Week 2: Vampires

Nosferatu

One of the thing that this book has, is a lot of different ideas about being afflicted with vampirism.  These ideas, archetypes that a lot of media has not used in Vampires strange state at the moment (maybe the fact this is my first time reading this series. Plus there was some interesting new character stories I hadn't heard before). I really like character struggles of Claudia because a lack of physical sexual similar to many vampire stories, but is handled differently. Vampires are often sexual, but there is lack of sexual contact or sex in them. Though Claudia does not do anything like, though she does drink blood. However it is not written the way like it is during the show in the theater or when Lestat does, to me it's more like she is just eating. No, Cladia's repressed sexuality comes from being a physically trapped in a girl's body for all eternity. This is where Cladia's burning rage seems to come from, her hatred for being cursed not only has a vampire but also to never to experience the sexual sensations that vampires do, since they most likely experienced sex as humans. As I said I thought this was an interesting approach for a vampire. Since she isn't a show as a sexy modern vampire, if anything I think she is in a way the biggest "monster" of all. I should consider her the closest to the original idea of vampires like Dracula and Nosferatu. She is the scariest in my opinion.

 
 Then of course, you have the odd relationship with Louis and Lestat, what the whole novel is built on. Personally the novel really loses steam in the parts of Lestat's absentees for me. I feel like their relationship is similar to an unhealthy marriage. It starts off well, there is an attraction between them, then one of them wants to break up and then they have to stay together because "oh crap we made a baby".
Then again you could say Lestat is some what charming even though he is serial killer. He takes such pleasure in killing that when I was reading I found it hard to not enjoy it myself. For Louis though it really goes back to being forced into the "marriage" again. The idea that Lestat knows more then him about vampirism when really Louis really makes more out of the powers given to him then almost any vampire. There is a pupil overcoming the teacher theme somewhat, and I think that is kind of what is important for Louis. He learns he doesn't need Lestat, but he almost learns he can't trust any other vampire at the same time. Which is tragic, but I guess there is a message in that idea too.