Louis and Merrick
Kathe
In article <4057-3B2...@storefull-618.iap.bryant.webtv.net>,
lyn...@webtv.net wrote:
> "Interview With The Vampire"
> I haven't read anything like it fore or since. My absolute favorite.
> Merrick was my least favorite. I read "Merrick" because I read all
> the chronicles. It was about time there was a return to Louis. I am not
> really sure if I like how he was treated in this novel. Sometimes, it
> seems he is a different character in every book.
> I would welcome anyone else's thought about on "Merrick."
I agree with you that Louis' behaviour in MERRICK is completely against
type and makes absolutely no sense.
I have always respected Louis' unique response to the "gift" and I, too,
was saddened by his repeated absense in the chronicles following IwtV.
When he did appear, he added a sense of balance and tenderness amidst
Lestat's "super hero" antics.
However I do think that Louis' character remained consistent in the
previous novels, perhaps showing a gradual and natural evolution. (e.g.,
moving from a "period piece" in a black cape to jeans and a floppy
sweater, but always maintaining his basic sensitive outlook and inner
strength.) I think as time passed Louis' attitude towards Lestat evolved
as well into that of a man who'd been on his own for many years and who'd
reached some level of acceptance and ease in his nature and was less
dependent.
Kathe de Chasseur
Danielle
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I pretty much agree with what everyone's saying. Louis did seem a bit strange
in "Merrick", but I do have a little inquiry. Is the protest over Louis'
seeming inconsistency in reference to his relationship with Merrick or to his
burning himself in the sun? Personally, I wasn't really expecting Louis to
fall head over heels for someone, but I do think Louis' self-immolation
(because of, unless I'm wrong, what he *thought* Claudia had said) is actually
testament to his inner strength. He must have truly loved Claudia to try and
kill himself over something she may or may not have said (I personally don't
think the apparition was really Claudia). I had always had the impression that
Louis might have been a tad too weak to do what he did, but I guess I misjudged
him. Hope that made some sort of sense ;-)
~Danielle~
"So, why do they call you the 'Warrior Princess' anyway?"
"Because 'Caesar' was taken." - Pompey to Xena in "When in Rome"
Tristan Gabriel
To clarify, the decision I'm speaking of is not his decision to live
and reverse what damage the sun had done to him. That, I agree with
readers, was the inevitable choice for someone who prizes and
cherishes life and had been consistently unable to go through with
suicide many times in the past.
It is afterwards that he is presented with the opportunity to receive
_more_ blood from Lestat and he chooses to do so. He also seems to
support Merrick's receipt of that all powerful blood. That was the
decision and action that seemed unlike him, not his initial decision
to live. Or die, for that matter. I think his reasoning, paraphrased,
is that he'd always wanted to belong and lacked the courage to be
stronger. This to me, is not Louis.
His previous insistences to David that he wanted to maintain his
'deliberate limitations' and viewed his ability to die by choice as a
_strength_ and advantage were consistent with his previous
actions/words in the other novels. And his carefully crafted and
learned philosophies were nullified and at complete odds with his
split-second decision in Merrick to become as all-powerful as Lestat
and David Talbot. He essentially obliterated any ability to end his
own life which is something I feel Louis would never do, having proven
he knows better and too well how long eternity can be.
T. G de Chasseur
Danielle
little disjointed towards the end of the book...like the characters didn't seem
comfortable in their own skin (or maybe it just has something to do with the
fact that Anne hadn't written Louis or Lestat extensively in awhile, so it took
her a bit to get back into the swing of things). However, when I went over the
ending a few times afterwards, I became much more comfortable with the actions
and behavior of everyone, particularly Louis and Lestat. I'm not sure I can
really explain it at length here, but after I thought on it a bit, things just
started to "feel right" (especially where Lestat was concerned).
I know that Anne is fiercely protective of her characters. Does anyone think
that Anne writing Louis as willingly taking the powerful blood from Lestat was
her way of protecting him? It's almost as if now that Louis is nearly as
powerful as Lestat is, she would really have no excuse to do away with him (not
that she'd ever want to). Also, maybe since Louis had finally worked up the
guts to do himself in, and had consequently come so close to a final and
irreversible death, that he realized it was something that he never really
wanted in the first place. Perhaps that's the real reason he took the blood
from Lestat. Something like that might seem a little inconceivable, but I
think it's surely within the boundries of logical character growth.
Jeff George
>
>
> It is afterwards that he is presented with the opportunity to receive
> _more_ blood from Lestat and he chooses to do so. He also seems to
> support Merrick's receipt of that all powerful blood. That was the
> decision and action that seemed unlike him, not his initial decision
> to live. Or die, for that matter. I think his reasoning, paraphrased,
> is that he'd always wanted to belong and lacked the courage to be
> stronger. This to me, is not Louis.
>
I just finished Merrick the other night and have to say that I thought
it was a great book. As far as Louis' decision to become more powerful,
perhaps it had something to do with him realizing after trying to
destroy himself that he did want to live. Maybe he doesn't want the
chance to be easily destroyed anymore. The
fact that he wasn't obliterated by the sun shows that he already is more
powerful than a fledgeling. If I had been in his situation, living as an
immortal, I would've gone for the stronger blood as well as approving of
Merrick having it. That way the 4 of them can pal around for the next
thousand years with little worry. Except for that damned Talamasca. They
need a serious ass-whoopin' now.
--
Cheers!
Jeff George
lyn...@webtv.net
and he was bored to death with David Talbot.
I love Anne Rice. I really love the books But, I had a hard time
reconciling the concept of Merrick. I did not identify with her in any
respect. Merrick liked the sauce a little bit too much to entrance
anyone none-the -less some one 200 years old. I mean you have to grow up
some time.
I think Lestats behavior was totally himself-I really would never
forsee him allowing Louis to die.
Maybe, Ms. Rice has something in mind for the Talamasca storyline
that either Louis needed to be strong or be destroyed...or he needed to
be strong to come full circle and die off. Dare I say it
lyn...@webtv.net
and he was bored to death with David Talbot.
anyone nonethe less some one 200 years old. I mean you have to grow up
some time.
I think Lestats behavior was totally himself-I really would never
QOTD.
Kathe
lyn...@webtv.net wrote:
> I am sure Louis tried to kill himself because Lestat was comatose
> and he was bored to death with David Talbot.
<laughing> Isn't that the truth!? My god... what a boring and officious
old know-it-all fart Talbot is!! Does anyone else dislike him as much as
I do? I was *heartsick* when he was made a vampire. Arghch!?
> I think Lestat's behavior was totally himself-I really would never
> forsee him allowing Louis to die.
Yes, this is an excellent point. I think Lestat would do whatever it took
to save Louis even if it meant going against Louis' will. Because of
course Lestat always feels he knows best. <grin>
Kathe de Chasseur
Kathe
bratl...@aol.com (Danielle) wrote:
> Spoilers for "Merrick"
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> I pretty much agree with what everyone's saying. Louis did seem a bit strange
> in "Merrick", but I do have a little inquiry. Is the protest over Louis'
> seeming inconsistency in reference to his relationship with Merrick or to his
> burning himself in the sun?
Actually, for me it's neither... it has more to do with his enthusiasm in
accepting the stronger blood, for having a change of heart at the last
moment after having said earlier in the book that he preferred having less
power, that he preferred his quirky limitations, that it enhanced his
sense of humanity. Do I think, as others do, that perhaps in the final
analysis he realised that he cherished life after all and this is why he
accepted the blood? Obviously that's possible. So perhaps my objections
have more to do with the way the scenes were written ...
For better or worse, I believe that Louis took profound comfort in knowing
that he had the option to destroy himself. I think this concept of
*choice* (free will, if you like) was something Louis considered one of
his greatest strengths since it gave him some sense of control over his
existence and made it bearable. And so it seemed entirely against type
for him to make that choice and then go back on it and run around shaking
people's hands and thanking them for infusing him with the very blood he'd
told us (and them) over and over that he never wanted.
But as I said earlier, if the scene had been written more credibly, and
more within the confines of Louis' former character, it might actually
have worked. I personally think that Rice is having a difficult time
writing Louis as he used to be. She seems unable to write from that
perspective any longer, and so perhaps it was easier (and fulfilled her
own agenda) to bring find a way to lift him up (literally and
figuratively) to a stronger plateau.
By the way I agree with you wholeheartedly that Louis has a tremendous
inner strength. Lestat has referred to Louis' strength of will and inner
fortitude many times. "What was stronger than his thirst? His will."
(TotBT)
Kathe de Chasseur
Danielle
>and he was bored to death with David Talbot.
Haha. God knows I've wanted to that myself a couple of times. If I could
think of one mistake Anne made in her writing career than I think was totally
unforgiveable, I would have to say it's forcing David to stay around.
Danielle
>writing Louis as he used to be. She seems unable to write from that
>perspective any longer, and so perhaps it was easier (and fulfilled her
>own agenda) to bring find a way to lift him up (literally and
>figuratively) to a stronger plateau.
That's an excellent point. I can understand how, after miring yourself in the
character of Lestat for so long, it would be difficult to return to a
personality like Louis. Anne has said many times that she is Lestat, and I
guess Louis was more representative of her during a time in her life when
things weren't going so well for her (to put it in very simplistic terms, to
say the least). Maybe making Louis stronger was Anne's little way of bringing
together those two parts of her, the stronger and the weaker (though I hesitate
to refer to Louis as weak, since I think it's obvious that he was very strong
in his own ways). Just as Anne had moved on to become a different person (re:
Lestat), maybe she felt it was time for Louis to move on and let go, to become
more like Lestat, just as she did.
Like I said before though, maybe the reason Louis took the blood so willingly
was that now he had finally worked up the guts to take his own life, and when
that finally happened, he realized he didn't really want it. Maybe testing his
own immortality was the final hurdle Louis needed to overcome in order to truly
move on and become stronger. Personally, I really don't see how he could have
gone through all eternity constantly beating himself up over things.
I feel like I'm kind of stretching things beyond the means of logic here, but
I'm trying to rationalize this in any way possible.
As for Louis and Merrick, I think the truly strange thing about Louis and
Merrick is not that he fell in love with her at all so much as why he fell in
love with after he found out how she had tried to manipulate him. I think
Louis might be a little too trusting and kindhearted for his own good
sometimes. It's funny, I never really liked Louis much when I first started
reading the VC, but I've really grown to love him like I would Lestat, or any
of the other characters.
Jennifer Christine
news:fce69692.01061...@posting.google.com...
> > Spoilers for "Merrick"
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> He also seems to
> support Merrick's receipt of that all powerful blood. That was the
> decision and action that seemed unlike him.
I agree it is unlike Louis to support having Merrick receive
Lestat's powerful blood.
>I think his reasoning, paraphrased,
> is that he'd always wanted to belong and lacked the courage to be
> stronger. This to me, is not Louis.
Oh, I think that is Louis. He's always been the most
"human" of all the vamps. In fact he's always tried to
cling to his humanity. Thats why he has always refused
Lestat's stronger blood. By being the "weakest" vampire
he was also the most "human". Everyone was jealous
of that in a way. Thats why it didnt make sense for him
to accept Lestat's blood. Now Louis is indestructable.
He won't ever be the same now. I see him turning very
hard and bitter from this point on. I wish he hadn't
taken Lestat's blood because he's going to be a totally
different character now.
~ Jennifer~
Jennifer Christine
news:20010614105625...@ng-ma1.aol.com...
> I know that Anne is fiercely protective of her characters. Does anyone
think
> that Anne writing Louis as willingly taking the powerful blood from Lestat
was
> her way of protecting him? It's almost as if now that Louis is nearly as
> powerful as Lestat is, she would really have no excuse to do away with him
(not
> that she'd ever want to). Also, maybe since Louis had finally worked up
the
> guts to do himself in, and had consequently come so close to a final and
> irreversible death, that he realized it was something that he never really
> wanted in the first place. Perhaps that's the real reason he took the
blood
> from Lestat. Something like that might seem a little inconceivable, but I
> think it's surely within the boundries of logical character growth.
I like your explanation about why Louis accepted
Lestat's blood. But I'm not sure Louis was in his right
mind when he did that. I think maybe he drank the blood
purely for survival. But I believe, the Louis from previous
novels, would have then felt guilty for having taken the blood.
And in "Merrick" he didnt. This is what I find to be out of
character. How could he suddenly to decide to become
invincible?
~ Jennifer~
Tristan Gabriel
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I personally feel that Louis taking of powerful blood was out of
character.
If this were a gradual change of beliefs, and he hadn't stated so
recently that he valued his weakness, I would agree completely that
his actions were in character of am intelligent soul-searching vampire
having lived, and learned and modified his deepest convictions over
decades of new and perspective-altering experiences.
Continuing to play Devil's Advocate, I wonder now, after reading
everyone's various ideas, if in the end he _had_ built up the courage
to end his own life and that his obsession with Claudia wasn't as rash
or 'out of the blue' as it seems. It is possible that his desire to
'speak' to Claudia was a carefully crafted plan and that his intent
was simply to put that part of his life to rest, before ending his
existence and entering what he may have truly believed was the
afterlife.
I wonder also if his making of Merrick was *for* David, knowing that
Lestat was --at least for the present -- in no condition to keep David
company and knowing David's feelings for Merrick, and hers for him,
that they would make ideal companions for one another.
As for his taking of the powerful blood after his failed suicide
attempt, I suppose it is repeat of history, a vampiric replay of his
mortal turning. Again he wants to die, and again, at the point of
death, he turns to Lestat to grant him immortality.
T. G de Chasseur