for Today season in 1984 starring Anthony Andrews and Pippa Hinchley.

[edit] Film

Z for Zachariah is being developed as a film, although some aspects of the book have been changed for the film. It stars Sinead Sturdy as Sarah Burden (changed from Anne in the book) and is being directed by award winning filmmaker Anthony Kinsella of C13 Pictures.