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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Honestly, Ive never read any vampire or ghost books really or even watched too many vampire movies,but i would say almost everyone has a dark side and he proves this in what he says near the end of the chapter. He says what the vampire figure really comes down to: exploitation in its many forms. We use other people to get what we want, whether its denying someone else's rights, or placing our desires above someones needs. Most the time its our uglier desires, people just being selfish and greedy. Thats really all i got out of this chapter.
ReplyDeleteI haven't read any books about vampires. I have just seen the movie twilight. However, I believe anyone who uses someone else to get what they want cant be considered a vampire. Also, without the sucking of blood, rapists pretty much fit the description of a vampire in this chapter. I think everyone has a dark side. If you catch someone on a bad day, their ugly side will come out, even the most innocent person.
ReplyDeleteThe only vampire or ghost book I have ever read is Twilight, however a good example I can think of about ghosts saying more than "Boo!" is A Christmas Carol, with the Ghosts of Past, Present, and Future. The Ghosts are there to show Scrooge that he is living the wrong way. He lives showing his "dark side" on a daily basis. The ghosts prove to him that there's more to life than selfishness or anything like that. I think everyone has a dark side but its your attitude that makes the difference.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite vampire book is Interview With A Vampire. It defines my views on vampires personally. It was one of the best books i have ever read! It not only shows the dark side of vampires but the soft side as well. Vampires can be used to show emotions that humans cant feel, things human cant experience, and things that humans just don't know. Same as ghost, they are great to show life and death lessons and to show hope and also despair. I believe that people have both light and dark in them, but it just depends on life experience on the side they use. People can surprise you because they can change over time.
ReplyDeleteI don't know much about vampires in books with hidden meanings. I mainly just know of the kind in movies that just kill and are for the most part impossible to kill. Though i can not relate with the author on that subject i agree that everyone has a dark side. The dark side may be just harder to find in some than in others. Many people bring out their dark side through greed and selfishness like in a life or death situation some people would do what it takes to save themselves at the cost of someone else's life. Sad.
ReplyDeleteTo tell you the truth, I really don't read many books that have literal vampires and/or ghosts in them, they just don't catch my attention very well. As for the figurative vampires the author refers to in this chapter, I never really gave any thought to as I have read books. I never thought of a vampire meaning someone's greed or exploiting someone and I don't know if there is any other literature besides what he mentions where a ghost says more than "BOO". I do agree, however, that everyone has a dark side to them. One person's dark side maybe worse than someone else's, but I think there is always a point in a day where something happens and it upsets you that you let that part of you show. Even people that you would least expect to, have a dark side.
ReplyDeleteI honestly haven't read a book with literal vampires cause i think their boring. But i do relate to what the author says near the end of the chapter when the author states the vampire has its many forms. I'm a firm believer that many people just use people for a selfish or greedy desire which is awful to think thats how some people may bring out their dark side.
ReplyDeleteWell, if you have ever happened to watch Interview with the Vampire, i believe the vampires in that movie are just more than mere "monsters", but an object placed in the story to show someone's dark side or greed. I believe that is just as much of a monster as frankenstein or freddy kruger.
ReplyDeleteI have read numerous books about vampires and ghosts. Twilight and those books are just an example. In some short stories I have read, the ghosts don't say a word. That makes them even more eerie. I like stories like that. Yes, I do believe that everyone has a dark side. My friend's mother scares the crap out of me at times and then is so sweet other times...
ReplyDeleteI have never actually read any books that involve vampires or i can't recall seeing any movies that involve them either. I do believe though that everyone has a dark side to them and the author proved it in this chapter. It showed people can manipulate other people to get what they want and he shows that as being a vampire.
ReplyDeleteI think this was a very deep chapter. It was nice to see a connection of the things we read in books like lust, lying, and back stabbing to a easy subject. In The Lord Of the Ring series you could say that the ring was acting like a vampire. The people wanted the ring and it was near impossible to resist what you could have. It was the downfall of many people. I liked the last paragraph where he talked about using others to get what you want, and How a vampire would put his own need of blood over the life of another. A vampire in literature can be a dark and mystrious thing.
ReplyDeleteIm not particularly into the whole vampire, spooky ghost kind of stories, so I haven't really read any books of that nature. There are indeed times when ghosts aren’t simply there to say boo, like in chapter 3 the example of scrooge, a ghost visits him to show him a much needed lesson on how to treat people it wasn't out to just scare him for the pure joy of it, there was a legit reason. But i believe that vampires are more than just fangs and sucking blood. A vampire, in my understanding, is someone taking advantage of another for his or her own needs. I think everyone does has a dark side. Everyone has something about their attitude or the way the live or the things the do that a lot of people don’t see on a regular basis because they know themselves it is their bad side and most are ashamed of it.
ReplyDeletei havent ever read any ghost or vampire stories, but one example of a ghost doing more than saying boo is when the ghost of Julius Caesar appeared to Brutus, who betrayed him, warning him of defeat in battle. and the others that turned brutus against Caesar can considered vampires in the sense that they used others to get what they wanted and were motivated by greed and envy.
ReplyDeletei have read many vampire and ghost stories and i believe what the author says about vampires being symbolic of taking advantage of the young and innocent is semi-right they can do that but also they can destroy those who pose harm to others. i think everyone does have a darker side to them wiether they admit it or not because unless you are a saint you each have your own vice and most are scared to show that side of themselves
ReplyDeleteWell, the only vampire books ive ever read are twilight and the rest of the twilight series. And in those books it 's more of a love story then the vampire trying to kill the young girl. I think in most ghost stories that the ghost has some kind of significant meaning other than just scaring the characters. I think its there for a reason, like trying to teach the character a lesson or there sent on a mission other than terrifying.
ReplyDeleteWell, for other literature that might have some sense of a vampire in it figuratively would be the "Golden Bug" because the man on the island is so over consumed with finding the treasure of Captain Kid that it ruins the life of one little boy who helped him find the chest and in turn was driven mad with the lust of finding more gold for himself just like the old man. As for other places that a ghost says more than just "Boo!" i would have to say my all time favorite to meantion is "A Christmas Story." because it's a classic.
ReplyDeleteI was a little unsure about this chapter when i first started reading it. I got lost after every paragraph and my mind went somewhere else. However, once i took a look back at the main points of the book and ignored all the stuff about authors names and 17th century i started to see what the author was getting at. I liked how he described vampires, figuratively and literally, by saying that “he” focuses on vulnerable women, that he uses them all up, scars them for life, ruins them for other people, and leaves them to follow in his horrid footsteps. I think that just about any person, not just a vampire, can do that to another person. I think that sometimes even when we don’t mean to everyone of us can be a vampire. I think that obstacles can be live a vampire too. I really tough job for example, one that uses you up, wears you out, leaves you in a bad mood once your home, etc. can be a vampire in that it leaves you useless to the people around you because it has used up all of your energy. Then ghosts aren’t necessarily lost souls trying to get your attention. I think anything can haunt you and get you under its control. Wether its a bad memory that you cant get over and cant forget, or a decision that you’d give anything to take back. Those things are always there haunting you in the back of your mind and greatly effect how you act.
ReplyDeletei don't like vampires because they are so freaking overrated. so of course i haven't read any vampire books or ghost books. but i agree with everyone when we say that everybody has a dark side.a perfect example is when somebody does us wrong. our minds our filled with anger and lust for revenge. that is a dark deed within itself. but as far as a story goes there is always that evil character that feeds on fear and the "hero"
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