Revisiting the Page

Hello, I know it has been a while. However, I have been going through some of the old writing projects I had done back when I was in college. There was one that I wanted to share and it was relative to the Gothic Novel.

Anyway, it was a collaborative essay but I figure it could be interesting to share given the topic and deep research that was done to complete it.

Without further ado:

The Allure of the Vampire: Devious, Deadly and Young

           Bram Stoker’s Dracula serves as a modern adaptation of the vampire that promotes a charming and sexualized manner. The vampire is not only plagued by an overwhelming obligation to engage in the cannibalistic act of drinking his victim’s blood, but he is also acting in the sexualized manner of physically consuming his partner. The Swedish film, Let the Right One In, takes a unique approach to this long-held notion. Rather than using the powerful, masculine image of the vampire, the film embodies Eli, a female child, with this monstrous burden. Because the film, Let the Right One In, portrays a female child vampire, there is a powerful dichotomy between Eli and Lucy that contrasts their frightening qualities. Both characters are vampires, but they showcase their predator prowess in drastically different ways. By portraying Eli as a child, she is viewed with an innocent mindset; however, her intentions and actions prove devious and deadly.  In comparison to Stoker’s older, masculine image of Dracula, Eli’s existence as a child-like vampire is much more terrifying because she visibly portrays death and she lacks self-control which makes her a deadly killer.

           Considering the shared qualities of Dracula and Eli, it is important to understand the evolution of the vampire mythology that appears in Gothic/Horror novels. First, according to vampire lore, historically, these creatures are meant to be bloodless cadavers with fire-red eyes and dead white faces; in addition, vampires have long canines, blood-red lips, long fingernails, hairy palms, foul breath, and they usually possess a stench of death although they lack any signs of decay (Summers 282). Considering Stoker’s physical description of Count Dracula, his vampire is described, by Jonathan Harker, as an old man with “hairs in the centre of [his] palm” with “nails [that are] long and fine, and cut to a sharp point” and, Harker expresses that the Count’s “breath [is] rank” (Stoker 24).  With these details in place, Bram Stoker establishes the physical traits that make the Count fall into the tradition of vampire mythology.

           When it comes to the film Let the Right One In, Eli upholds the convention of the vampire since many of her attributes can be traced to Count Dracula’s own. The film emphasizes the bloodless and colorless nature of Eli through only highlighting her blood red lips. This shocking attribute makes her alluring for her victims. Although she appears to be a mere child, her lips draw in and charm her victims. Dracula is also known to have this seductive attribute. However, not all of Eli’s characteristics can be drawn directly from stories of Dracula. When Dracula goes without consuming blood, he ages. When Eli goes without consuming blood, she begins to physically rot and smell. After Eli is shown feeding on her victim’s blood, she becomes almost rejuvenated. This deliberate change makes Eli an even more terrifying vampire. Instead of simply aging, she is now connected quite literally to death. Furthermore, there is also the question of whether Eli’s femininity causes her to be more terrifying than Dracula.

           Since Oskar perceives Eli as a feminine girl, his thought of her being a blood-sucking vampire is incredible since he looks at her as an innocent child. Throughout the movie, Eli is looked upon as a girl by her friend Oskar and when she informs him that she is not a girl, he does not really believe her. However, Eli is the epitome of everything that incorporates a vampire: terrifying, violent, unmerciful and a killer. There is no real need to specify her gender because just knowing that she can overpower and drink anyone’s blood without blinking is enough. On the other hand, Bram Stoker’s female vampire, Lucy, is clearly a woman, albeit a frightening one. Essentially, Lucy’s vampirism is horrific because of who she once was and what she meant to everyone that loved her. After all, she was the beloved golden girl with the beautiful “sunny ripples” (Stoker). As a vampire, she is still a woman that has the potential of blindsiding anyone with her beauty – it is the way she is able to lure all those children as prey because Lucy’s femininity is her weapon while Eli’s is strength and fear.

              Although Eli presents herself as a strong and capable vampire, there are moments in the film when she is perceived as weak. For instance, she needs a human male to protect her and ensure that she will be regularly fed. Once her elderly caretaker is gone, she no longer has control over her actions when her blood hunger takes over, so she must find a new protector. This is why Eli continues to charm her way into Oskar’s emotions and she defends him when he is getting attacked by bullies in order to gain his trust. By the end of the film, Eli has acquired Oskar’s absolute devotion which causes him to become a lone wanderer just like herself. Essentially, Eli cannot control herself from killing people and drinking their blood which is why she needs a living caretaker to ensure her survival in a human world.

         Overall, the Swedish film, Let the Right One In, embraces a unique portrayal of the vampire since Eli appears to be a young girl that visibly lacks humanity, making her a vicious and cannibalistic killer. When the film is compared to Bram Stoker’s Dracula, some stark differences are noticed because Stoker’s vampire is older and masculine while Eli is younger and feminine. Her youthful appearance is meant to deceive audiences into underestimating her abilities. They are shocked to discover Eli’s cold-blooded and devious nature. This notion of a child-like vampire carelessly murdering victims shocks audiences into discovering the ageless and deadly universal nature of the vampire.

Works cited

Let the Right One In. Dir. Tomas Alfredson. Perf. Kare Hedebrant, Lina Leandersson,

Per Ragnar. Sandrew Metronome, 2008. Film.

Melton, J. Gordon. Vampires: A Chronology.  http://www.afn.org/~vampires/timeline.html.          Vampire Junction, n.d. Web. 24 September 2013.

Summers, Montague. The Vampire in Lore and Legend. New York: Dover, 2001. Print.

Stoker, Bram. Dracula. Eds. Nina Auerbach and David J Skal New York: Norton, 1997.            Print.

The Gothic

Hello, once again.

Just before Halloween, I would like to post this clip that features Professor John Bowen discussing Gothic novels and some of the key motiffs that are often seen in this genre.

As a genre form of literature, it is important to pay attention to some of these elements, so you can use them for your own Gothic writing. This instruction also helps you to understand why certain tropes repeat themselves in Gothic/horror books and films.

In addition, if you ever feel curious enough to take a class on Gothic literature, you will already be ahead of your classmates after you see this video. Enjoy.

http://www.bl.uk/romantics-and-victorians/videos/the-gothic

The Importance of Gothic Setting

When reading the Gothic genre, it is crucial to understand the architecture that it is named after since the narratives will often refer to a specifically detailed setting. In a way, these references are a nod to the architecture, whether or not the author realizes it.

I would like to start with some basic models:

In these images, you can see how the rounded arches turn into pointed arches with ribbed vaults. This is something that can be seen in Gothic cathedrals and castles.

Some more examples:

Just look at how exaggerated this architecture feels when you rest your eyes upon it. Doesn’t it feel like it goes on forever? It is almost as if your own imagination is able to process and grow inside of it. What if you imagined some people living here? What if you decided to use this same concept for a house? Now, you can slightly see how a haunted house might have evolved from this concept. Or, even a haunted forest could have replicated this same feeling for the same purpose. Now, imagine how authors and poets felt during the Gothic Revival period in the 19th Century. It is due to the wonders of nature, as well as the wonders of man’s inventive imagination, that allow such concepts to exist.

So, when you read a Gothic/Horror novel, pay attention to the setting. The descriptions might seem even more relevant now. Then again, the devil is in the details. Heh-heh. Get it?

Dante Alighieri

I read “The Inferno” as well as “Purgatorio” and “Paradiso” so that I could get a full sense of the poem. I first started reading these in my European Literature class when I was still attending San Jose State University. But, now I am a graduate and I made sure to find the time so that I could read and reread these texts. Personally, I love Dante’s “The Divine Comedy” because I see it as a political statement of how he must’ve seen the Catholic Church in his day. I mean, he puts a pope in Hell. I think the message is clear.

However, I also love how often Dante’s work is referenced in pop culture. Just think about the people that say “when hell freezes over.” They might not know it, but that phrase comes from Dante’s version of hell. Also, when I read Purgatorio, I could only think of my childhood favorite anime series, Digimon Adventure.

There is a point where the characters, in the first season of Digimon, travel up a Spiral Mountain. When I saw artistic portrayals of Dante’s Purgatorio, I just thought of Digimon. I also thought of school and the fact that we must wait a certain amount of time before we ascend to the next level with a group of peers. It is just like the groups in Purgatorio who can only travel in groups under God’s light. Personally, I found it fascinating. Either way, I really hope to use some of these ideas in my own writing.

Gothic Stuff

Okay, I’ve been pretty vague on how much I love this genre and I have mostly explained the general canon information that I learned way back when. But, right now, I just want so say that this genre rocks. Why? Because it is entertaining AND it has helped with the formation and promotion of novels and short stories everywhere. Also, who doesn’t love to read dark stories about magic/supernatural creatures that rebel against the common world? And, why shouldn’t we enjoy a genre that was invented for EVERYONE to enjoy?

Personally, the Gothic novel is a passion of mine because I feel a connection to it. Whether its for creative inspiration or for enjoyment, I read Gothic/Horror fiction and I see a respectable narrative that was built by an author that clearly wanted to create something that was fun and awesome.

Just think about all the movies and books we have about horror stories. That was created by a writer that wanted to write something cool and exciting and new!

Being a writer myself, I can understand the struggle to create something new and I also get the idea of trying to keep the stories fresh for the audience. This is why I am constantly trying to study what the great ones (when I say great, I mean the canon) have done. I want to see the best of the best.

And, ultimately, I want to feel inspired when I read. This is something that only the Gothic genre can provide.

Terror in the Gothic novel

In Horace Walpole’s The Castle of Otranto, certain elements are used in order to establish the motifs of a gothic romance while providing scenes that evoke terror within the individual characters. According to Barbauld, terror is described to be a part of tragedy – a concept that is administered in the first chapter of Walpole’s novel. 

Essentially, chapter one of The Castle of Otranto begins with the tragic death of Manfred’s son, Conrad. In addition, Walpole uses this scene to introduce the supernatural side of the Gothic novel through the presence of a gigantic falling helmet which happens to land on Conrad, killing him instantly.

Apart from this bizarre death, Walpole presents his readers with an ancient prophecy that foreshadows the tragic and terrifying events of the novel which says “That the castle and lordship of Otranto should pass from the present family, whenever the real owner should be grown too large to inhabit it” (Walpole 14).

By introducing this prophecy, Walpole establishes the impending doom that is about to strike the people that dwell in the castle of Otranto. With the combination of prophecy and tragedy, Horace Walpole fills his novel with terror through the representation of danger and fear.

With the idea of claustrophobia in mind, Walpole is able to induce panic within Manfred’s mind since his sense of freedom is confined within his own walls. On the other hand, Isabella experiences her own share of dread since she is being chased by the prince of Otranto and she too loses freedom since she is forced to flee from the castle. Between the two characters, Manfred and Isabella experience what Barbauld would describe as “the pain of terror” which promotes widespread fear throughout Horace Walpole’s novel (213).

Apart from Conrad’s death scene, The Castle of Otranto quickly moves on to another situation that evokes a feeling of terror through the use of gothic props. For example, when Manfred is pursuing Isabella, he comes across an apparition that leads him into a chamber and traps him inside it. This entrapment allows Walpole to generate fear in Manfred since the concept of claustrophobia, as well as a feeling of powerlessness to the extraordinary events around him, are overwhelming.