Vampire Academy

     Vampire Academy by far has really captured my attention mostly regarding the different relationships of each breed of “vampire”, which greatly helps move the story and characters along.  Firstly, the Moroi to me are a very high and respected breed of “vampire” that even though the sunlight annoys them rather than hurts them, the Moroi don’t live as long as their counterparts the Dephmirs, Moroi have to live off human or vamp blood to remain healthy and alive. In regards to Rose’s and Vasilisa’s relationship their strong, incredible bond is something of a friendly sort of sisterly love and Rose as a guardian keeps Vasilisa in check with her life, on balance. Shockingly, for me, seeing that the Moroi can, by their own will, choose to turn Sohgoi is a cause from wrestling with their innermost dark and sad thoughts. In a Moroi’s perspective,  being hunted by this dark inner force can cause them into wanting to escape their royal life by submit themselves to turning Sohgoi. Secondly, pulling farther ahead to a later scene, Vasilisa proudly explains that every “vamp or vamp/human” can’t be judged by their blood line or heritage. For example, I could tell that the Sohgoi are presumably identified as evil, arrogant, blood thirsty, etc. Even though they are given this identifiable trait by others Vasilisa has proved blood line to be something that shouldn’t be assumed as something bad, her boyfriend Christian. Thirdly, Rose, a Dephmir, who is part human and vampire, has a strong bond with Vasilisa where she can see the young princess’s thoughts. Rose’s special gift in turn helps her understand what Vasilisa is going through. I can see that Rose cared for Vasilisa deeply and wanted her safe. Rose was a friend Vasilisa could turn to in times of trouble and confusion, and the princess wrestling with her own dark feelings and yearning to be popular, wondered why she was born Moroi. This made her current emotions overpower her turning into something she was not meant to be. Rose was someone she could confide in and Vasilisa started to realize she went too far, that her fear of hurting others created a bigger threat. Vasilisa took a stand to that threat and proved that “bad blood” again is not based on your heritage but who you choose to become,  and what you choose to do with your life. In conclusion, family is anyone that is there for you and cares for you, that bloodline is just who your born as, but it doesn’t define who you really are.

Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein

      Frankenstein by Mary Shelley was entirely fantastic in the sense that it went to the core of how human emotions can result in terrifying or good consequences from many situations. Victor Frankenstein went through witnessing the pain he felt from his mother dying from giving birth. I could feel that his sadness, which then transformed into grief and depression. He was overcome with the idea to bring back the dead or otherwise create new life. The human mind to me can be pulled intensely into the emotions we feel. Letting that raw emotion fester and grow can lead to some things that result in horrible life decisions. Victor’s studies from Agrippa and other scientists led him to have the intense thirst for more knowledge. The creation of the creature he gave no name grew up without the guidance of Victor his “father”. I can see from here on that as the “creature” journeys beyond his birth home he witnesses love, compassion, hate, and judgment. Our human minds need the touch and compassion of a loved one through the tough things we face because without human love we can start to see ourselves as insignificant, unloved, and just downright thinking “Why were we created, and why are we here?” We look for meaning in things that can’t give us what we want or desire. Victor Frankenstein fell in love with Elizabeth and soon let the love and thirst for “creation” overtake his thoughts in what matters most. That lead to the consequences of losing his future wife as he was afraid to tell her the truth. Victor then lost his brother, dad, and wife Elizabeth in the result of the creation he made. The creature felt unloved, hurt, and betrayed by his “father” as his emotions made him see himself as too ugly to be loved and wanted revenge. In retrospect overall the lesson here I learned is that what we feel, if taking it too far, can have severe consequences and that the desperate need for human touch and compassion is something we all need to remain sane. The world is full of good and bad, but what we choose to do with our emotions is what matters.