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 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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I think the author has an interesting perspective on this. i never thought of vampires as being anything more than we normally think of them. The ghost bit kind of makes sense too. In a series I read, there's a ghost of an old wizard, and his sole purpose in the story is to influence the way the characters think about things and help them along on their journey through some terrifying situations.
I haven't read many books where there are ghosts or vampires except the part of Hamlet we ahve read so far and "A Christmas Carol". But i do think that everyone has a dark side. I think that wether that is the person's normal personality or just one that comes out when someone gets mad, everyone has one. But like Austin, i had never thought about a vampire having anymore significance than being the character that causes everyone to be scared os drink people's blood.
I agree with both Austin's and Aimee's point of view. I had never really thought of a vampire having more meaning then just sucking the blood out of his/her victim, but the author does make a very good point.
And, yes I also believe that everyone as a dark side. There are many sides of people that we don't always see, because around most people they choose to act kind, but that isn't always the case.
Besides Hamlet the only other story with the Ghost in it is the Ghosts of Christmas past, present, and future!
This chapter definitely ties into what we're reading in Hamlet, which the author mentions. Hamlet's father's ghost is in the story for a distinct purpose, to call Hamlet to action by letting him know what is truly going on within Denmark's royal family. He is not written in to scare or entertain us. Like everyone said, I never thought about normal people functioning as ghosts or vampires.
I had never really thought about vampires and ghosts being more than just that. Who's to really say that's what the authors were getting at anyway. It is an interesting thought though. And it proves that there are definitely "vampires" everywhere, especially here at school if you think about it.
I definitely think people have dark sides. They may not be the most dominant sides in some people, and some people may not even show that side of them but everybody has some dark part of them.
I think the author does a good job of showing there is more to Vampires and Ghosts. I thought that Vampires were only blood suckers and Ghosts were only creature who came out on Holloween and said BOO! In this chapter it shows they are more. I also agree with everyone else and think everybody has a dark side, i think even Ashton Skates has a dark side somewhere in that body of hers.
I agree with Aimee, I personally have never thought about a "vampire" as being any thing more then...well a blood thirsty killer...except for the twilight series they do tend to restrain them selves. On the other hand reading this chapter has forced me to see that any evil can be referenced to a vampire. Vampires take away the innocence of the body, just as a killer, rapist, etc does to his/her victim. so I guess there isn’t much difference between the two?
I think a ghost can be some kind of omen. Good or bad. Sometimes it can be a sign or revenge or evil, othertime it could show forgiveness. It all just depends on how the ghost dies i think. I can't think of any books that have vampires in them other than twilight right now and the much stated dracula.
I also have never thought of vampires as being anything more than monsters who try to be cool and suck peoples blood. i also think that people have 2 different sides to them. one they act around poeple and the other they act when they're alone.
When i think of vampires I think of black capes and blood sucking stuff. This chapter was so true when it said that a vampire can be everyday people. Another book that we read this year brought this out. "the scarlet ibis" was about a big brother who pushed his little brother so hard that he eventually got pushed to hard and died. The big bro didn't know it but he was slowly sucking the life out of his little bro because of his desire to have a normal brother.
I like how at the beginning of the chapter he talks about how one simple word can change the whole meaning of something. Nice to eat WITH you and nice to eat you. To totally different things. I think the book he mentions "The Turn of the Screw" seems like a really interesting book. I'm really into ghosts and demonic possessions. I don't agree with what he said about vampires. They are not extremely attractive. I don't think Edward is attractive at all.
I think by the author giving us a different view on what "vampires" can be, this should open our closed minds on how we think if things. Not everything is what it sppears to be. I def think that ALL ppl have a dark side. It's part of life. We all have moments of evilness..no matter WHO you are.
I thought that it was an interesting way of viewing a character in a story. I never would've thought of someone being a 'vampire' of any sort. I do see that everyone has a dark side and it does seem prevalent in many stories. Even in Hamlet, I can see that Hamlet's 'dark side' it the one bent on revenge.
so i have to say that i never really thought of vampires being more than just your typical vampire. but i agree with ash-daddy up there and everyone else who said it goes along with hamlet... but i do think that everyone has a dark side to them.. that's just life.
I hadn't ever thought of a vampire like that before either. Of course the only vampire books I've read are usually teen and don't really go along with that same kind of thinking. I was defintiely glad we have started reading Hamlet otherwise the reference, like many other references in this book, would have been lost on me. This book really makes you think.
This chapter is actually really interesting... Especially the way he classifies every single villain in the history of books as a vampire... even if they are just as human as we are. I had never htought of it this way, but it is clever, because in a sense,
every villain sucks the life out of the victim... even if it's not literally.
Again, i agree with what he had to say. A lot of characters in books, even if not outright evil, and be inherently characteristic of a vampire. He makes a good point that they don't have to drain your blood, but if a character takes something away or drains the life or energy or another more vulnerable character, it's a vampire. i also liked what he had to say about the double personality or twin thing. I've seen that theme many times, especially in Poe's works.
This might of been my truly favorite chapter. All i read are vampire novels from well know authors such as Anne Rice or Stephine Meyer of the twilght series. In there books there plung right into the depths of human obsessions and fear's with the darkside of our souls we all have a demon on our shoulder and we manifest them threw vampire's and gost's and everythingelse that goes bump in the night and the funny thing is the fears and guilt pepole get from there sin's ends up creating a monster that sucks the life from them like a vampire but like always we are our worst enemy because we in truth are the demons we create.
I never really thought about a ghost being more than a ghost either. I was glad that we are reading Hamlet. I actually had an idea of what he was talking about unlike in his other references.
I do think everyone has a dark side. Most people choose not to show it because thats not the side everyone likes to see. Underneath it all everyone can be evil.
i think that everyone does have a dark side that is only showed in front of some people and they act completely different around others
I think everyone has a dark side. I see many people around school and at work who can be some of the nicest people you could have ever met. The only way you will not see someone with a dark side is if they just have no emotions whatsoever, and everyone has feelings, and everyone has certain thngs that push them to that dark side.
I can possibly see where he is coming from. Although i think it is kind of a stretch to define all villans as vampires. Well i dont know really, maybe they can be. Its' kind of iffy for me. I do beleive everyone has a dark side though. It's just part of human nature for everyone to feel some kind of anger or mean passion at one time or another
Before I read the chapter i thought it was going to be like the usual vampire sucks our blood sort of thing. But it def wasnt i liked it because it gave a new perspective to "vampires". I have never seen a vampire observed the way that this author looks at it. But I do agree that everyone has a dark side to them. And this author refers to your dark side as your "corrupt" or “mean” side. So i learned that I guess I am a vampire.... odd..
I never quite thought of vampires as being not only the ghouls themselves, but the situation as well...Every time you see a ghost in literature, they are usually there for a purpose and usually help the main person to change something about themselves...I do believe that somewhere in there, everyone has a dark side, they just have to reach in and pull it out...If you were to think on a subject long enough, you could certainly easily get something dark and gloomy out of it...
ok well i think vamps r cool, but u got ur 2 types of vampires, the ones that care and the ones that jus suck blood, like in the twilight books(which i havent read but know enough from friends). Ghosts r the same, u got 2, the ones that help the main character and the ones that only kill. and i believe everyone has a darksides its jus a level on how much u show on the out side(besides jesus he never had one) really hope im doing these right and that spelling and grammar isnt graded on here =)
There is an obvious ghost in As I Lay Dying, and that is the memory of the recently deceased Addie. She starts all of the resulting drama that unfolds. Her death puts them into an altered state of conciousness, which directly affects their actions. She doesn't appear as a ghost, but her memory does haunt them, and she does get to speak in one of the chapters.
I think that everyone does have a dark side it just matters how they decide to show it. I never did think think that vampires could be seen as anything else.
Chapter 3 was very interesting. If there really are ghost and vampires everywhere then why dont we see them? And if we were all vampires wouldnt we know it.
It ties in with what we are reading in Hamlet, like everyone is saying. The ghost in Hamlet is Hamlet's father and he is there to let him know whats really going on.
I agree with the author. I think in most stories the "vampire" isn't a bloodsucker but someone or something that provokes the evil in a person. Which leads me to the point that I believe everyone does have a dark side weither they choose to acknowledge it or not.
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