Interview with a Vampire: Becoming a Father Figure for Eternity

Oftentimes in literature, the father figure is portrayed as either an absent character or someone with less-than-pure intentions. But what happens when your character is immortal? In Interview with a Vampire by Anne Rice, this idea is explored. Against his will, Louis becomes a father figure to Claudia the moment Lestat has her transform into a vampire. As a result of his vigilant morality, the immortal very quickly latches onto her, making sure that the child will (mentally) grow with some humanity in mind rather than becoming like Lestat. This brings into question his own morality, which Louis was often contemplating. His teachings to Claudia seemed to act as a way of grounding his own self and making sure he did not lose his humanity. He feared that telling her the truth about her creation would not only make him lose her, but his own humanity as well. 

In contrast, Claudia learns about humanity from a very detached point of view, having been turned much too early in life to develop some sense of morality. Her own views of the world and how she perceives them act as a foil to Louis'; she has no humanity from her past, and is therefore searching for something to hold onto. Even though Louis tries to act as a father figure to her, he cannot completely guide the girl in her search. This could very well be the reason why she latches onto Madeline, who ends up being the demise of Louis' morality. 

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