Vanessa Tam, Period 1, 3/25/22

Vanessa Tam

Period 1

3/25/22

Modern Mythology


Literacy & Learning


Write about your thoughts regarding any of the fiction or nonfiction covered in class. Reflect on any new information you have learned in English class by considering how that learning influences your critical perception. How is what you’re learning applied to any other classes/the world around you?


Twilight by Stephenie Meyers was my gateway to the supernatural world. Though it was my first introduction to vampires, it wasn’t quite what drew me in. Fast forward to freshman year, when I started (but never finished) watching The Vampire Diaries, I was finally lured into the wondrous world of vampires, werewolves, and witches. When Ms. Fusaro announced that our new topic was focused on vampires, I was ecstatic. However, I have to admit Anne Rice’s Interview with the Vampire is nothing like what I anticipated. Rather than the typical romance narrative presented in every supernatural show and movie, this novel dealt with more serious issues such as homosexuality, religion, ethics, and morality.


As we continue to explore more works of literature, I found myself oftentimes drawing connections to previous stories we’ve read. In class, I was making parallels between Lestat and the Dragon in Grendel, both of whom have a nihilistic attitude toward life and serve as omnipotent figures to their respective main character, and between Louis and Grendel, both of whom are trying to find purpose and meaning in life. On the topic of Grendel, not only did I learn how to draw connections between the pieces of literature themselves but also to the world around me. Spirituality has always been a topic that piqued my interest. Thus, while we were analyzing Grendel, I thoroughly enjoyed correlating the characters and the plot with the distinct characteristics of each astrological sign.


Moreover, I noticed that I was also drawing connections between the historical and Louis’s portrayal of vampires in the Interview with the Vampire and the vampires depicted in The Vampire Diaries. For example, in our first lesson on vampires, we discovered that Estir translates to “child killer,” and in The Originals, a character named Esther is a mother of seven who likewise seeks to kill her vampire children to put an end to their immortal lifestyle. Also, in the novel, Lestat explains that vampires can feed on animal blood but it will never compare to the pleasure they get from feeding on humans. Similarly, in The Vampire Diaries, Stefan, one of the main vampires, had to feed off of animal blood for a period of time, which did not provide him with the same enjoyment as feeding on human blood and weakened him as a vampire. This also brought up the debate of morals versus ethics – a recurring theme across the story. While it may seem ethical to feed on and kill humans from Lestat's perspective as a vampire, Louis is still adapting to his vampirism and clinging to his humanity, thus he regards this behavior as immoral and sinful. Despite the many similarities, there are some differences. Unlike the story, vampires in The Vampire Diaries can roam freely during the day due to the witches' creation of a daylight ring. If this invention is incorporated into the novel, it may grant vampires far too much power, as one of their key weaknesses, as Louis noted, is their inability to fully appreciate the beauty of the world. Vampires in the novel also lack the ability to compel humans, a gift that vampires in The Vampire Diaries possess, which is reasonable given that doing so would entirely tip the balance of power between humans and vampires, rendering vampirism more desirable. While Julie Plec (writer of The Vampire Diaries) tried to make vampirism more desirable and appealing to her younger audience, Anne Rice tried to illustrate the dark reality of vampirism.