Unquenchable

Many of these stories seem to revolve around one thing, not only the desire, but necessity to feed. Vampires cannot live without feeding on others, they have a thirst and it needs to be quenched. The energy they seek comes from all humans, and we need it to live as well. Blood, in this book as well as others is seen as a life force. It is needed by all but possessed only by some. The vampire’s need for blood is the reason they have their reputation. They need to feed on human blood so that they may live, and obviously this is regarded as an inhuman practice, therefore receiving a hated response from humans. The hunger is what creates the vampire’s being, personality, and lifestyle. I feel like if they no longer had this hunger there would be less hatred towards them from humans and they would have much less diabolical endeavors in mind.

Many people think the act of sexual intercourse is both spiritual and physical. The spiritual part involves the union of two people forever in the eyes of a higher being. The physical part is considered by many to be the exchange of bodily fluids with another person of the opposite sex to create life. The way a vampire bites and sucks the blood of their prey can be seen as a sexual act, the transfer of bodily fluid to keep the vampire alive. They need to undergo this act many times in their life in order to stay alive, and in many cases it can be very intimate.

"As I expected," he murmured, with that hissing inspiration of his which meant so much. Without a word he went and locked the door, and then began to set out on the little table the instruments for yet another operation of transfusion of blood. I had long ago recognized the necessity, and begun to take off my coat, but he stopped me with a warning hand. "No!" he said. "Today you must operate. I shall provide. You are weakened already." As he spoke he took off his coat and rolled up his shirtsleeve. Again the operation. Again the narcotic. Again some return of color to the ashy cheeks, and the regular breathing of healthy sleep” (Bram Stoker, Dracula). The many transfusions of blood that Lucy receives can mean many things, symbolically I think it means the return of life to someone who has had it taken from them. Every time Dracula feeds her he is taking part of her life, part of her soul. When Professor Van Helsing puts new blood in her I think it symbolizes giving her new life, from that of another human. Just like how she gives Count Dracula new life every time he feeds on her.