How much of themselves do the zombies retain?

 In “Danger Word,” all of the zombies that are discussed retain some level of their previous lives. The first we know is Cassidy. She remembers where her son is, knocking on the door, asking if he’s done his homework. And she recognizes her father, calling him “Daddy”. At some deep level, she remembers who she is and what she cares about, her son.

Mike was still concerned with what he is known for, and concerned about. They walk in on him sweeping his floor. However, in his zombified state, he forgets a huge part of the last several years of his life, and blasphemes.

And finally, there’s Grandpa Joe. The most important thing to him, throughout the book is the survival and future of his grandson. All that he focuses on throughout the story is how to keep his grandson safe. And in the end, all that he can think of is his grandson.

However, all of these are perversions of reality, seeming echoes of who the person was. The mother should be more concerned about her sons safety during the apocalypse than his math homework, Mike has lost his religion, and Grandpa Joe goes from wanting to protect his grandson to wanting to eat his grandson.