Zotz! by Walter Karig
"Zotz!" is a novel centered around Professor John Jones, a solitary academic at St. Jude's Seminary, who discovers an ancient medallion that grants him the ability to inflict pain or destruction with a mere gesture. As he grapples with the moral implications of his newfound powers, he becomes increasingly paranoid, suspecting that his charming colleague, Virginia Finster, may be connected to a sinister cult linked to the medallion. Virginia, an admirer of Jones, harbors interests in voodoo that heighten his fears about her intentions. Tension escalates when a local rabid dog threatens children, prompting Jones to use his powers to neutralize the threat, thrusting them into the public eye.
As events unfold, Jones's life spirals into chaos, drawing the attention of the FBI due to misunderstandings surrounding Virginia's hobbies and his own secretive behavior. He becomes desperate to contribute to the war effort, hoping to leverage his abilities against enemy forces. However, his attempts to make a meaningful impact are thwarted by bureaucratic challenges, culminating in the realization that the Allies have already ended the war with the bombing of Hiroshima. Ultimately, disillusioned, Jones decides to leave academia and pursue a new path in pest control, finding a practical application for his extraordinary abilities in a more grounded setting. The story intertwines themes of power, paranoia, and the search for purpose amidst societal pressures.
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Subject Terms
Zotz!
First published: 1947
Type of work: Novel
Type of plot: Fantasy—cautionary
Time of work: Early in World War II, about 1942
Locale: A small college town in Virginia
The Plot
Linguistics professor John Jones leads the detached, bookish life of a bachelor at St. Jude’s Seminary until an ancient and mysterious medallion comes into his possession. As he attempts to translate it, he is given the power to paralyze or destroy any living thing. When he points his finger, his subject suffers sudden pain and paralysis. When he points and speaks the word “zotz,” the subject is reduced to ashes.
As Jones gradually learns the extent of his power, he worries that it may be the last vestige of an archaic, malevolent, and pagan cult. He keeps his powers secret, but his behavior becomes increasingly inexplicable to his colleagues, especially after he meets Virginia Finster. She is the voluptuous assistant librarian, new to the college and an admirer of Jones’s work. When she admits that she took the job because it would let her meet Jones, he suspects that she is a minion of the Zotz cult sent to spy on him.
Although she is friendly, her extracurricular interest in voodoo and snake worship deepens Jones’s fears; furthermore, her offhand, innocent remarks seem to show that she knows Jones’s powers. His attempts to elude her fail when a rabid dog threatens the local children. Virginia tries to divert the dog’s attention, and Jones covertly uses Zotz to destroy it. Their heroics make headlines, but so do Jones’s generalized paranoia and Virginia’s unusual hobby. A spiteful matron alerts the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) concerning the librarian and her nefarious, possibly Communist activities. Under pressures of his own, Jones finally confides in Alfred Claverhouse, the timorous minister with whom he lives, though he keeps his fears about Virginia to himself.
Jones offers his services to the war effort. He hopes that the government will send him to Berlin, where he could halt the German forces and stop the war in days. Jones vows to divulge the nature of his proffered aid to nobody but the secretary of defense or the president. His efforts in Washington are met with red tape and several attempts to delay or mislead him. Jones’s frustration mounts when he sees Virginia with an FBI agent (sent by the jealous matron). He wonders if the Zotz cult and the government are cooperating to destroy him.
Finally, Jones uses his pointing finger to stop every guard who tries to block his way to the office of the secretary of defense. When he gets there, he learns that the Allies have bombed Hiroshima, ending the war. All Jones’s efforts have been in vain, but he finds a good use for his powers. He resigns his professorship and enters the pest control business.