As I’ve stated before, writers tend to draw their inspirations from their cultures, whether they know it or not. From the fiery brimstone illustrations Southern preachers have claimed, to the nuclear war today’s leaders may or may not start, to even alien invasions or parasitic infections, the end of the world is a popular idea writers use to develop unique plot lines. They can wrap their imaginations in the morbid darkness of the end of the world, draw dramatic plot lines that would often leave us breathless, and leave us hoping that, despite the tragedies, there’s still some happy ending waiting for the characters. At the very least, the rapture is a devastatingly beautiful setting. Although it’s oftentimes associated with Christian definitions, everyone has their own interpretations. This, in turn, affects what we see in literary works. 

Even so, humanity still has universal values. Below are just some of the values writers have used to convey within the setting of the Rapture. 

To Say Goodbye: Typically, at the end of the world, people will want to be with their loved ones. They may want to spend their last moments apologizing to the people that they’ve wronged, or give a last kiss to a dearly beloved, or even just sit there in silence with friends. It’s a time when real human sorrow is shown, when people realize how loved they are, and how much they truly appreciate others.

To See Real Cruelties: People also tend to get a bit crazy during this time. They feel like they’re going to die anyway. They won’t reach their goals, won’t get to do everything they’ve set to do, so they decide that nothing they do matters anymore. Whatever happens next happens because they will it. Stealing, looting, betraying, murdering; people reveal their true selves when they feel as if they don’t have anything to lose. Even when society begins to resemble a shadow of its former self, there are still corrupt officials out there, individuals who would gladly sacrifice their citizens’ wellbeing for themselves. You can find this in many dystopian books such as The Forgotten by M. Stringfield and The Lesser Evil by Daniel Settanni. 

To Understand Humanity: When an inevitable event such as the world ending comes, it becomes hard to face reality. The safety of our illusions is gone, and we’re left with a vague concept known as humanity. Still, we have to move on; if we don’t, then we’re forced to face our own mortality. For instance, in Jamie Campbell’s novella The Dead Arising, a girl named Everly chose to run away from everything, to only care for her sister, while her friends were out there struggling to preserve whatever remained of their society. Even as the dead reached out for her, she ignored them, and instead decided to drown in the delusion of her own helplessness. In times like that, you understand just who is strong, who is weak, and who will be forgotten. You start to see humanity’s true colors, despite the variation in each of these people. It’s frightening, to say the least.

There’s no doubt that the Rapture has captured the minds of many people. We all have different ideas on how the world may end; in fact, even Robert Frost has pondered on the world ending, either by fire or ice. Nevertheless, though many people claim to know what will happen in the end, it still doesn’t stop writers from telling stories of what may come.