This entry was written yesterday, May 26, 2009 by READ's new and exciting intern, Craig Nadler, in celebration of Dracula's birthday. Look forward to more literary news and goods from him all summer long. Enjoy!

After reading that on this very day in 1897 Bram Stoker's Dracula appeared for the first time on the shelves of London bookshops, I felt a tingle shoot down my spine. Today, on the anniversary of the birth of the literary vampire, I started reading Eclipse, the third installment in Stephenie Meyer's vampire saga. After discovering this crazy coincidence, I began to wonder what it is that gives vampires such staying power in literature!? We all know that vampires are supposed to be members of the living dead. And, having learned about Dracula's birthday, I am beginning to think that the vampire is immortal in literature as well. Why? Stoker published 17 novels, but it was Dracula that boosted his literary fame. And, Meyer's four novels are all best sellers, the second of which is currently being adapted into a feature film. There must be something about these bloodsuckers that keeps us readers coming back for more!

The protagonist in Stoker's novel differs somewhat from the one in Meyer's saga. Count Dracula is a Transylvanian nobleman who can assume the form of an animal and control the weather. Although he has the strength of twenty men, his powers are limited; he cannot enter a victim's home unless invited, cannot cross water unless carried and is made powerless by daylight. Edward Cullen, the main vampire in the Twilight series, is a modern interpretation of this classic character. Many of the characteristic traits that define Count Dracula are not apparent in Meyer's vampire. Edward is impossibly fast and strong. He is not affected by water or front doors. And, sunlight does not physically harm him; rather, it reveals his true appearance, sparkling crystal-like skin.

I have come to the conclusion that vampire stories seem to serve a greater purpose than to scare us! I think that if we dig deeper into the literature about the undead, we can find that there are many aspects in the fiction that mirror our own lives. Now, in the 21st century, it is not fair to judge a book solely by its cover. Edward Cullen, while maintaining an insatiable appetite for human blood, controls his murderous desires by remaining a steadfast "vegetarian." He, unlike Count Dracula, refrains from feeding on people. As a modern vampire, Edward is more human than one might expect. He can co-exist safely with humans in society and is capable of experiencing human emotions: love, sadness and guilt. Edward is a modern role model; he fights his own internal demons while attempting to lead a relatively normal, virtuous life.

I don't know about you, but I like the idea of a reformed vampire! I like the idea that someone can rise above his situation to live the life that he wants to lead. By transforming a ghoulish antagonist into a teenager with normal adolescent struggles of his own, Meyer makes the vampire more relatable! I'm pretty sure that a lot of us know what it's like trying to strike a balance between school, family and friends. Edward is pretty much like any other teenager living today, minus the fact that he never eats!

The vampire character has most definitely had an impact on literature. Time does not seem to affect its popularity. There is something beneath the surface of the pale white ice-cold skin that draws us in and keeps us wanting more. The vampire is an outsider. And, I think that we can all locate facets of our own personality that contribute to our individual identity. While it is not necessarily sharp white teeth that distinguish us from one another, we all have quirks that keep life interesting. And, even after a century, the vampire is still a great way to represent these eccentricities on the page!