When I read the title of this chapter, I was a little surprised. Other than Dracula, I didn't think there was that much true literature about vampires. (Yes--I loved the Twilight series, but I know they probably won't be listed on the AP exam!!) However, it was really interesting to think about how many "vampires" there are in literature who aren't literally sucking the blood from their victims. One of the short stories we will read, "The Rocking Horse Winner" comes to mind. The young boy's mother's greed acted as a vampire in that story. She was the older, corrupt figure, while her son was the innocent victim. Her greed eventually took his life.I thought it was interesting that he mentioned that ghosts are often much more than just a scary apparition. I'm glad that he made mention of Hamlet's father's ghost. You guys will see how much influence his appearance will have on the plot of the entire play.
So what did you guys think? Can you think of some other "vampires" in literature--figuratively or literally? When does a ghost do more than say "Boo!"? Or talk about another of the author's points--does everyone have a dark side?
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This chapter really opened my eyes as to what a vampire, or ghost, can really be in a novel. It caused me to think a little more about what type of vampire is actually being portrayed in the plot, as apposed to thinking it is bad just because it has the title of a "vampire". In Twilight there were vampires that were both good and bad, as was discussed in this chapter about the different types of vampires. Ghosts can help people out such as to take the right path in life, or what to do in a sticky situation. Everyone does not have a dark side. As discussed in this book "vampires" can have a good or bad side to them.
ReplyDeleteI never really thought of people who gradually took away someone's life by other means than sucking their blood to be known as a vampire. But because of this chapter i do see similarities, such as both kinds of vampires slowly drain someone's life and happiness away. In Owen Meany, Hester's 2 brothers and parents could've been classified as vampires because they slowly and gradually took away Hester's confidence and made her feel like she wasn't as smart or valuable as her two siblings. Also, Pastor Merril could've been seen as a vampire because his lack of faith influenced others and could've possibly caused his followers faith to decrease also. In a Christmas Carol the ghosts show scrooge his past present and future.
ReplyDeleteThis chapter brought the book Rose Red by Stephen King to mind. There wasnt a true vampire in the story but the house played the role. There were scary things and the former owner of the house played a role as a ghost that controlled the house but the was like a vampire. The house sucked the life out of its hosts and even killed people.
ReplyDeleteSo far, I think that the author of this book has some very valid points. I agree that people in literature can act as vampires, and bring others down in order to keep themselves alive. It is no different than soemone putting down someone else, to make themselves feel better. So, it is easier to relate to. In a book I read last year, Bottled Up, there was an alcoholic teen with a younger innocent brother. The older despised the younger because he simply was perfect. but in the end, the older brother drug the younger down with him, and the younger became an alcoholic also. I do believe that everyone has a dark side. Maybe dark side isnt the correct terminology, but everyone at some point has put their needs above someone else's. This is exactly what the author said about people who are vampires.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with this chapter. I haven't ever thought of a vampire as someone that kills people by other means than sucking their blood. But now that the author has pointed that out I understand. In the Fall of the House of Usher the house corrupts the man and drives him crazy which could be considered as a vampire by the author of How to Read a Book Like a Professor
ReplyDeleteMichael brought up a good point going along with the author. Vampires are everywhere in a story, and not just the sucking blood type. For instance in the Harry Potter Books, Harry runs into Dementors, Shadowy dark figures that fly around and look to literally suck all of the life out of their victim. From happiness, memories, love, to life itself. The vampire's goal is to get what it, or they, need to survive or to dull pain that they are experiencing. Another example of this is bullies at school, the work place, anywhere. Usually Bullies pick on the kids that arent as big as them, and are maybe better than them at something. The bully treats he person badly so he can make the person feel as bad as they do. Again, its sucking the life, or happiness out of others.
ReplyDeleteIt took me a while to read and understand this chapter, I've never considered vampires any way but literally. After reading this I began thinking about how many average people today can be "vampires" at times. It made me think of how easy it is to become like that, how everytime you make fun of someone or belittle them that's "wasting them away" just a little bit more. Often times people do it for their benefit too (just like actual vampires taking lives of innocent women, to get their youthful lives), like when we make fun of someone to seem funny or make us look better. There are so many examples of this in literature. One that came to my mind was in A Prayer for Owen Meany, how Hester always wanted to be treated as equal as her brothers by her parents and friends, and her brothers are constantly calling her names and so she finally just gives up and moves to college and just doesn't come back to her hometown to visit.
ReplyDeleteI really liked this chapter, and I completely get what it's talking about. There are literary vampires in pretty much every piece of literature ever written. In my favorite book of all times, "The Forest of Hands and Teeth", the main character lives in a completely sheltered society that is trying to keep away from a hoard of zombies, and has been for decades. She always had a dream of seeing the ocean someday, and everyone she knew and loved pretty much told her that she was insane and that there was no such place as that, sucking the life and happiness out of her. As far as ghosts go, there is always something there besides just saying BOO! Whenever characters are visited by ghosts something important always happens or something significant is being said.
ReplyDeleteI never really thought about "figurative" vampires. After I thought about it though, it is true. There are many people that are vampires in life, or in other places. In the House of Night Book Series, there is a special school for vampires. They are real vampires, but there are also figurative vampires. Also, I believe that everyone has a dark side. Some people seem very happy, but everyone can have a dark side.
ReplyDeleteThis chapter really made me think about books I've read and it also got me to thinking about people in my life that kind of suck the life out of everything or try and bring good people down with them. In Just LIsten by Sarah Dessen this girl's sisters have modeled all of their lives but one of the sisters was always considered better than the other and prettier, so the one who wasn't the prettiest started starving herself because she was comparing herself to the other one so not only are people like vampires but things you do can be vampires, things that suck your life dry. I never really thought about vampires being like that, I thought it was really cool how he interpreted vampires and ghosts as not just blood sucking people but things.
ReplyDeleteThis chapter really made me think. I have to agree with everyone else and when the term vampire comes up i think of a blood sucking creature. To think about it i think that everyone had a dark side in a way...and many people can be "vampres". Twilight is one book that came to mind...and how edward cullen is a vampire but by talkin to him and looking at him you would never know unless he told you.
ReplyDeleteBefore reading this chapter, I would've never thought of a "vampire" being something other than just a blood sucking villain. The book that keeps coming to mind, is actually Fight Club. In this case, it's not one person acting on another. Split personality, the main character is doing it to himself. Through out the whole book, it makes you think that one character is trying to overpower another character who basically envies him. In the end, he practically sucks the life out of him; well, himself.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Kelsey on this one. I had to read this chapter twice to really comprehend it. But now that I really understand it, I agree with the author. I had never thought about vampires being more than actual vampires, but rather being people that simply use others to get what they want. I can't think of an example from a book, but I know that in our everyday lives at school people act like "vampires" by putting their needs above others and cutting people down to build themselves up. I think that everyone has a dark side. Some people's dark sides are more obvious than others. We are all selfish by nature and we all put our needs before the needs of others at some point.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading this , i can think of a lot of times when people or objects in literature can seem like vampires. Such as the ring in the lord of the rings it turns people crazy or mad. Ghosts a lot of times are helpful like in harry potter. And i believe everyone has a darkside at some point in time in their life.
ReplyDeleteI guess I have always thought of people in books and stories as vampires in different ways over than the blood-sucking type. I like the idea of something like greed or wrath being considered vampiric, because it is, its a way of feeding off of something or someone that satisfies you.
ReplyDeleteIn Mercedes Lackey's Winds Trilogy, the main villain of the books calls himself Mornelithe Falconsbane, he reincarnates himself every few centuries by sucking the magical energies from people he tortures and kills for that very purpose. He uses their pain to feed his own power and selfish desire to be reborn for his evil deeds.