Eli's reflection

[Claudiu96]

Hi guys. New member here.
I've been onto this forum for a month now and i'm surprised to see so many interesting topics about LTROI ( also pleaseantly surprised that John is on this forum too ) , although , there's one thing that i haven't found an answer yet. I don't know if it has been discussed before , but when Oskar looks into his knife's reflection he sees Elias. That's cute and all , but i thought vampires don't have reflection. When i read the novel that felt strange to me. Or in LTROI's universe vampires having reflection is canon ? As far as i know , John wasn't an vampire expert when he wrote LTROI so i assume he forgot about vampires not having a reflection ?

[metoo]

I believe John was very much a horror expert when he wrote the novel, and that would include vampire lore. After all, Oskar's library of paper back horror was a direct reflection of John's own book shelf at the age of twelve.

So I guess he just chose what parts of general horror he wanted to include in the novel, and left out parts that didn't fit into the narrative he wanted.

[Jameron]

Hi, Welcome to WTI

In John's universe, or Eliverse if you will, Vampires do indeed have reflections. John is a huge horror fan/writer so I'm sure he was aware of the usual trope of reflection-less vampires. John's vampires are not the usual fare of evil incarnate, sexually dominant, manipulators that many stories make them out to be. In fact, Eli describes himself as "nothing" and is far as from Anne Rice's Lestat as one could possibly be. Eliverse vampires are less spiritual entities and more victims that have been infected with a terrible disease. I am not speaking on John's behalf, these are my observations.

.

[JToede]

Also, there is a writers prerogative to tweak things. The lore changes with overtime and with each author and director. A prime example is "book/movie-that-shall-not-be-name" with sparkly vegetarian vampires.

[sauvin]

Also, there is a writers prerogative to tweak things. The lore changes with overtime and with each author and director. A prime example is "book/movie-that-shall-not-be-name" with sparkly vegetarian vampires.

That halflit pile of steaming hormoney teen doggie-doo? Besides, it wasn't a "book", it was a whole series of books.

Do I make mistake in remembering that Virginia also viewed herself in the mirror after having been turned?

Crepuscular or not, I think a thorough study of the lore as it's changed and/or been "tweaked" over the centuries might be illuminating, if done by people who have strong backgrounds in psychological analysis. Similar things have been done for mythology over the ages and provide some insights into what people were thinking of, what their dreams were and what they feared.

[dongregg]

Claudi96. Welcome. I appreciate the scope of your thinking.

[Pissball]

JAL sees vampirism as an infection, but he kept many supernatural myths, he still flirts with science fiction in many passages, like hakan reborn at the morgue or the second brain stuff (a more cronenbergian approach).
Eli is also more biological in his physical functions and more ethereal in his presentation.

[Redlips]

Hi guys. New member here.
I've been onto this forum for a month now and i'm surprised to see so many interesting topics about LTROI ( also pleaseantly surprised that John is on this forum too ) , although , there's one thing that i haven't found an answer yet. I don't know if it has been discussed before , but when Oskar looks into his knife's reflection he sees Elias. That's cute and all , but i thought vampires don't have reflection. When i read the novel that felt strange to me. Or in LTROI's universe vampires having reflection is canon ? As far as i know , John wasn't an vampire expert when he wrote LTROI so i assume he forgot about vampires not having a reflection ?

Hello! I am new, too! To the best of my knowledge, the whole "Vampires have no reflection" idea was invented by Bram Stoker for his novel "Dracula", along with several other now common tropes. It does not appear in most European vampire lore that I am familiar with, such as Irish, Scots, Scandinavian, etc. Thus, our little Eli, who is Swedish, will be able to see his reflection in all its' sallow glory! I hope this was helpful.

[JToede]

It sounds like you are very infected. You are most welcome here.

[dongregg]

Claudiu96 and redlips. Thanks for your posts.

I've walked carefully and thoughtfully in fan fictions I've written. Since I am more influenced by the film, there's less lore that I have to include. To me, the love story and how that plays out are more important than the horror elements.