The Role of Women and Feminism in Vampire Literature Over the Years

Cedes Leon

English 263

December 20, 2010

The Role of Women and Feminism in Vampire Literature Over the Years

Vampire literature and lore has long been a topic highly discussed by fans and intellectuals alike. One facet of this genre however strikes a particularly sensitive chord in today’s society: vampires and feminism. What women actually mean and represent in vampire literature has changed and developed over the years, but each explanation reflects the time in history during which it was written’s view of women.

Tamar Heller explores the idea of a “hysteric” girl in his writing “The Vampire in the House.” Hysteric was a term used to diagnose women who did not fit into the Victorian era definition of a proper woman. Heller describes these ideas through the analyzation of Sheridan Le Fanu’s “Carmilla,” a 19^th century ghost-story in which it’s narrator, Laura, describes her encounters with a vampire. Heller uses a multitude of sources to relay his ideas about the mystery that femininity presented to Victorian-era men.

The first definition we receive of female hysteria comes from American physician Weir Mitchell. He uses a metaphor to paint the picture: “A hysterical girl is…a vampire who sucks the blood of healthy people about her.” He goes on to say that, “…I may add that pretty surely where there is one hysterical girl there will be soon or late two sick women” (Holmes 78). This shows that Mitchell believes hysteria to be contagious among women. It also shows his underlying beliefs that women are something of a burden, needing to feed off of others in order to survive. This parasitic quality is reflected in Carmilla; she feeds off of unsuspecting victims in order to survive. In Le Fanu’s story, Laura becomes very sick after a mysterious houseguest, Carmilla comes to stay with them. Laura only begins to recover after it is found out that Carmilla is a vampire who has been preying on her at night. Heller makes a crucial point when he says that, “the parallel between this story and Mitchell’s image of the self-reproducing hysteric suggests an interdisciplinary cultural dialogue: not only, for doctors, is the hysterical woman like a vampire but, in takes like Le Fanu’s, the vampire can be read as a figure for the hysterical woman” (Heller 78). The connections between Carmilla and hysteric women are obvious, Carmilla was described as languid, prone to sudden outbursts of anger, and does not eat or sleep. Symptoms of hysteria were faintness, insomnia, irritability, loss of appetite or libido, and the general tendency to be a nuisance. Nowadays, we would see these as symptoms of depression and like disorders. Heller tells us that there were two main theories for female hysteria. The first was to ascribe the hysteria to sexual frustration or desire. The second theory blamed the female’s sensitive nervous system. Apparently it never occurred to these doctors that the supposedly sick women might just be sick of their lack of a role in society.

Another interesting element of Carmilla Heller explores that ties into feminism is that of lesbianism. When reading the story, the lesbian elements are very apparent and plain to see, even if they do make one do a bit of a double take. Carmilla’s interest in Laura is identifiable from the very beginning of their relationship. Carmilla states, “I cannot help it; as I draw nearer to you, you, in your turn will draw nearer to others, and learn the rapture of that cruelty, which yet is love; so, for a while, seek to know no more of me and mine, but trust me with all your loving spirit,” while laying cheek to cheek with Laura with her hands about Laura’s neck, kissing her cheek (Le Fanu 263). That Carmilla, the vampire villain temptress, is such a sexualized character reflects Le Fanu’s and many other Victorian era men’s fear of a woman that understands her sexuality and the world around her. Sexuality was something reserved for men and they wanted to keep it that way. “This anxiety sprang from a fear, even if as yet only partially articulated, of the sexual implications of such friendships, while also belying a wariness about the formation of emotional bonds that might hinder a girl’s entry into the world of heterosexuality” (Heller 87).

It was important that girls enter the “world of heterosexuality” because that was the route to femininity at the time. Femininity meant being the obliging, smiling wife and Carmilla interrupted Laura’s path to that. Even after Carmilla is killed, Laura is unable to forget about her experiences with Carmilla, thus tainting her. Laura even goes so far as to say that writing down her tale “…has unstrung my nerves for months to come, and reinduced a shadow of the unspeakable horror which years after my deliverance continued to make my days and nights dreadful, and solitude insupportably terrific” (Le Fanu 316). In short, since Laura’s path to becoming the quintessential Victorian woman was interrupted, she is scarred and can never lead a normal life. This deduction leads the reader to believe that Carmilla serves as a warning to women to not stray from their pre-determined roles. “If, as Helene Cixous says, ‘the hysterical woman is the woman who disturbs and is nothing but disturbance’ we can see what happens to such disorderly women” (Cixous and Heller 89). By giving Carmilla the characteristics of a hysteric woman and calling it vampirism, Le Fanu reflects the attitudes of his Victorian era contemporaries in his complete dismissal and blacklisting of the unknown.

Two centuries later, the bestselling Twilight saga interprets feminism in a very different way, yet also enforces the traditional role of women. Females and vampires were explored in a broad scope in Caitlin Brown’s article, “Feminism and the Vampire Novel.” Examples are drawn from modern and older vampire books and television shows highlighting important themes shown throughout vampire lore. The ever-popular Twilight series by Stephenie Meyer serves as a prime example in Brown’s discussion about sexuality, gender roles, and feminism.

Brown starts her article by discussing the common paradigm of male vampire/female human almost always seen in vampire novels. This model is very clearly seen in Twilight. Edward is a 109-year-old vampire whose ridiculously good looks is the stuff of legends. He is a supremely practiced pianist, has read almost every book, and sparkles in the sunlight. Bella is his human girlfriend, a pretty, family oriented teenage-girl that loves classic romantic novels. The two unconventionally fall in love and their epic story goes on through four books. According to Brown’s paradigm, the male vampire has unlimited power, physically as well as intellectually while the human female is weak and “unable to resist the lure of the dashing corpse” (Brown 1). These women have two choices, says Brown. The first is to “forsake their initial quasi-independence and embrace the status of victimhood which the men in the text combine to foist upon them,” the second option is to “give into the seduction of the vampire and so gain power” (Brown 1). That the woman must give up her independence to gain power exemplifies the control men have over women.

Much to some feminist critics dismay, Twilight embraces traditional gender roles. While Edward is powerful and “godlike” as Bella describes him, she is clumsy, soft, and a genuine caretaker. Many critics have deemed Bella a “weak” character given her gentle demeanor although I felt the opposite. An often-brought up example is in the second book, New Moon; after Edward leaves Bella (for her own good) she enters a near catatonic state of depression. “This one is anti-feminism 101, folks. Bella needs a man in her life. She can’t function without one. It’s exactly that simple.” Says Nikki Gassley in “Feminism Doesn’t Sparkle: What Twilight Teaches Young Girls.” While I see her point, I interpreted Bella’s sadness differently. To me, Bella and Edward’s love was something that neither of them could control; it was eternal and not reversible. Edward left Bella because he believed that his presence in her life was harmful to hear, it was an action done out of love and affected him deeply as well. It is true though that Bella was extremely depressed but it was her love for others that kept her alive and eventually brought her back. Bella has an important relationship with her father, Charlie, and her love for him is what kept her going. While she was depressed, Bella still got perfect grades and kept up with her chores. These bare minimums were not enough for Charlie, though, and once he expressed his deep concern for Bella, she made a concerting effort to get back to normal. That she put her own sadness aside for Charlie shows a mighty power within.

Bella’s driving force in life is her love for those close to her. Some may see this as weak but I think that being able to love someone enough to have their needs be put above your own takes a rare strength. Yes, Bella is traditionally “female” (or what society associates with female qualities) but this does not need to be a quality looked down upon. Feminist.org defines feminism as “the policy, practice or advocacy of political, economic, and social equality for women.” Equality means having equal rights, which comes down to the right to choose. Bella’s decisions are her own despite what they may be.

Edward does take on the role of protector for Bella, and yes, he may come off as controlling at times, but the reason for his concern is completely justified. Bella seems to be a source of mayhem; trouble follows her wherever she goes. Edward recognizes Bella’s tendency to fall into dangerous situations and does his best to ensure her safety. Edward’s deep love for Bella is a fact not addressed in many feminist responses yet it is crucial to understanding his relationship with Bella. In New Moon, after Bella and Edward are reunited he tells of what life was like without her. “Before you, Bella, my life was like a moonless night. Very dark, but there were the stars -- points of life and reason. And then you shot across my sky like a meteor. Suddenly everything was on fire; there was brilliancy, there was beauty. When you were gone, when the meteor had fallen over the horizon, everything went black. Nothing had changed, but my eyes were blinded by the light. I couldn’t see the stars anymore. And there was no more reason for anything.” After hearing this, Bella muses, “I wanted to believe him. But this was my life without him that he was describing, not the other way around” (Meyer 514). These quotes prove that their love for one another is reciprocated equally.

The issue that these Brown and Gassley take with traditional gender roles is a bit disheartening, in my opinion. What’s wrong with a good, old-fashioned love story? That both writers seem to take such issue with Bella’s love for Edward almost seems anti-feminist. Feminism became a movement when women decided collectively that they wanted a choice--a choice and involvement in their futures just as men had. Author of the Twilight series, Stephenie Meyer responds to whether Bella is anti-feminist by saying that because of the limitations some feminists seem to set on women’s choices, “It's as if you can't choose a family on your own terms and still be considered a strong woman. Are there rules about if, when, and how we love or marry and if, when, and how we have kids? Are there jobs we can and can't have in order to be a ‘real’ feminist? To me, those limitations seem anti-feminist in basic principle.” I agree with Meyer, the entire point of feminism is that women have a choice. That some critics attack Bella for choosing her own path is controlling and as Meyer says, “anti-feminist.”

The popularity of the series in teenage girls is not purely a social construct, Leonard Sax explains for The Washington Post. “Three decades of adults pretending that gender doesn’t matter haven’t created a generation of feminists who don’t need men; they have instead created a horde of girls who adore the traditional male and female roles and relationships in the ‘Twilight’ saga,” he writes (Sax 2). This fact struck me as fascinating and possibly very true. It is my guess that the women deemed hysteric in the late 1800s, did not have any serious mental problems (for the most part, I’m sure some were actually sick). Rather they were not satisfied with their role as only mothers and wives. Not being able to change their status was, I’m sure, extremely frustrating and could make one exceedingly unhappy. This lack of satisfaction with their status led women to create the feminist movement in the early 1900s. Throughout the growth of this movement, mothers have taught their daughters that they are able to choose their own path even if it is not a traditional one. In his article, Sax explains that through the encouragement of defying gender roles, we’ve created a generation of girls that are actually attracted to tradition. That this new development in feminist thinking could be displayed through a vampire novel only highlights just how much they still mirror contemporary society.

In addition to gender roles, another facet of power much discussed in relation to Twilight is that of sexual power. “The act of biting a victim, of transforming a human to a vampire, is inevitably linked to sex,” Brown explains (Brown 4). And since the male is usually the vampire, it is his choice to bite, therefore leaving the sexual power to him. We can connect this to Twilight through Bella’s eventual transformation into a vampire. Edward does grant her with this, but in the process, Bella gains power. She is now physically strong and it becomes clear that she has powers of her own, even before her transformation. Bella’s mind acts as a shield, protecting her brain from others who might seek to see into and control it. Bella eventually learns to extend her shield to others, thereby protecting them. Again this depicts Bella’s extreme selflessness.

Perhaps the most controversial theme drawn from Twilight is that of abstinence. Bella and Edward refrain from sex until marriage and this decision also reflects the power men hold. In Twilight, it is stressed that Edward is from a different time and therefore holds different moral values while Bella’s values reflect her time. She sees no reason in waiting for marriage while Edward insists on it. Because of his super-human strength, Edward fears that he would hurt Bella in the act and through this Bella’s physical health morphs into a metaphor for her virginity, which Edward devotes himself to protecting. This is perhaps the only instance in which I agree with critics citing Bella as anti-feminist. Though I do not feel as strongly about this topic as some, I admit that I do see how Edward holds power over Bella. However, his reasons are ones I understand and feel a bit of gentlemanly respect towards. I do not believe that it is Edward’s intent to hold this power over Bella; his desires to wait stem not only from concern for Bella’s physical health, but also for her spiritual health. Being raised in the early 20^th century has instilled some core values in Edward, one of them being that sex before marriage is a sin. He wishes to protect Bella’s soul as well as his own last shred of one. To me, this seems to be another example of traditional gender roles—the man protecting the woman. Though it may be antiquated, the thoughtfulness on Edward’s part should be appreciated.

Christine Seifert further explores abstinence in her article “Bite Me! (Or Don’t).” According to her, that Bella and Edward did not consummate their relationship for so long makes it “hot”. In other words, the temptation is what readers loved so fiercely. Seifert goes on to note that, “the removal of the couple’s sexual tension reveals two tepid, unenlightened people” (Seifert 2). She goes on to say that Twilight compares the loss of Bella’s virginity to the loss of her individuality. This is a statement I see absolutely no merit in. In fact, after Bella and Edward are married, Bella becomes even more of herself. Although she always displaying a maternal, nurturing side in her human years, the loss of Bella’s virginity gives her a baby, who catapults her into discovering how much she is actually capable of.

Though Carmilla and the Twilight saga were written well over 100 years apart, they both reflect their respective society’s beliefs and thoughts about women. While the role of women in vampire literature has changed, that they are an integral part of the genre remains the same.

WORKS CITED

1. Le Fanu, Sheridan. "Carmilla." In A Glass Darkly. New York: Oxford UP, 1872. 243-319. Print.

2. Hellar, Tamar. The Vampire In The House: Hysteria, Female Sexuality, and Female Knowledge in Le Fanu's "Carmilla" (1872). Article.

3. Sax, Leonard. "'Twilight' Sinks Its Teeth Into Feminism - Washingtonpost.com." Washington Post - Politics, National, World & D.C. Area News and Headlines - Washingtonpost.com. 18 Aug. 2008. Web. 20 Dec. 2010. .

4. Seifert, Christine. "Bite Me! (Or Don't) | Bitch Magazine." Bitch Magazine | Feminist Response to Pop Culture. Web. 20 Dec. 2010. .

5. Brown, Caitlin. "Feminism and the Vampire Novel - The F-Word." The F-Word: Contemporary UK Feminism - The F-Word. 8 Sept. 2009. Web. 20 Dec. 2010. .

6. Meyer, Stephenie. New Moon. New York: Little, Brown and, 2006. Print.

Reflection

Throughout this class, the theme that resonated with me most was the amount of culture reflected through our vampire novels. I was very skeptical of this class at the start of the semester. The only vampire books I'd read were Twilight and I was convinced that I wouldn't like any of the novels assigned. Much to my surprise, I enjoyed a number of them, namely Carmilla and Wuthering Heights.

In these works I saw themes I recognized from other books, movies, and even life experiences. Looking back, it seems silly that I didn't expect to gain anything from vampire novels. As much as I read I should have realized that every facet and genre of literature reflects its society. In the past I've come across this fact but I suppose I thought that because of the sort of wild topic of vampires, there was no way it could connect to something I would recognize and appreciate. It definitely did, though.

This class has reminded me to be more open minded, especially when it comes to literature. Not judging a book by its cover would be a good way to put it haha.

I really like how my final project turned out. Once I started researching, I realized that there was so much information on the subject, my paper I turned in is very much a condensed version of my original. My final project has absolutely helped me to explore the role of women in vampire lit more in depth. I only used two books as examples to reflect some of the themes I found and I can only imagine how much more I could have written had I expanded the number of references.

Let the right one in part one

This novel was definitely the weirdest one we've read yet. Surprisingly, though, I did enjoy it. So far of all the novels we've read the theme hasn't really focused so much on the outcasts and this novel took an interest in characters with different interests and backgrounds. The story, while having a vastly creepy plot, was about friendship. The 2 main characters share a close bond. Initially I was disgusted with the "work" Hakan was doing for Eli but ultimately he loved her unconditionally and was willing to do anything to keep her alive and well. This relationship reminded me of others in previous novels we have read. The only difference is that Oskar wasn't Eli's victim. In all the other novels, the person that the vampire got close to eventually ended up being their prey. Though the relationship between Eli and Hakan is very creepy, it is not unique. We've all heard the story of the obsessive boyfriend...this seems like the same thing except with a darker twist (the whole vampire thing). Things that any partner would do for their significant other and though in the book never revealed how Eli and Hakan came to find each other it is clear that Hakan has intense feelings for Eli, unfortunately for him, Eli seems to be more connected with Oskar. As far as Eli and Oskar go, Eli gives Oskar the courage to stick up for himself to the kids who have been bullying him at school. It's overall a very morbid story but the heart of it was about family and friendship the very things that we see as so important in society.

Online Artifact Paper

Cedes Leon

Online Artifact Paper: Interview With The Vampire

"Who knew that better than I, who had presided over the death of my own body, seeing all I called human wither and die only to form an unbreakable chain which held me fast to this world yet made me forever its exile, a specter with a beating heart?" Louis struggles with this question throughout the entirety of Anne Rice’s Interview With The Vampire. The theme of religion and the existence of a soul is the one that stood out to me the most while reading the novel. During my research for our Online Artifact paper, I came across a website built by someone who calls him/herself “Professor Vampire” dealing with vampires and religion. It has a special page focusing on vampires and their souls (or lack thereof) from which I’ve referenced.

Professor defines the soul as emotional, rather than logical (like the mind). Further, he says that the mind tells of what we want and is “more important than any other input.” The soul, on the other hand, “tries to put the needs of others before my [his] own needs and wants.” If humans turned vampires no longer have a soul, they would be unable to put anyone else’s wants and desires before their own. In the case of Interview with the Vampire, if any of the characters possessed a soul, it would be Louis. The taking of a human life is deeply troubling to him despite it being a “normal” action for a vampire. Since the possession of a soul is connected with the ability to put one’s needs before your own, it would be correct to say that Louis does in fact have a soul. As I stated before, Louis has a serious aversion to killing humans but he allows Claudia to do so because she wants to. Claudia is the person he loves most, even though he is somewhat fearful of her. The fact that he allows her needs to be fulfilled when they go against everything he believes in proves that he still has at least a little bit of a soul. One could counter this argument though and say that because he loves Claudia so, her needs become his and putting those needs before those of the innocent humans she kills is a soulless act.

The possession of a soul is seen as what defines a being as a human. Professor asks the question, “If the vampire’s soul is lost upon death and all that remains is the mind and body, is it yet human?” This answer to this depends on each person’s definition of human, he says.

“Without a soul the vampire loses all ability to connect with God since God seems to prefer talking to souls instead of minds,” Professor writes. His search for other vampires stems from his wanting to know about the history of his kind why he is the way he is. This longing for knowledge can be compared to man’s longing for the knowledge of how his world works and was created (this often leads to a religious explanation). Louis still has that basic human need for knowledge, which would lead the reader to believe that he still has a shred of humanity. Louis also continues to have human reactions to things of beauty. This brought to light when he is watching the French vampire’s sadistic play, "Something in me was responding now as the audience responded, not in fear, but in some human way, to the magic of that fragile painted set, the mystery of the lighted world there."

"And my heart beat faster for the mountains of eastern Europe, finally, beat faster for the one hope that somewhere we might find in that primitive countryside the answer to why under God this suffering was allowed to exist - why under God it was allowed to begin, and how under God it might be ended. I had not the courage to end it, I knew, without that answer." Louis wonders this while journeying to Europe. This highlights his desire to understand his world and become close to God again. With closeness to God, Louis would have salvation, death--an end to his sadness. At one point Louis expresses exactly what he wants, "I wanted love and goodness in this which is living death,' I said. 'It was impossible from the beginning, because you cannot have love and goodness when you do what you know to be evil, what you know to be wrong. You can only have the desperate confusion and longing and the chasing of phantom goodness in its human form. I knew the real answer to my quest before I ever reached Paris. I knew it when I first took a human life to feed my craving. It was my death. And yet I would not accept it, could not accept it, because like all creatures I don't wish to die! And so I sought for other vampires, for God, for the devil, for a hundred things under a hundred names. And it was all the same, all evil. And all wrong. Because no one could in any guise convince me of what I myself knew to be true, that I was damned in my own mind and soul."

Professor Vampire’s website is filled with ambiguity but that could be the point. We’ve learned that vampires are often a reflection of humans and the societal values important at the time. Since vampires are defined by humans, it makes all the sense in the world that they might retain the basic human characteristics. That Louis has all of these characteristics proves him to be more than just a merciless killing machine. Thus, I believe that the vampires we’ve read about are similar to humans in that they are all unique and motivated by a different force. Louis’s just happens to be guilt while Lestat’s motivation is power.

Final Project Proposal

For my final project I will be choosing Option A: An Extended Literary Analysis Paper. I will continue my discussion on the connection between vampires and and female sexuality but I will incorporate and focus on vampires and femininity, using the Twilight series as an example. There is a lot of discussion on whether or not Twilight is anti-feminist and I found and interesting article that connects gender roles to Twilight and other vampire novels.

I think this will be a very interesting topic to delve deeper into. I've mentioned that I enjoy the Twilight series so I'm excited to explore this facet of them that I've never really thought about.

Also, the whole vampirism as a result of female hysteria idea I talked about in my first essay really resonated with me so getting to take it a step further will prove to be a very interesting process, I think.

I found the ending to Interview With The Vampire not so terrible. To be honest, I was expecting a lot worse and I was relieved that Daniel lived and that Lestat did not wind up in his car as in the movie.

I did find it kind of disturbing that Daniel would wish to become a vampire after hearing Louis's tale. Louis tells Daniel of all the suffering he has endured as a result of becoming a vampire. Even after hearing all of the heartbreak of watching Claudia struggle with her age and finally die, while being able to do nothing about it, it is crazy that Daniel would want a life such as that. I do not see the glory in being a vampire as Daniel obviously does. I think Louis ought to have roughed him up a bit to give him a healthy dose of fear.

I really felt for Louis all throughout the book. Even in his human life, he was deeply sad and this did not change as he hoped it would upon becoming a vampire. The sadness was only eternally prolonged, not nullified. To bear such a heavy burden as Louis does for all of time sounds like the worst nightmare I could imagine. Far worse than being a vampire. I would even go so far as to say that I would rather be Louis or Lestat's prey than have to live forever.

This whole living forever thing that is associated with vampires seems to be something that humans really covet. I really don't understand why, though. Immortality is not human, natural, or normal. Humans have deep ties to each other and I can't see why someone would want to live beyond everyone they know and love.

Interview with the Vampire Part One

I am actually really enjoying Interview With The Vampire. I find it exciting and easy to read; maybe it helps that I've seen the movie so I sort of know what to expect but nonetheless I definitely like it. I do think that this movie started my being creeped out by Tom Cruise and my love of Brad Pitt...not surprisingly that was all I could think about while reading hah.

That this novel is told through Louis's point of view definitely has a lot to do with how the reader views him and the other vampire characters. This was the first instance, for any of the novels that we've read, in which I have actually felt compassion for one of the vampires. Louis's tale is a sad one...first he must cope with the loss of his humanity, then with the monstrous child he's created, and finally with the loss of Claudia. Not only must he cope with all of these things, but he must cope with them for eternity.

Seeing things from Louis's point of view probably does skew the reader's view of Lestat though... It is hard to imagine that Lestat could have some redeeming quality but maybe if we saw things through his eyes..? That's a big maybe.

We also see Claudia through Louis's perspective. Even though Claudia is sort of a little monster baby, the reader (or at least I) still liked her. I think this has all to do with us seeing her through Louis's eyes. Louis loves her and looks over her lack of respect for human life because she is his "daughter". "And there was so much pleasure in caring for her," Louis says. In the same paragraph however he expresses his concern, "She was simply unlike Lestat and me to such an extent I couldn't comprehend her; for little child she was, but also fierce killer now capable of the ruthless pursuit of blood with all a child's demanding."

I Am Legend Part Two

Before reading the literary criticism article, I never thought about the racial undertones in I Am Legend, but they now seem obvious.

This book was written at a time of great turmoil in America. Not only was World War II just ending, this was also during the civil rights movement, around the exact time that Brown vs Board of Education was passed, undoing the doctrine of "separate but equal." Some White-Americans at the time, were afraid that their way of life was being undone, much the way that Neville's life had been undone by the vampires.

The vampires in I Am Legend are a plague. They have caught the unsuspecting humans off guard and threaten everything they know and believe in. The fear of their takeover is similar to the fear that Anglo-Americans might have had in the 50s-60s about African-Americans taking over. The vampires are inherently evil and different, a race that must be stamped out or contained.

Patterson talks about the "half breed" in this novel, which definitely mirrors a lot of western ideas about race. There is lots of fear associated with the half breed. Fear that they will assimilate into society unbeknownst to the masses, forever changing what that "mass" is. After Reconstruction, the idea of a half breed was introduced. It was decided that only people who had 1/8 of African ancestry could still be considered white. This rule was strictly enforced, so that no one might escape it and be considered white when they were not (in the eyes of the law).

White blood was considered to be pure blood and whites did not want their race to be "dirtied" with the blood of a different ethnicity. That is why half breeds were looked down upon, they were neither one ethnicity nor the other, they were a group all to themselves.

Neville sees himself as "normal" and the vampires as defected. We can see this when he is talking to Ruth and says "You're on trial, not me." He is insinuating that she and all the others must be judged against him, the "normal" one.

Extra Credit Isolation U/Zombie Video Games

This presentation centered mainly around a zombie computer game that students at the speaker's school created. I failed to see the connection to literature but I suppose I did see the connection to vampires.

At the beginning of the lecture, Mr. Greenspan talked about how zombies are somewhat of a scapegoat for society. Vampires are also very much a scapegoat. They represent what we fear, very often, the unknown. They always seem to be some sort of sexual representation. Until recently, sexuality wasn't something openly discussed, it was embarrassing and especially taboo for women. Carmilla is a perfect example of this; the hysteric woman was not something understood by male scientists so they turned her into something dangerous fearful. Vampires seem to always be an elusive creature, as well. Meaning that there is something off about them, yet their human companions cannot help but to be drawn to them. We see this in Carmilla, Dracula, and The Vampyre.

I failed to see the importance of the zombie video games. Maybe I'm biased because video games bore me, but all of this interest in zombies just seems weird. Again, maybe this is because I don't like scary things, who knows. That these students would go to such great lengths to simulate real society rather than just live in it seems very off to me. The fact that they identify with the zombie is very disturbing, as well. Zombies eat people. Thus, they should not be something idealized or envied. When you think about it, that someone would identify with a zombie is quite sad. Have they really no faith in our society? I mean, I know there are numerous things to be fixed, but I really don't see how someone could be that discouraged with it.

The students that created it are obviously very smart, it'd be great if they could also put their efforts into something that would help our ACTUAL society.

I Am Legend Part One

To be honest, I was not at all excited to read this book. I am not a fan of scary movies and though some may not classify I Am Legend as a scary movie, I sure do, and I found it really hard to watch. SO you can imagine my excitement at reading this.

I actually found that I enjoyed Matheson's writing though. It is easy to feel for Neville; his anguish is transferred through the pages very realistically.

I found the novel to be very much less stressful than the movie except for the sexual theme introduced. It was weird, and pretty unnecessary, if you ask me. Maybe Matheson wrote it in to add to Neville's humanity, but I think that his pain is already human enough. The fact that it was introduced on one of the first pages was also a bit much. It was as if Matheson wanted to make sure that the reader knew that Neville was still very much a man. It seemed obvious to me, but I don't know, maybe not to others.

The most obvious difference between the vampires in I Am Legend and the others we have read about is their complete lack of intelligence. Matheson's vampires are mindless, only focused on hunting down Neville. Whereas the other vampires we've read about are refined and interesting. They are able to see beyond their thirst and have interests besides drinking blood. This gives them humanity where Matheson's vampires have none. From this, I believe that Matheson is making a comment on his society's humanity. This book was written soon after World War II and could be a comment on the war's ending. I Am Legend is also an apocolyptic novel, therefore it could be a comment on the atomic bombs and the world ceasing to exist because of them.

Dracula Part One

It is obvious that most of the modern conceptions of vampires come from Dracula. With his pale skin and cold hands, he describes my idea of what a vampire is.

Now that we have read a number of these vampire novels, I am starting to gain a further grasp on what a vampire actually is. From the get go, I found that vampires have a a need for interaction (often with humans). This strikes me as interesting because in most situations in the novels we've read, the vampire starts an actual relationship with it's prey. This is no different in Dracula... This proves that not only do vampires have a thirst for blood, but they also have a thirst for connection. Thus proving their humanity, albeit a small amount at times.

Dracula also gives way to the idea that vampires don't eat. This contradicts what i just said about vampires having humanistic tendencies...humans need food and water to survive. Authors display the vampire's uniqueness from humans in that they do not (need food and water to survive). They do have a need though, blood. This can be seen as their "food" however, and that would give even more value to the fact that they DO in fact have aat least a shred of humanity.

Also common among the vampires we've read about and Dracula, is their (seemingly) charming personality. In every account of a vampire, the human prey has noted how engaging and interesting their vampire is. I believe that this is also meant to show their human side. Dracula shows this in how refined he seems.

Carmilla Part 2

I am usually not a fan of literary criticism but I actually really enjoyed Heller's "The Vampire in the House."

Carmilla is very similar to a lot of the works we've read about vampires thus far. We have all the same themes, the most prevalent being obsession and homoeroticism. But Le Fanu switched it up this time a bit by making the vampire female. Along with "The Vampire in the House" I feel like this introduced a whole new set of topics to think about.

While reading "The Vampire in the House" I kept thinking that everything comes back to the Victorian-era male's view on what a female should be. This idea of a "hysteric woman" is not something I am unfamiliar with but this is the first time I've seen it connected with a vampire.

It just seems like these Victorian male intellectuals were so stressed out by the fact that women might know something about sex that they had to label any woman who showed signs of not being completely clueless as an invalid or vampire. "A hysterical girl," Wendell Holmes says, "is a vampire who sucks the blood of healthy people around her." He even gives us an example as to why this is true by saying, "I may add that pretty surely where there is one hysterical girl there will be soon or late two sick women." It just seems so blatantly obvious that since these men couldn't fathom why women might be the least bit unhappy (umm maybe it was because they had almost no rights and were expected to live as their fathers and husbands directed no matter what), they created this idea of a hysteric woman. Heller explains this in the text by saying, "Moreover, as all this male nervousness about voracious women suggests, both the female hysteric and the female vampire embody a relation to desire that nineteenth-century culture finds highly problematic."

Further, in the introduction to "Carmilla", Dr. Hesselius's friend talks about this "mysterious subject." Vampirism is not the only "mysterious subject" he is talking about. The underlying subject in "Carmilla" is that of femininity. "This image of femininity recalls Weir Mitchell's reference to hysteria as 'mysteria,' an emblematic illness for women who have traditionally been the great enigma."

The main theme of "Carmilla" however, may very well be that of lesbianism and its epistemology. Men seem to be very worried that women will know discover sexuality too soon and that they will discover it in the wrong context. It is obvious that Carmilla has some sort of sexual attraction to Laura. Laura recalls that Carmilla would gaze into her eyes, blushing, and breathing fast, "It was like the ardour of a lover; it embarrassed me; it was hateful and yet over-powering; and with gloating eyes she drew me to her, and her hot lips travelled along my cheek in kisses; and she would whisper, almost in sobs, “You are mine, you shall be mine, you and I are one for ever.”

Laura gets that this is not something that two platonic friends do and say to eachother, "What if a boyish lover had found his way into the house, and sought to prosecute his suit in masquerade, with the assistance of a clever old adventuress," she muses. Laura even finds herself feeling the same way about Carmilla, but along with these thoughts come the notion that something is wrong, "I experienced a strange tumultuous excitement that was pleasurable, ever and anon, mingled with a vague sense of fear and disgust. I had no distinct thoughts about her while such scenes lasted, but I was conscious of a love growing into adoration, and also of abhorrence."

Female Hysteria And Sexuality As A Means Of Control

Tamar Heller explores the idea of a “hysteric” girl in his writing “The Vampire in the House.” This discussion blossoms into a conversation about female sexuality and epistemology (nature and scope of knowledge) of said sexuality (Wikipedia). Heller describes these ideas through the analyzation of Sheridan Le Fanu’s “Carmilla,” an 19^th century ghost-story in which it’s narrator, Laura, describes her encounters with a vampire. Heller uses a multitude of sources to relay his ideas about the mystery that femininity presented to Victorian-era men.

The first definition we receive of female hysteria comes from American physician Weir Mitchell. He uses a metaphor to paint the picture: “A hysterical girl is…a vampire who sucks the blood of healthy people about her.” He goes on to say that, “…I may add that pretty surely where there is one hysterical girl there will be soon or late two sick women” (Holmes 78). This shows that Mitchell believes hysteria to be contagious among women. It also shows his underlying beliefs that women are something of a burden, needing to feed off of others in order to survive. In Le Fanu’s story, Laura becomes very sick after a mysterious houseguest, Carmilla comes to stay with them. Laura only begins to recover after it is found out that Carmilla is a vampire who has been preying on her at night. Heller makes a crucial point when he says that, “the parallel between this story and Mitchell’s image of the self-reproducing hysteric suggests an interdisciplinary cultural dialogue: not only, for doctors, is the hysterical woman like a vampire but, in takes like Le Fanu’s, the vampire can be read as a figure for the hysterical woman” (Heller 78). Carmilla is languid, prone to sudden outbursts of anger, and does not sleep or eat. Symptoms of hysteria were faintness, insomnia, nervousness, irritability, loss of appetite or libido, and the general tendency to be a nuisance. The connections between Carmilla and hysteric women are obvious. Heller tells us that there were two main theories for female hysteria. The first was to ascribe the hysteria to sexual frustration or desire. The second theory blamed the female’s sensitive nervous system. However, “a series of metonymic associations in Victorian physiological theory, however, linked the female reproductive system not only to nervousness and hysteria but also to women’s capacity for sexual arousal, suggesting that nerves were, as Cynthia Eagle Russet says in Sexual Science, ‘apparently synonymous with female sexuality’” (Heller and Russet 78).

Victorian-era men were extremely bothered with this hysteria because it took the conventionality out of the woman. Hysteric women were not the plump, quiet, abiding, ever-smiling beings they had grown to associate with femininity. Rather, hysteric women were often skinny from their loss of appetite, and pale and irritable from their lack of sleep.

In Le Fanu’s story, Carmilla is first introduced to Laura when her carriage is in an accident and the fainted Carmilla is carried from within. Also in the carriage is “a hideous black woman, with a sort of coloured turban on her head, who was gazing all the time from the carriage window, nodding and grinning decisively towards the ladies with gleaming eyes and large white eye-balls, and her teeth set as if in fury” (Le Fanu). This image reveals “what lurks beneath the surface of conventional femininity” (Heller 84). We see this nastier side of femininity in “Carmilla”, as well. Laura singing a hymn sets Carmilla off into a rage: “It (her face) darkened, and became horribly livid; her teeth and hands were clenched, and she frowned and compressed her lips…” (Le Fanu). “As Carmilla’s face darkens, she becomes what figures like the black woman in the carriage symbolize in nineteenth-century racist and sexist iconography: the woman as angry, demonic, and animalistically sexual other…” Heller explains (Heller 84). In the last pages of “Carmilla”, it is found out that she is a vampire and thus she is brutally executed. Heller muses, “If, as Helene Cixous says, ‘the hysterical woman is the woman who disturbs and is nothing but disturbance’ we can see what happens to such disorderly women” (Cixous and Heller 89). That being said, we now have reason to believe that “Carmilla” serves also as a warning to women to not stray from their pre-determined roles.

Another interesting element of “Carmilla” that Heller explores is that of lesbianism. When reading the story, the lesbian elements are very apparent and plain to see, even if they do make one do a bit of a double take. Carmilla’s interest in Laura is identifiable from the very beginning of their relationship. Carmilla states, “I cannot help it; as I draw nearer to you, you, in your turn will draw nearer to others, and learn the rapture of that cruelty, which yet is love; so, for a while, seek to know no more of me and mine, but trust me with all your loving spirit,” while laying cheek to cheek with Laura with her hands about Laura’s neck, kissing her cheek (Le Fanu 263).

The question now becomes: does Laura understand this interest? Does she return it? After describing Carmilla’s beauty with great detail and passion Laura says, “Heavens! If I had but known all!” (Le Fanu 262). “What is intriguing about such a comment in light of the general’s definition of female innocence as utter ignorance, is the tantalizing and perhaps purposeful vagueness of ‘all’: Laura’s ‘Had I but known all’ suggests that she very well may have known some,” Heller states (Heller 87). Trying to make sense of Carmilla’s behavior, Laura wonders, "What if a boyish lover had found his way into the house, and sought to prosecute his suit in masquerade, with the assistance of a clever old adventuress" (Le Fanu 265). This possible explanation she tries to rationalize shows that although Laura does not even see that their could possibly be same-sex lovers, she is on her way to understanding her reaction to Carmilla’s touches.

With that underlying realization, Laura says, "Now the truth is, I felt rather unaccountably towards the beautiful stranger. I did feel, as she said, ‘drawn towards her’, but there was also something of repulsion. In this ambiguous feeling however, the sense of attraction immensely prevailed. She interested and won me; she was so beautiful and so indescribably engaging” (Le Fanu 260-261). Later, Laura talks about a “pleasurable” feeling she identifies with Carmilla. “The orgasmic overtones of this language of tumultuous sensation resonate in the dreams Laura has once Carmilla starts to suck her blood, dreams in which it seems as if ‘warm lips kissed me’ as she feels the classic hysterical symptoms of ‘strangulation’ and ‘convulsion,’ says Heller (Heller 85). The turn from feeling “engaged” towards Carmilla to having obvious lesbian feelings towards her comes when Carmilla begins to pay Laura her nightly visits. Had Carmilla not been a vampire, maybe just an overly emotional friend, would Laura’s feelings have progressed so? I’d argue that Laura’s feelings would have stayed merely inquisitorial. Laura has led an extremely sheltered life, her only companions being her nurses and her father. That being said, it seems only natural that she would have such an interest in a new friend. I believe that her feelings would have stayed borderline, never venturing so far as we see they ultimately do.

The fact that women may know more than previously thought about their sexuality was very troubling to Victorian-era men: “This anxiety sprang from a fear, even if as yet only partially articulated, of the sexual implications of such friendships, while also belying a wariness about the formation of emotional bonds that might hinder a girl’s entry into the world of heterosexuality” (Heller 87).

When Laura is six-years-old she is visited by a mysterious woman at the foot of her bed that lies down with her and bites her breast (just as Carmilla later does, in fact, Laura recognizes Carmilla as the mysterious woman when she meets her again and it is obvious that the two mysterious women are one in the same). This incident proposes that Laura “knows too much too soon about sexuality” (Heller 83). Laura tells her nurses and father about the incident and their anxiety is clear. Being the concerned and loving father he is, Laura’s father calls on a priest and a doctor to see his daughter. But these males are “…desiccated and elderly, too impotent to stave off a powerful and predatory female sexuality” Heller explains. Thus we see worry not only for Laura but for the fact that there is a force too strong and mysterious for men to understand.

Heller gathers information from Helen Stoddart’s reading of “Carmilla” as well. He collects that “this type of misogyny implies a class allegory in which decadent aristocrats are pitted against the virtuous ascendant bourgeoisie” (Heller 88). In simpler terms, the misogyny shown by Laura’s father and his contemporaries is a metaphor for the struggle between old, established views (that may very well be outdated) and the new “moral” views of the rising class. Carmilla and her lesbianism represent the “decadent aristocrat,” holding outdated views (female power) that Laura’s father, priest, and doctor, who represent the new class, are threatened by and yearn to change. This is an “attempt to normalize the authority of the bourgeoisie family (upper class)” (Heller 88). Gaining the power back is not the only goal of the bourgeoisie, though. They want to stamp out this fact that lesbianism is a way for women to pass and acquire knowledge. Victorian era men only hold the upper hand in society because they make sure to keep women in the dark, so to speak. “That one can make such a link in “Carmilla” between female mind and body—between sexuality and knowledge—is revealing a historical moment in which lesbianism and women’s education were starting to be metonymically (one word being substituted for another) linked,” Heller declares (Heller 88). Through this bonding between women, they become “independent of male control” (Heller 89).

Heller offers many different points and perspectives throughout his paper but in his last paragraph he describes the literary and social importance of “Carmilla.” He tells us, “For, despite the strenuously brutal efforts of male authority to erase women’s sexual knowledge, this desire continues to haunt their writing, just as Laura ends her narrative imagining that Carmilla, her image shifting from innocent angel to knowing demon with ‘ambiguous alterations’, is at her chamber door,” (Heller 91). Even though the male authority struggled so determinedly to keep women’s sexuality a secret from them, it is clear that the possibility of women gaining control of their bodies and minds it is still something they feel poses a great and underlying threat.

WORKS CITED

1. 1. Contrast, By. "Epistemology." Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Web. 30 Sept. 2010. .

2. 2. Le Fanu, Sheridan. "Carmilla." In A Glass Darkly. New York: Oxford UP, 1872. 243-319. Print.

3. 3. Hellar, Tamar. The Vampire In The House: Hysteria, Female Sexuality, and Female Knowledge in Le Fanu's "Carmilla" (1872). Article.

Wuthering Heights: Part 2

While reading Wuthering Heights, the comparisons to the Twilight Series became very apparent. While reading the Twilight books, I noticed many of the Wuthering Heights refreneces but did not fully understand them till now.

The main theme connecting the two books I think, is that of obsession. Also, I think that this obsession theme goes further than jsut Wuthering Heights and Twilight. It seems to be there in every vampire novel/movie/whathaveyou. Humans have a certain obsession with vampires and vice versa.

Heathcliff has an obsession with Catherine that transcends her death and goes on to punish everyone connected to her...Hareton, Linton, and Edgar.

In Twilight, Edward also shows this obsession although it is very different from Heathcliff's obsession. Edward's main concern in life is keeping Bella safe. He does whatever he can to do this, sometimes sacrificing his family, and almost always sacrificing himself.

In both of the books, the obsession seems to win out over love. In Twlight, Edward knows that he is no good for Bella but his obsession/love for her wins out over this notion.

Same for Wuthering Heights, one would think that because Heathcliff loves Catherine so much he would want to do right by her daughter, young Catherine. But no...Heathcliff can see nothing besides his deep need to get revenge on Catherine in any way, shape, or form possible.

In Eclipse, Stephenie Meyer uses a number of quotes to compare the relationship Bella has with both Jacob and Edward to the relationships that Catherine has with both Edgar and Heathcliff. Bella and Catherine both have two great loves.

Wuthering Heights: Part 1

First off, I am in love with this book. I knew I would like it but I had no idea how much I would connect with it.

What stood out to me the most were the main themes of love and revenge. The fact that the two were separated by so thin a line did not surprise me either. Perhaps if I had not read the book while thinking about love and revenge I might not fully understand why the two are so similar...BUT...since I did, it now seems that the two are one in the same.

Not only are they one in the same, but it seems like they are a direct result of one another. Born out of eachother, if you will.

The first example of this would be in Heathcliff and Hindley Earnshaw. Though we don't understand his reasoning (yet?) Mr. Earnshaw sees something in young Heathcliff that he instantly falls in love with. So much so that he brings him home and treats him as his most loved son for the remainder of his years. Out of this love for Heathcliff from Mr. Earnshaw, Hindley begins to grow a deep hatred for Heathcliff that will last throughout the remainder of his years: "So, from the very beginning, he bred bad feeling in the house; and at Mrs. Earnshaw's death, which happened in less than two years after, the young master had learned to regard his father as an oppressor rather than a friend, and Heathcliff as a usurper of his parent's affections and his privileges; and he grew bitter with brooding over these injuries." In the beginning, one can feel sort of bad for Hindley. Being usurped as favorite son IS something that would leave a lasting resentment but as the novel goes on, we begin to see that Hindley's dislike for Heathcliff is much more intense than that. It is this treatment of Heathcliff that makes the reader feel for him (Heathcliff). Out of Hindley's hatred for Heathcliff springs a lifelong need for revenge. This hatred starts the cycle of revenge for the entire novel.

Heathcliff also has a need for revenge: "I'm trying to settle how I shall pay Hindley back. I don't care how long I wait, if I can only do it at last. I hope he will not die before I do!"

We also notice that in childhood, Heathcliff and Catherine work on their revenge together: "... they forgot everything the minute they were together again: at least the minute they had contrived some naughty plan of revenge." Perhaps this begins their twisted love affair. Because they were once allied revenge-seekers they cannot truly seek revenge on eachother later in life. This could be why Isabella bears the brunt of Heathcliff's revenge tactics...We know that Heathcliff is very intelligent; if he wanted to he COULD find a way to direct his cruelness at Cathy but he doesn't wish to cause her direct pain.

Even more blatantly obvious than this revenge relationship is that of Catherine and Heathcliff. It begins when Catherine marries Edgar and has not stopped by the end of our assigned reading. Obviously, Heathcliff and Catherine have an extremely intense love: "It would degrade me to marry Heathcliff now; so he shall never know how I love him; and that, not because he’s handsome, Nelly, but because he’s more myself than I am. Whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same..." "If all else perished, and he remained, I should still continue to be; and if all else remained, and he were annihilated, the universe would turn to a mighty stranger: I should not seem a part of it" says Catherine.

Heathcliff plans and carries out his revenge on Catherine for the rest of the novel. Also, Cathy knows that Heathcliff is trying to exact his revenge on her for marrying another. This fact is forgiven, just as Catherine's betrayal to Heathcliff is, because their's is a love that cannot be denied or altered.

It is obvious that Heathcliff's form of revenge is cruel, especially to the poor, innocent Isabella. But at the same time, we can't help but to commiserate with him because this revenge is born out of the extreme, undeniable love between Heathcliff and Cathy. Even though his methods are hateful, I couldn't help but root for him a bit.

The Vampyre

What caught my eye the most in Polidori's "The Vampyre" was Ruthven's plea to Aubrey. This seems to connect back up with the "oath" in "Giving Up the Ghost." This need for companionship, for closeness, is still apparent:

Assist me! you may save me -- you may do more than that -- I mean not life, I heed the death of my existence as little as that of the passing day; but you may save my honour, your friend's honour...I need but little, my life ebbs apace -- I cannot explain the whole -- but if you would conceal all you know of me, my honour were free from stain in the world's mouth -- and if my death were unknown for some time in England...Swear by all your soul reveres, by all your nature fears, swear that for a year and a day you will not impart your knowledge of my crimes or death to any living being in any way, whatever may happen, or whatever you may see."

Again, a vampire has entrusted his secret to a human and desperately needs him to keep it (his secret). On the other hand, upon finishing the story, it seems that Ruthven has been deceiving Aubrey all along. It could be that Ruthven planned getting "killed" so that he could force Aubrey to promise to tell no one of his secret until after he'd married his sister. Although this is extremely sinister and not like the friendly Darvell in "Giving up the Ghost," it does show that Ruthven (or vampires in general) have a need for humans--twisted as that need may be.

I found it interesting that even though Ruthven is sort of evil, he never chooses to kill Aubrey. It would have been quick, and definitely easier than going through to whole courtship process with Aubrey's sister. This shows me that Ruthven does actually have a connection and maybe even affection for Aubrey.

Giving Up The Ghost

The first time I read "Giving Up the Ghost" I found it extremely boring and could barely keep my eyes open. However, upon reading it for a second time, I found it much more interesting. I never thought about how the vampire evolved over time and looking back that seems a huge point to miss. It is interesting how when the vampire character was first introduced it was something friendly. The vampire is obviously still mysterious, but it wasn't so menacing as one might think nowadays.

I really liked the quote on page 13: "He was a being of no common order, and one who, whatever pains might take to avoid remark, would still be remarkable." This quote validates everything I know about vampires and humans. In books, movies, TV shows, or any other medium, humans are always intensely interested in their vampires. The example that comes to mind first would be that in the Twilight Series. Bella is obviously in love with Edward, but I think it is also very clear that she is in love with the "idea" of vampires. She has a respect and sort of a fascination with all of the vampires she encounters, even the ones that threaten her life. Bella is not the only human that is intrigued by the Cullens, either. Everyone at her high school is awe-struck by them. Not only for their beauty but because it's obvious that they are something else. This statement could also be proven through "Interview With a Vampire." The vampire is telling the interviewer this crazy story of his long life and how he killed all these people, fed on rats, and encountered these terrifying beings. And still, the interviewer stays and listens. I personally would not stick around to hear how someone killed countless other humans knowing full and well that I could be next.

Again, it's this crazy, irrational fascination humans seem to have with vampires.

"Giving Up the Ghost" also made me see that the fascination might just go both ways. "This oath-to preserve Ruthven's honor by concealing his predatory life and apparent death-has absolute binding power..." "...the oath signifies instead a bond between companions that is shared and chosen, one far from the Dracula-like mesmeric coercion we associate with vampires today." This oath says that not only do humans need vampires, but it is vice-versa as well. We have seen time and time again vampires entrusting the secret of their identity to one human against their better judgement. I think that this only strengthens the argument that vampires have more human tendencies then we think. The oath shows that vampires have that human need to feel close to another being. This feeling is often achieved by sharing something personal. All in all...vampires need love too!

I've always really wanted to go somewhere in the Mediterranean. I love the water and I love the desert/mountains so I think it's amazing that there's a place that has both.

This is my favorite blog ilovewildfox.com Wildfox is one of my favorite brands and one of the designers runs this blog and I think the editorials and photos she puts on it are perfect.

I don't really go on youtube that much. Netflix would probably be the closest thing to that. Weeds, Lost, SVU, and Heroes are my favorites.

Of courseeee the Cullens are my favorite vamps. I like that even though they were all dealt this extremely unlucky hand at being vampires they still try to be the best possible version of a vampire.

assignment one

My name is Cedes Leon, I'm a sophomore, and an English major.

Three interesting facts? Blah..I don't think these are very interesting but here goes...

1. I lived in China when I was little

2. I'm from Arizona

3. I was born on the same day as Baby Shamu

I signed up for this class not realizing that it was "Intro to Vampire Novels". I thought it was just "Intro to the Novel" and I like novels so I figured why not. I have so many favorite books it's difficult to even try to rank them. The one I re-read the most though is Catcher in the Rye. I love the way it's written...so conversationally. I also just love Holden in and of himself. I love his wit, sarcasm, and pretty much just the way his mind works. I also love East of Eden, Weetzie Bat, Valley of the Dolls, The Poisonwood Bible, and all of the Harry Potters. I've always really liked fantasy/magic-type books. I looooved House of the Spirits and I think I like Weetzie Bat and Harry Potter because they're so magical. When I read a book I hope to be yearning for a sequel at the end of it. I love it when right after I put down a book I find myself thinking and talking the same way the character I just read about does. I'm only a sophomore so I've only taken two other English classes. English 215 & 223. 215 was all about literary criticism which I really dislike but I did enjoy 223; what we read was much more interesting and had actual historical purpose which I liked. Hmm... What do I know about vampires... The only vampire books I've read are the ones in the Twilight series and I'm not going to lie..I really enjoy them all. I liked them because I feel like the fact that they're vampires comes second to the actual story. Vampires freak me out to be honest. The Twilight vampires are the only ones I've liked so far from my experiences with True Blood, Buffy, and Interview With A Vampire. I feel like if I gave it more of a chance I might like it though because it totally goes with the whole fantasy thing and that's always been something that interests me.

I have a Facebook and Twitter. Sometimes I Skype but not that often. I don't have a blog but I read a lot of them. Mostly fashion ones...I'm really into clothes and all that jazz. I like online communication...it's quick, easy and a good way to keep in touch with people. I've moved a lot so I have lots of family and friends in different places so it's nice to see them all in one place.