Ze Veek ov ze Vampire

Anne Rice's 'Interview with A Vampire'

In your reading for the week what pairs of  ideas or representations does the author place in opposition to one another?

Immortality, Good vs. Evil (Internal and External), Knowledge, Dissatisfaction, Love and Lust, Manipulation

Good Vs. Evil- “Who knows what evil lies within the hearts of (vampires)?” Vampires are known as inherently evil, but Interview with a Vampire is less about the angry villagers attacking the evil vampires and more about the vampires battling the evil within themselves. Lestat represents the nature of vampires, enjoyment of murder and doing so without guilt, while Louis represents the opposite, moral and just. By the end they switch roles when Louis gives into his anger and murders the Paris vampires. Like humans, Vampires aren’t born good or evil, it depends how they’re raised (Claudia who is raised by Louis remains good).

Knowledge- In the book, Louis is driven by an intense craving for knowledge (and blood?). He and Claudia try unsuccessfully to learn from Lestat, but he turns out to be a dunce. For someone who is immortal, gaining power and wealth is easy. Gaining knowledge is the only true accomplishment in the eyes of the eternally “living”, therefore they must seek it if they want to avoid boredom and insanity. This is the only way a vampire can really control and have power over another.

Hate and Love- Many of the older vampires in the Theatre de Vampires are filled with hate, perhaps because every vampire has their breaking point when it comes to viewing the world in a positive light. It’s easier to hate than to love. Again, Louis and Lestat switch roles over the course of events, with Louis turning to hate and slaughtering the Vampires and denouncing Armand, while Lestat struggles to find love. As for Claudia, it seems she is in a constant whirlwind of emotions (probably doesn’t help that she’s trapped in the body of a child) between her love and hatred of Louis and Lestat.

What does the vampire represent?

An alternative culture or subset of people that don’t feel like they quite fit into the gender roles of the period.

Movie Notes and Tropes (Only Lovers Left Alive, 2013)

Not being able to live like a normal human, therefore interactions are awkward sometimes. (No bathroom, Not wanting attention, don’t eat)

Has a wooden bullet made in case of suicide attempt

Can only go out at night, very sensitive to light (They sleep though)

Have to buy blood from Hospital from crooked doctor, outdated stethoscope

Blood has therapeutic and sort of narcotic effect

Calls assistant a “zombie”? “Zombies” mentioned several times, might just be a term for modern humans

Terrified of people finding out where he lives

Abnormal fixation when blood is present (In hospital, on airplane)

Very intimate and sexual relationship with other vampires

Extensive and detailed historical knowledge (and scientific), lots of books lying around

For some reason using flashlights outside at night, vampires should have excellent night vision

B&W pictures of famous dead people on the wall

Supernatural powers (telling the age of something by touch, super speed, dream telepathy)

Actually can eat things other than blood, but not good for them?

Live in Tangea

Become lethargic and fatigued with lack of blood

Vampires can die of super old age?

Finally have to give into their needs when they run out of a blood source & kill two teenagers

“Rules” for Vampires

Have to drink blood

Some kind of aversion to sunlight, always pale

Can be killed with stake/wood bullet/holy water/cross

Kept away with garlic

Sleep in coffin or don’t sleep at all

Immortal, don’t age

No reflection

Pointy teeth

Shape shift into bats or other

Dark and brooding moody, romantic?

Cold to the touch, no pulse

Have weird colored eyes

Can change humans to vampires

Other supernatural powers

Almost always good looking
Have to be invited in

Types of Vampires (In books and movies)

“Classic” Sort of Goofy Vamp (The Count from Sesame St, Scooby-Doo Vamp)

Sexual predator (Twilight)

Romantic interest (Twilight, Buffy)

Action hero (Buffy, Underworld, Blade)

Demon horror monster (Nosferatu, Van Helsing)

Relatable comrade (Buffy, Only Lovers Left Alive)

The foreigner (All of them)
Main population, futuristic (Daybreakers)