Comments on: Overthinking vampires http://www.parenthetical.net/2009/09/21/overthinking-vampires/ YA reviews and book geekery Fri, 03 Feb 2012 21:38:24 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: mrmorse http://www.parenthetical.net/2009/09/21/overthinking-vampires/comment-page-1/#comment-53494 mrmorse Thu, 24 Sep 2009 04:25:24 +0000 http://www.parenthetical.net/?p=706#comment-53494 I'm struck by the way the different metaphors play on different elements of vampire mythologies. Vampirism as sexuality invokes very different imagery than vampirism as drug dealing. Trading power for a willingness to prey on others feels like a common mythical theme, even outside vampire stories. (The first example that comes to my mind is an episode of Babylon 5, although it could be argued that it was really just vampirism without calling it that. I know there are other, more traditional examples, as well.) I'm not sold on Slactivist's argument about the cross, but I don't know the traditional vampire stories in enough detail to say it's not there. I think it certainly could be successfully written in to vampire stories, but without specific examples of that symbolism in existing stories, that reading feels like a reach. I’m struck by the way the different metaphors play on different elements of vampire mythologies. Vampirism as sexuality invokes very different imagery than vampirism as drug dealing.

Trading power for a willingness to prey on others feels like a common mythical theme, even outside vampire stories. (The first example that comes to my mind is an episode of Babylon 5, although it could be argued that it was really just vampirism without calling it that. I know there are other, more traditional examples, as well.)

I’m not sold on Slactivist’s argument about the cross, but I don’t know the traditional vampire stories in enough detail to say it’s not there. I think it certainly could be successfully written in to vampire stories, but without specific examples of that symbolism in existing stories, that reading feels like a reach.

]]> By: Sam http://www.parenthetical.net/2009/09/21/overthinking-vampires/comment-page-1/#comment-53492 Sam Tue, 22 Sep 2009 18:33:31 +0000 http://www.parenthetical.net/?p=706#comment-53492 I haven't seen True Blood, no. I've heard really mixed things. (Nice name, btw. We'll need to rope in some more Erics, lest you get cocky -- or maybe an Erica?) I haven’t seen True Blood, no. I’ve heard really mixed things.

(Nice name, btw. We’ll need to rope in some more Erics, lest you get cocky — or maybe an Erica?)

]]> By: Eric, the last remaining http://www.parenthetical.net/2009/09/21/overthinking-vampires/comment-page-1/#comment-53491 Eric, the last remaining Tue, 22 Sep 2009 17:52:42 +0000 http://www.parenthetical.net/?p=706#comment-53491 Have you tried True Blood? I can't give it a full-throated endorsement (pun intended) but it swaps vampires in and out of several metaphors, but drugs are one of the main ones. Have you tried True Blood? I can’t give it a full-throated endorsement (pun intended) but it swaps vampires in and out of several metaphors, but drugs are one of the main ones.

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