Student Research Conference

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Consumption of Color & Race in Anne Rice's Interview with the Vampire
Many scholars and academics have discussed Anne Rice’s Vampire Chronicles as encompassing the themes of sexuality, feminism and post-feminism, introspection, postmodernism, psychoanalysis, religion and immortality, and various other themes. By examining vampirism in Anne Rice’s novel, Interview with the Vampire, I argue that the vampire behavior of the consuming colored bodies represents how white male racism seeks to hinder and control people of color. Rice’s rehabilitation of the perception of colored bodies as natural allows for the individual’s choice of accepting or rejecting of white male racism. To present these viewpoints, I will discuss the vampires Louis and Lestat, as white males, and their perception on the preying on people of color, which demonstrates the oppression that is imposed on individuals and groups of color by white males in the late 1700s. The preying and the feeding behaviors of these vampires influences the perception to accept or reject vampire consumption, which further influences interaction between bodies of color and white male bodies. This will include a discussion of Louis’ of rejection the vampire nature of consumption from colored individuals. Louis does not challenge or mediate the issue of white male racism, rather he avoids the issue altogether. Lastly, I will explain how Lestat accepts the vampire nature of consumption, enforcing white male racism on colored bodies, as well on female and other bodies.

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