Vampires can be the most human of beasts in the fantasy genre. They can turn hunting into a social game, blending into a crowd, earning the trust of an unsuspecting victim, and taking their prey without anyone realizing what happened. A popular pastiche of the Vampire subgenre is the “vegetarian” vampire: a vampire that still identifies with human kind so closely that they refuse to kill them, draining animals of their blood as an alternative. On the other hand, a more beastly form of vampire is represented; Vampires who have completely abandoned human kind and drain whatever prey they can find while exploring the dark, hidden side of a city.
Self control is often a major theme of vampire novels, drawing the lines between the monstrous vampire and the humanoid vampire. A vampire like Louis, of Interview with the Vampire, knows hunting humans would turn him into a monster with no connection to humanity. The fear of loosing that connection and becoming a complete monster is often what keeps a young vampire in check, along with the burden of guilt from instantly becoming a killer upon transformation. They have the power to control humans, to blend in with them, to kill and take and go completely wild, but a good man such as Louis can control these urges and live a vaguely normal life. The power may be appealing to the humans of the story and the readers as well, but
No comments:
Post a Comment