Interview with the Vampire

When you think of vampires you think of blood thirsty (pun intend) killers that have no regard for human life. The prime example would be Bram Stokers Dracula, but Anne Rice has taken a new direction with her vampires in Interview with the Vampire. The main character, Louis, has a different view for human life.
“I had no fear regarding my own death, only a squeamishness taking my life myself. But I had a most high regard for the life of others, and a horror of death most recently developed because of my brother” (16). It must be difficult to be a vampire that is squeamish when it comes to killing. I think this is the true sign that he is not a monster, but a human coping with his immortal prison. Despite the fact he, Louis, is a vampire he shows the most human qualities. He is always struggling with life and death and the consequences of his actions towards other people. Louis is a vampire, by those rules he needs blood, preferably human blood, despite this fact he tries hard to avoid hurting people. Louis is willing to eat rats to survive, but like a human he has his faults, and he does break down and feed on a human. It is not with out remorse though. Just like a human most try to go there whole lives without hurting anyone and feel terribly when they inevitably do. Because Louis carries these feelings of guilt and remorse I do not believe he is a monster. He was just an unfortunate man that was cursed to continually hurt people, by becoming a vampire. This seems very ironic. Louis was in pain for part of his life, but instead of dying he has to go on and inflict pain on others.

Louis is very different from Claudia and Lestat. Those two characters are monsters. They thoroughly enjoy the hunt of humans and then their ultimate joy, sucking out the blood. Claudia the innocent “doll” seems to be even more vicious of a killer than Lestat, and is eager to learn the ways of being a vampire. Unlike Louis who tried hard to fight the entire process and believes himself to be evil and belonging in Hell. So it’s interesting to watch their relationship evolve, considering they have different views on life. You would think Claudia and Lestat would be closer. I think Claudia needed a human quality and Louis was able to give her that. She is just so eager to kill though, and it makes it difficult to think of her as a child or young woman. “Only kill with me tonight. You never let me see you kill, Louis!” (101). Louis kills out of necessity and it’s not a sport for him like Claudia and Lestat. These two get excited by the kill, almost like it’s a game. Claudia is just too young to understand the importance and fragileness of life. Lestat is too reckless and uncaring to understand the tragedy of death.