( After watching Nosferatu, I made a little tribute sketch... spooky! )
Anne Rice / Interview With A Vampire
What pairs of ideas or representations does the author place in opposition to one another?
The slave and the master vs. the human and the vampire.
Weaker vampires vs. stronger vampires
Its discussed that vampires are lone predators. If they live together, it's only for protection, and one is a slave to the other. "That's how vampires increase, through slavery. How else!?"
Claudia, the vampire daughter of Louis and Lestat wants so madly to kill Lestat. Lestat is in essence the slave owner who has robbed Claudia of experiencing a human childhood and ability to grow to womanhood. Her and Louis are somehow the only two vampires bonded in love, not slavery.
Vampires feeding off of animals vs. vampires feeding off of humans
Those who don't take the sanctity of death/life seriously vs. those who do
Killing a human for feedingvs.Killing a human and turning them into a vampire
Eastern European culture and vampires (wild and superstitious) vs. Western European culture and vampires (shrewd and proper)
Does the Author seem to priviledge one set of ideas or values over the other?
Anne Rice highlights the moral way to deal with necessary evil. Yes, the protagonist is turned into a Vampire, but he only kills humans when he has to and never on a whim. He takes death seriously and feeds on animals when he can. I suppose Anne Rice wants us to look at him as the "moral vampire." We can also look at slavery in the south in similar respects. "The moral slave owner" treats their slaves well, doesn't mistreat or abuse them on a whim. Inherently, slavery is evil of course, but in 1700s-1800s America it was necessary to run plantations and keep the southern economy functioning. Vampires have to feed on blood, and plantation owners have to have slaves to run the plantation. Anne Rice priviledges the set of ideas/values that encompasses mercy and kindness towards those who are in a lesser position of power. She also notes the importance of not denying your true nature, but rather finding responsibility in it.
"If I am damned, why do I pity her?"
(Louis before feeding on Claudia) "You use knowledge for personal power."
(Louis accusing Lestat)
What set of values does the vampire represent?
Louis wants to travel the world and uncover true nature of a vampire and to find others like him, Lestat, and Claudia. He is not satisfied with not knowing how Vampires came to be, having so much power and so little knowledge.
Lestat equates Louis's desire for knowing more about his nature with chasing after the phantoms of his former self. He accuses Louis of having a romance with the ways of his formal mortal life, and in this he is completely dead to understanding his vampire nature. Louis disagrees, but acknowledges that Lestat speaks the truth is some respects.
Lestat views Louis as weak, telling him that "evil is a point of view," imploring him to "do what is your nature to do."
Vampire Nature = Killing
Are the vampire's values dominant or priviledged ideas advanced in the work? "Let the flesh instruct the mind." Does the story you read seem to embody larger arguments about the values of human society? Does the work seem to express a simple morality on the surface, but a more complex moral environment once one considers the issues it more depth? "My vampire nature has been the greatest adventure of my life." "I went through mortal life as a blind man. It was only for the first time when I became a vampire that I respected all life. I never knew what life was until it ran out in a red gush over my lips and hands."
(Louis) What values does the work really seem to portray?
If vampire nature is killing and death, love seems to be able to overpower both in this story. "You loved me with your vampire nature."
(Claudia to Louis upon learning how she came to be a vampire)
"I love you now with my human nature, if ever I had it."
(Louis in response to Claudia)
Discuss a specific example of the gothic as it appears in contemporary culture.
Gothic Literature (Gothic Horror) by definition is a genre that combines fiction, horror, and romanticism. "Gothic Fiction feeds on a pleasing sort of terror, an extension of Romantic literary pleasures." Gothic Literature and its themes are plentiful in contemporary culture, as people will alway enjoy the thrill of being scared as well as being in love.
Some of the classic tropes of Gothic Horror, as discussed in class are as follows:
Dark and stormy weather, rain, or fog
Old european castles, chambers, and ruins
A romantic interest or attractive/desirable companion
"Sublime" is a good word to describe the kind of beauty in this genre
One of my favorite and prominent modern examples of the genre, is Tim Burton's Edward Scissorhands. This 1989 film, has many parallels to Mary Shelly's Frankenstein, in themes, tropes, and character interactions.
Tim Burton / Edward Scissorhands
Both Frankenstein's Creation and Edward are given life by a science driven creator, and are abandoned without completion. But Frankenstein is horrified, loathes his Creation on principal, while Edward's creator loves him dearly, but dies suddenly. (good parent/bad parent)
Frankenstein's Creature and Edward are both cursed with alarming exteriors that don't reflect their good hearts. Their treatment by humanity confuses them, as they have strong moral centers and have not done anything that would warrant rejection and cruelty. Morality and corruption are common themes between the two.
Both Characters try and fail to appeal to the people and culture they love, and desire the closeness of a female affection. Edward is convinced he is dangerous, and holds back from Kim's affections, but shows his care through protecting her and others he loves. Frankenstein's Creation observes the love of families by watching the family in the cottage from afar, leaning of language and the human condition. He also knows he can't show his love in person, so he gathers firewood and helps with household tasks as a guardian angel from afar.
My favorite gothic parallel between the two stories, is the abortion of hope. Frankenstein's Creation feels that the creation of another like him, a relating soulmate will assuage his misery for all time. Edward will be complete, and able to integrate into society safely with a pair of human hands. These two things, wether they would have brought about lasting happiness, are nonetheless hope. Victor Frankenstein destroys the progress he has begun on the female companion, going back on his word, and as Edward's creator dies, the hands he is about to bestow to his creation are sliced to pieces. Symbols of hope hacked and sliced ... how gothic!
The genre is horror, so no happy endings here. Seeking seclusion/isolation until the end of days, both creations stand as a reminder of how severely we judge harsh exteriors, that fear and passion overpower good intention, and how the world is no place place for gentle hearted monsters.
Themes
Who's is the"Monster":
Both Victor and his creation begin their lives innocent and with good intentions. However Victor was raised in love, with friends, family and support, where as the creation was rejected upon birth. The creation teaches himself of love, morals, and kindness, but is baffled as to how cruel humankind can be purely because of his fiendish exterior. He snaps over time when all hopes of coexisting fail, and his endeavors to connect with humankind are fruitless. The only comfort he finds is in revenge towards his creator, and in that he becomes the "Monster". I hold Victor to a higher standard because he was raised in a loving environment. He "snaps" to monstrosity only by his own doing. Maybe because love and support were always given to him, as a child, he took it for granted, never having to understand what it truly means to not have that. Victor's biggest mistake was his lack of responsibility and failing to think through that task he set out to do. An irresponsible parent. Victor becomes a "Monster" when he selfishly creates life for the thrill, and then rejects his child. I feel for Victor throughout the story, his losses are many, his regret is sincere, and his anxiety is torment. We all get carried away by passion from time to time, but he fails to address the consequences of his passion aptly, and thus begins the reckless chain of death and heartbreak.
Dangerous Knowledge:
For both the creator and the creation, pain comes with increases knowledge and awareness.
Additional Media:
Upon reading Frankenstein, I also noted parallels to a variety of other books, films, television shows, music, and fashion. Not all align completely with the conventions/tropes of the Gothic Literature, but there was something about each work that was reminiscent.
Of Mice and Men
"Maybe ever'body in the whole damn world is scared of each other."
Phantom of the Opera
"Stranger than you dreamt it Can you even dare to look, or bear to think of me This loathesome gargoyle Who burns in hell, But secretly yearns for heaven Secretly, secretly...
Fear can turn to love You'll learn to see, to find the man behind the monster This repulsive carcass Who seems a beast but secretly dreams of beauty, Secretly, secretly..."
Rocky Horror Picture Show
"And crawling on the planet's face, Some insects called the human race, Lost in time, Lost in space, And in meaning."
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