Interview with the Vampire

Ann Rice’s novel Interview with the Vampire is one of the most prominent and well-known vampire novels of the horror genre. In many ways, it redefined the typical vampire image, changing the vampire from a terrifying monster into an immortal person whom the audience could relate to. More than that, she changed to vampire into a sexy being, someone desirable, rather than the disgusting monster it had been cast as before.

Ann Rice further transforms the typical vampire trope by using it as a tool and medium for a story about a gay relationship. The charming Lestat turns Louis, the main character, into a vampire, and the two spend years together as partners. It is never specifically stated that the two are romantically involved, but instead is implied metaphorically through the vampires’ consumption and lust for blood. Louis struggles with his lust for blood and his feelings toward it, feeling incredible guilt, while Lestat openly embraces his wants and needs. In a way, Louis’s struggle with blood can almost be seen as a struggle with “coming out of the closet”. Lestat, on the other hand, openly embraces his sexuality, and even admits his attraction to both males and females in the sequel novel, The Vampire Lestat, saying the he liked males because they were more interesting in the past, and that women during the 1980’s were becoming just as interesting as men.

While Louis struggles with his vampire nature, the two also struggle with their relationship. Their relationship involves a great deal of communication, and when this communication is denied or restricted, such as how Lestat refuses to elaborate on vampire nature and abilities, their relationship begins to experience troubles. The creation of Claudia, which in itself is a metaphorical birth from their relationship, impacts their relationship a great deal as well, as it can be seen as Lestat’s way of tying Louis to him and trying to keep them together. While this keeps them together for a time, it does not mend their breaking relationship, and in the end she even serves to drive them apart. Their relationship overall focused on communication, and when that communication stopped, the relationship broke apart. This focus on communication can also be seen in the sequel, as Lestat’s relationship with Nicolas revolves around what he refers to as “our conversation”.

Ann Rice uses vampires and blood as a metaphor to advocate healthy communication in a relationship, and to also talk more about relationships between those of the same sex, which had not been heavily touched upon before this. Overall, her work redefined the vampire trope and used it in a new, innovative way that revitalized the genre.