Vampires Suck, And The Vampire Diaries
Sydney Applegate
November 19, 2014
Research Paper
ENC 1102
Vampires
The thought of what a vampire really is has been changing all around world with the advancements in vampire science fiction books, movies, and television shows. Although vampires are considered mythological creatures, they still bring about strong opinions in our worlds society. In the earlier years of our world, vampires were seen as very scary mythological creatures. But, movies, television shows, and literature in the modern world such as The Twilight Series, Vampire Academy, Vampires Suck, and The Vampire Diaries have given vampires a more pristine, easy going appearance. This is different from the furious and creepy form they originally took on in movies and literature …show more content…
such as Dracula, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and The Lost Boys. The view the world has on vampires is dramatically changing. This shows that while vampires are fantasy creatures, modern day literature and movies have changed the way people think and relate to vampires.
Having so many different movies and books related to vampires has changed the way people view vampires all around the world.
There are also many definitions as to what a vampire actually is. According to Wikipedia, “a vampire is a mythical being who subsists by feeding on the life essence (generally in the form of blood) of living creatures. In folkloric tales, undead vampires often visited loved ones and caused mischief or deaths in the neighborhoods they inhabited when they were alive” (“Vampire”). There are many similarities and differences between the definition of a vampire throughout different movies and literature. The main similarity that stays consistent is that all vampires includes drink the blood of others in order for the vampire to survive. The differences usually include: if these mystical creatures turn into bats, if they can go out in sunlight, and whether or not they have unnatural …show more content…
“powers”. The term vampire comes from Romanic roots but it was brought into the English language fairy quickly after originating in Romania. “The word vampire came into use in English in 1732, although vampire myths date back to the baby-killing blood-drinking female demons (Akhkharu) of ancient Sumerian mythology” (Diaz). In the past, the most famous vampire story is known as Bram Stoker’s Dracula. “Much vampire folklore originated in Hungary and the Slavic areas of eastern Europe and western Russia. The most famous of all vampires, Dracula, is associated with the Transylvania region of Romania” (“Vampires”). The Romanian prince, Vlad Tepesm, is who the vampire in Dracula is based off of. He is known in history to display many of the characteristics and abilities in his actual life that Dracula exhibited. Dracula is also a vampire known as a revenant. This is the most commonly known kind of vampire. “These kinds of vampires are human corpses that are said to return from the grave to harm the living; these vampires have Slavic origins only a few hundred years old” (Radford). But other, older versions of the vampire forms were not thought to be human at all but instead supernatural, possibly demonic, entities that did not take human form. These stories depicted vampires as evil, mean creatures that you were not supposed to go anywhere near or you would die. Many people believe that these are how vampires are supposed to be seen and also why vampires are most commonly known during the time of Halloween.
One the other hand, movies and literature today have showed vampires as nice and have commonly used vampires in a love story. These books and movies have become very popular and they are commonly seen on the top of the charts for best sellers. Besides the movie Buffy the Vampire Slayer, which aired from 1997 to 2003, vampires were not a major part of the television world. Vampires did not become extremely popular until the creation of Stephanie Meyer’s Twilight series. This series includes the best selling young adult novels Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse, and Breaking Dawn. “The books and movies Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse, and Breaking Dawn modernized old vampire themes and placed the familiar monsters in new situations, highlighting especially teen angst over status and sexuality” (Diaz). This series made these fictional creatures appear friendly and not harmful. By some they were even seen by teens as “heart throbs”. Edward Cullen (The main Vampire in Twilight) and Jacob (The Werewolf in Twilight) were every teenage girls crush during this time. Making vampires seem nice put a more light hearted view on what a vampire is.
These modernized versions of vampires have ruined the way people all around the world think about the term vampire.
Vampires are mostly associated with Halloween and are known for being scary, but recently they have taken a new image. This image is kind and friendly. Most teenage girls dream about having a boyfriend like Stephan (the Main vampire in the hit series Vampire Diaries). But, many believe that picturing vampires as nice ruined the way modern day people react to the term “vampire”. But really, many people just view vampires differently. Some see them as nice, boyfriend material guys like in twilight, while others see them as cold hearted killers who drain your blood. Many years ago vampires were seen as very scary killers of the night. But, now they are almost seen as friendly because of how they appear in modern day
movies.
This ideology that many people have about vampires being nice has also brought about many people who want to change that thought. People have actually gotten dental and plastic surgery in order to make them look like vampires. These people actually believe that they are vampires and they would do anything in order to make others believe that vampires are not fictional creatures. There a bars and clubs all around the world that have been dedicated to these people that think they are vampires. Also, there have been many crimes that have been related to these people thinking they are vampires. They kill people and try to drink their blood in order to prove a point to the public that they are actually vampires. According to these people there are many kinds of vampires. For example, “people that refer to themselves as “energy vampires” are not actually vampires. They are people that have been brainwashed in to believing that being able to take energy is what makes someone a vampire” (“The Truth about Energy Vampires”). There are many websites just like that one with information reaching out to people. This shows that the new emergence of vampire TV shows, movies, and literature have changed the way some people in our society think of themselves. Also, they have blown the term vampire way out of proportion.
In conclusion, television shows, movies, and literature that relate to vampires have changed our society in extraordinary ways. Some believe that the emergence of movies and books such as Twilight and Vampire Academy have changed our society for the good. For example, they have brought in a lot of money through theatres and book sales. Also, they have given many people a lot of entertainment while they are watching and reading. But others believe that it is changing our society for the worse. People have started to think that they are vampires and they do not joke about it. There are bars and even plastic surgery processes made for these people to believe that they are actually vampires. These people also participate in many kinds of violence which is harming the world we live in. This shows that, for good or for bad, modern day literature and movies have changed the way people think and relate to vampires.
Outline
Thesis: This shows that while vampires are fantasy creatures, modern day literature and movies have changed the way people think and relate to vampires.
Paragraph 1: This paragraph defines what a vampire is and how different movies and books are differentiating between them. It is relevant because in order to know what my research paper is talking about you need to know exactly what a vampire is. Also, it shows the characteristic that vampires are being given.
Paragraph 2: This paragraph talks about the roots of the term vampire and also about the very first movie made about vampires, Dracula. It is important because it is important to know that vampires came from Romanic roots. This also shows that Dracula was one of the first vampire movies created and it sets up how I am going to compare it with other vampire movies and literature.
Paragraph 3: This paragraph compares Dracula to modern day movies about vampires. This is important because it is directly corresponding to what it is asking me about in my thesis statement. It is important to my paper because it goes into depth about the differences that are portrayed in modern day vampire shows and movies.
Paragraph 4: This paragraph shows why giving vampire’s good names can be bad. This is relevant because it shows how making vampires seem nice can be bad. Also, it is important for the paper because it explains that vampires were ment to be seen as scary creatures of the night.
Paragraph 5: This paragraph explains how the changing views on vampires have harmed society. This is relevant because people all around the world actually believe that they are vampires and it is hurting our society. It relates to my thesis statement because it shows how changing the views (like in twilight) are harming our society.
Works Cited
Diaz, Eric. "Did TWILIGHT Permanently Put A Stake In The Vampire Movie Genre? « Nerdist." Nerdist Did TWILIGHT Permanently Put A Stake In The Vampire Movie Genre Comments. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Oct. 2014.
Radford, Benjamin. "Vampires: Fact, Fiction and Folklore." LiveScience. TechMedia Network, 22 Oct. 2014. Web. 23 Nov. 2014.
"The Truth about Energy Vampires, Go Here to Learn about Energy Vampires." Real Vampire Website: Energy Vampires. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Nov. 2014.
"Vampire." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 19 Nov. 2014. Web. 24 Nov. 2014.
"Vampires." American Decades: 2000-2009. Ed. Eric Bargeron and James F. Tidd, Jr. Detroit: Gale, 2011. 340-341.Student Resources in Context. Web. 12 Oct. 2014.
November 19, 2014
Research Paper
ENC 1102
Vampires
The thought of what a vampire really is has been changing all around world with the advancements in vampire science fiction books, movies, and television shows. Although vampires are considered mythological creatures, they still bring about strong opinions in our worlds society. In the earlier years of our world, vampires were seen as very scary mythological creatures. But, movies, television shows, and literature in the modern world such as The Twilight Series, Vampire Academy, Vampires Suck, and The Vampire Diaries have given vampires a more pristine, easy going appearance. This is different from the furious and creepy form they originally took on in movies and literature …show more content…
such as Dracula, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and The Lost Boys. The view the world has on vampires is dramatically changing. This shows that while vampires are fantasy creatures, modern day literature and movies have changed the way people think and relate to vampires.
Having so many different movies and books related to vampires has changed the way people view vampires all around the world.
There are also many definitions as to what a vampire actually is. According to Wikipedia, “a vampire is a mythical being who subsists by feeding on the life essence (generally in the form of blood) of living creatures. In folkloric tales, undead vampires often visited loved ones and caused mischief or deaths in the neighborhoods they inhabited when they were alive” (“Vampire”). There are many similarities and differences between the definition of a vampire throughout different movies and literature. The main similarity that stays consistent is that all vampires includes drink the blood of others in order for the vampire to survive. The differences usually include: if these mystical creatures turn into bats, if they can go out in sunlight, and whether or not they have unnatural …show more content…
“powers”. The term vampire comes from Romanic roots but it was brought into the English language fairy quickly after originating in Romania. “The word vampire came into use in English in 1732, although vampire myths date back to the baby-killing blood-drinking female demons (Akhkharu) of ancient Sumerian mythology” (Diaz). In the past, the most famous vampire story is known as Bram Stoker’s Dracula. “Much vampire folklore originated in Hungary and the Slavic areas of eastern Europe and western Russia. The most famous of all vampires, Dracula, is associated with the Transylvania region of Romania” (“Vampires”). The Romanian prince, Vlad Tepesm, is who the vampire in Dracula is based off of. He is known in history to display many of the characteristics and abilities in his actual life that Dracula exhibited. Dracula is also a vampire known as a revenant. This is the most commonly known kind of vampire. “These kinds of vampires are human corpses that are said to return from the grave to harm the living; these vampires have Slavic origins only a few hundred years old” (Radford). But other, older versions of the vampire forms were not thought to be human at all but instead supernatural, possibly demonic, entities that did not take human form. These stories depicted vampires as evil, mean creatures that you were not supposed to go anywhere near or you would die. Many people believe that these are how vampires are supposed to be seen and also why vampires are most commonly known during the time of Halloween.
One the other hand, movies and literature today have showed vampires as nice and have commonly used vampires in a love story. These books and movies have become very popular and they are commonly seen on the top of the charts for best sellers. Besides the movie Buffy the Vampire Slayer, which aired from 1997 to 2003, vampires were not a major part of the television world. Vampires did not become extremely popular until the creation of Stephanie Meyer’s Twilight series. This series includes the best selling young adult novels Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse, and Breaking Dawn. “The books and movies Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse, and Breaking Dawn modernized old vampire themes and placed the familiar monsters in new situations, highlighting especially teen angst over status and sexuality” (Diaz). This series made these fictional creatures appear friendly and not harmful. By some they were even seen by teens as “heart throbs”. Edward Cullen (The main Vampire in Twilight) and Jacob (The Werewolf in Twilight) were every teenage girls crush during this time. Making vampires seem nice put a more light hearted view on what a vampire is.
These modernized versions of vampires have ruined the way people all around the world think about the term vampire.
Vampires are mostly associated with Halloween and are known for being scary, but recently they have taken a new image. This image is kind and friendly. Most teenage girls dream about having a boyfriend like Stephan (the Main vampire in the hit series Vampire Diaries). But, many believe that picturing vampires as nice ruined the way modern day people react to the term “vampire”. But really, many people just view vampires differently. Some see them as nice, boyfriend material guys like in twilight, while others see them as cold hearted killers who drain your blood. Many years ago vampires were seen as very scary killers of the night. But, now they are almost seen as friendly because of how they appear in modern day
movies.
This ideology that many people have about vampires being nice has also brought about many people who want to change that thought. People have actually gotten dental and plastic surgery in order to make them look like vampires. These people actually believe that they are vampires and they would do anything in order to make others believe that vampires are not fictional creatures. There a bars and clubs all around the world that have been dedicated to these people that think they are vampires. Also, there have been many crimes that have been related to these people thinking they are vampires. They kill people and try to drink their blood in order to prove a point to the public that they are actually vampires. According to these people there are many kinds of vampires. For example, “people that refer to themselves as “energy vampires” are not actually vampires. They are people that have been brainwashed in to believing that being able to take energy is what makes someone a vampire” (“The Truth about Energy Vampires”). There are many websites just like that one with information reaching out to people. This shows that the new emergence of vampire TV shows, movies, and literature have changed the way some people in our society think of themselves. Also, they have blown the term vampire way out of proportion.
In conclusion, television shows, movies, and literature that relate to vampires have changed our society in extraordinary ways. Some believe that the emergence of movies and books such as Twilight and Vampire Academy have changed our society for the good. For example, they have brought in a lot of money through theatres and book sales. Also, they have given many people a lot of entertainment while they are watching and reading. But others believe that it is changing our society for the worse. People have started to think that they are vampires and they do not joke about it. There are bars and even plastic surgery processes made for these people to believe that they are actually vampires. These people also participate in many kinds of violence which is harming the world we live in. This shows that, for good or for bad, modern day literature and movies have changed the way people think and relate to vampires.
Outline
Thesis: This shows that while vampires are fantasy creatures, modern day literature and movies have changed the way people think and relate to vampires.
Paragraph 1: This paragraph defines what a vampire is and how different movies and books are differentiating between them. It is relevant because in order to know what my research paper is talking about you need to know exactly what a vampire is. Also, it shows the characteristic that vampires are being given.
Paragraph 2: This paragraph talks about the roots of the term vampire and also about the very first movie made about vampires, Dracula. It is important because it is important to know that vampires came from Romanic roots. This also shows that Dracula was one of the first vampire movies created and it sets up how I am going to compare it with other vampire movies and literature.
Paragraph 3: This paragraph compares Dracula to modern day movies about vampires. This is important because it is directly corresponding to what it is asking me about in my thesis statement. It is important to my paper because it goes into depth about the differences that are portrayed in modern day vampire shows and movies.
Paragraph 4: This paragraph shows why giving vampire’s good names can be bad. This is relevant because it shows how making vampires seem nice can be bad. Also, it is important for the paper because it explains that vampires were ment to be seen as scary creatures of the night.
Paragraph 5: This paragraph explains how the changing views on vampires have harmed society. This is relevant because people all around the world actually believe that they are vampires and it is hurting our society. It relates to my thesis statement because it shows how changing the views (like in twilight) are harming our society.
Works Cited
Diaz, Eric. "Did TWILIGHT Permanently Put A Stake In The Vampire Movie Genre? « Nerdist." Nerdist Did TWILIGHT Permanently Put A Stake In The Vampire Movie Genre Comments. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Oct. 2014.
Radford, Benjamin. "Vampires: Fact, Fiction and Folklore." LiveScience. TechMedia Network, 22 Oct. 2014. Web. 23 Nov. 2014.
"The Truth about Energy Vampires, Go Here to Learn about Energy Vampires." Real Vampire Website: Energy Vampires. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Nov. 2014.
"Vampire." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 19 Nov. 2014. Web. 24 Nov. 2014.
"Vampires." American Decades: 2000-2009. Ed. Eric Bargeron and James F. Tidd, Jr. Detroit: Gale, 2011. 340-341.Student Resources in Context. Web. 12 Oct. 2014.