Unlike the cynical brutality of Lord of the Flies , which suggests humans instantly revert to savagery, Earth Abides posits a more nuanced reality. In Stewart’s world, the survivors are mostly confused, listless, and prone to inertia. They do not immediately form a militia; they gather in living rooms, play cards, and hope the lights come back on.
The novel also delves into the psychological and sociological impacts of such a catastrophe. Ish’s internal conflict between his desire to preserve civilization and the reality of the younger generations' indifference to the "old ways" highlights the challenges of cultural transmission. The younger members of the Tribe, who have no memory of the world before the Great Disaster, view the remnants of the past as mystical or irrelevant, signaling a definitive break from the previous era.