The Walking Dead: Hershel and Abraham-The Don Quijotes of The Apocalypse

Don Quijote fought windmills; our survivors fight walkers. Both are enemies that can’t be reasoned with or completely vanquished. Both enemies that don’t make sense. I’ve always loved the story of Don Quijote. In its simplest form, a story about a man who read so many books about knights in shining armor and chivalry that his brains dried up and he thought he was a knight who needed to right wrongs and save damsels in distress. He saw the world in idealistic terms and his loyal partner Sancho Panza saw them as they were, but followed him anyway. The idealism seemed a much nicer way to see things. Although the amusement of the mixture was also appealing. The image of Don Quijote and windmills is a beautiful one as opposed to Alonso with the windmills or Don Quijote and some giants.

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I wanted to see if we have any Don Quijotes in The Walking Dead. I think we have a few. I think Hershel and Abraham stand out in particular. Many characters have some positive and idealistic attributes, but Hershel and Abraham fall more into the Don Quijote area for me. Don Quijote was more than just a “think positive” character. More than a “glass half full” mentality. There was more to it. There was a delusion and a focus to Don Quijote that was also present with Hershel and Abraham.

Hershel

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Hershel truly believed that the walkers were sick. So much so that he kept them in the barn and fed them. He had his family and his friends who respected him participate in his delusion. Unlike Don Quijote whom others thought to be crazy and was not believed, Hershel was in charge and the others believed him and kept his secret.

With the group in residence, things started to become clear, but it was Shane who played the true Sancho Panza at the barn for Hershel. When he shot Lou in the chest and she kept coming. When he let the walkers out of the barn, Hershel’s family dead, no longer sick. And when Sophia came out of the barn and Rick had to shoot her, the look on Hershel’s face let us know that Don Quijote had become Alonso Quijano again and it broke his heart. Don Quijote’s suit of armor had collapsed into bits of metal.

Abraham

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Abraham might seem least likely candidate for Don Quijote because of his focus and intensity and strength. Don Quijote was slight and frail in his visual portrayal of idealism. But Abraham was frail, too. It was his idealistic mission that gave him focus and strength and his sometimes annoying tunnel vision. He was Don Quijote. Trying to save the world? You can’t get more idealistic than that. And without any proof or evidence-just faith. That’s pure denial and delusion. The beauty of Don Quijote!

Abraham’s Sancho Panza of reality came in the form of a cowardly, mulleted man who was the source of his inspiration in the first place, leaving Abraham’s suit of shining armor on the street in shattered pieces along with Eugene’s life in the balance. Abraham once again Alonso Quijano shaken and in tears.

Don Quijote. Master of denial and delusion. Idealist. Knight in shining armor. Righter of wrongs. Courageous fighter. There are worse things to be.

The Walking Dead: Hershel and Abraham-The Don Quijotes of The Apocalypse

By Susie Graham | Jun 20, 2015

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