Top 10 Qestions of the Novel

[autumnsoul]

I was refering to the questions.

[a_contemplative_life]

Let the the right one in is one of the greatest horror novels of all time. I speak for many people on this great website how it is second to none with its combination of horror, suspense, terror, realism, and a twisting third act that would make the director of the six sense blush.

We all know what made the novel so intriguing and that was the feminine vampire boy Eli. Eli was everything to Oskar... girlfriend, boyfriend, best friend, mother, soul mate, protector. It is these themes that make Eli a mystery to me and the core of what I love about the Novel. And ten questions that I have that I know the people from the Infected can help me understand. Top ten questions are:

1. Does Eli have the power to hypnotize? Seems like she did to the women she killed. When she looked into Oskars eyes and rub his ears...Oskar felt calm said "Let it happen"

Yes. The interaction with Oskar, the cancer woman, and the woman in the hospital establishes this, in my mind. I've never understood the opposition to this idea, especially when we know she can transmit thoughts via a kiss..

2. In Bjornsongatan in the courtyard why did Eli consciously let herself land so hard it hurt?

Maybe she likes to remind herself of the feeling once in awhile. Keeps her connected to her human side.

3. When Eli says she rest for months at a time and when she wakes up she's little again does that mean she does age a little. Like in the movie she looks older in some scenes.

I think she means that she is physically weakened and maybe also regresses somewhat mentally, although this is speculative.

4. What happened to Eli dad?

Insufficient data.

5. Why didn't Tommy get infected?

Eli did not bite him. Maybe the infection can't flow upstream.

6. Why does Eli sleep in blood?

Because JAL thought it'd be cool to have Lacke mess with it trying to kill Eli.

7. Did Eli and Oskar have sex? Its hinted when Eli ask his teacher "How do they do it" And later when he finds out Eli might be a boy he says "They had...kissed and slept in the same bed and...

No. Kissed, cuddled maybe. No sex though.

8. Did Oskar subconsciously figure out Eli was a boy befour Eli showed Oskar?

I think he had his suspicions, but wasn't sure.

9. Was all the money Eli had "given" to him like he says? Our stolen?

I think Eli is an opportunist and given how difficult life is for her, I don't see her drawing a moral line between killing someone and taking their money.

10. Why does Oskar goes off angrily at Eli when Eli is trying to tell Oskar he knows with his friends it could get complicated him being born a boy.

He found Eli's worry/preoccupation with the issue annoying.

[DMt.]

So, yes, everything is well in hand here...

[drakkar]

9. Was all the money Eli had "given" to him like he says? Our stolen?

I think Eli is an opportunist and given how difficult life is for her, I don't see her drawing a moral line between killing someone and taking their money.

I am tempted to say insuficcient data here as well. AFAIR we are never shown or hinted about Eli stealing anything, except in emergency (stealing T-röd to burn zombie Håkan).

[metoo]

1. Does Eli have the power to hypnotize?

Yes. The interaction with Oskar, the cancer woman, and the woman in the hospital establishes this, in my mind. I've never understood the opposition to this idea, especially when we know she can transmit thoughts via a kiss..

Well, my opposition is that if Eli had that power, he would be considerably less interesting, since he would be able to force people to do what he wants. The interaction between Eli and others would be bullying them around, instead of what we see in the novel and film. Eli would be too powerful.

But he haven't got that power - Håkan refuses to collect blood several times. Why would Eli not hypnotize Håkan to do that right away, if he could? Why would he instead beg and argue?

[a_contemplative_life]

1. Does Eli have the power to hypnotize?

Yes. The interaction with Oskar, the cancer woman, and the woman in the hospital establishes this, in my mind. I've never understood the opposition to this idea, especially when we know she can transmit thoughts via a kiss..

Well, my opposition is that if Eli had that power, he would be considerably less interesting, since he would be able to force people to do what he wants. The interaction between Eli and others would be bullying them around, instead of what we see in the novel and film. Eli would be too powerful.

But he haven't got that power - Håkan refuses to collect blood several times. Why would Eli not hypnotize Håkan to do that right away, if he could? Why would he instead beg and argue?

Because JAL didn't want that power to interfere with what he was trying to do between Eli and Hakan, I guess.

Maybe she has a power, but it's not super-strong. Maybe it's more like "suggestion."

[Lucibel]

Maybe it's more like "suggestion."

This.

[drakkar]

1. Hypnosis:
I got the impression Eli can convey feelings and thoughts looking into someones eyes (telepathic powers). And this could go both ways. When Eli contracts Håkan he look into his eyes, and thus some kind of mutual agreement could be struck, because both sees the intentions and wishes of the other. So no hypnosis imho.

[Nicro]

I agree with the "suggestion" thing. That is what I always thought it was anyway.

[metoo]

My view is that Eli has no supernatural powers in this regard, just the normal human ability to convey his feelings through facial expressions. And a quite developed ability of deception, I might add. He probably is an expert manipulator. Nothing more, and nothing less.

However, I might have overlooked something, or just interpreted things differently. If you know of a passage that you think suggests that Eli has this telepathic power, please tell me where.

BTW, I did try the thought of hypnotical power as a solution to Eli's wealth for a piece of fan fiction. Eli would be able to "persuade" people to give him money. That way he would have told Oskar the truth, sort of. But then I realised that having this power would make it necessary to explain why Eli didn't use it all the time, so my conclusion was that Eli haven't got it.

This would be my general advice to writers: don't indiscriminately add superpowers to your characters, they create more problems than they solve. You'll have to bring out the kryptonite all the time.