Portfolio

Section 1: Cover Letter

12/11/09

At the beginning of this research process I had a difficult time. First, I could not decide on a topic that I could write fifteen pages of research on. I went to a course assistant, accompanied by other peers, to help me decide what I could write about. They gave some good advice, but I was still unsure. I then went to my professor during his office hours and asked for advice. He definitely gave me more direction on what I wanted to write about and where I wanted to go with it. I would give him some ideas, and he would then elaborate, and we would just go off of one another. This was extremely helpful and where I started my research process. Although my focus was not completely on track yet, I had an idea.

I expanded my research by talking to peers and my professor and also through research. Research was the main source of my path towards my topic. In looking at different types of research and papers on an array of areas, I focused in on one. I decided to research and write about how symbols evolve through time. I wrote about the vampire as a symbol and how it has been changed through American popular culture. I expanded my research also through brainstorming. I thought about what I wanted to do a lot and by talking it out with peers and my professor, I found it. Another important way in which I expanded my research was through my literature review. I have never done one before, so learning it and researching items that related to my topic helped me find my focal point.

The most important part of my research process was reading Anne Lamotte’s Shitty First Drafts. It really helped me because I had a lot of anxiety about writing my first draft. I knew we would be rewriting them, but I felt like I had to write an amazing first draft that would need little work but Lamotte helped with this. She reminded me that great authors have shitty first drafts as well. If you look at page 1 of my portfolio, you will see bolded text. In that text is where she helped me the most.

I chose to include the first draft of my literature review. I chose this because if you look at my final papers literature review (pages 13-19), it is a lot shorter, and quite different. The most difficult part for me in first writing my literature review was that I have never written one before. I had no exposure whatsoever. So trying to figure out what it was and still trying to pin down the main focus of my topic was challenging.

The most helpful response that I received throughout the research process was geared towards my literature review. During one of our peer review sessions, one of my partners told me that my literature review sounded too much like an introduction. So I had to change almost everything and put things into my introduction and find new research for my literature review. This comment saved me because I was very glad that I was informed of that earlier in the process. In correcting that mistake, I had a lot of research to do, so it saved me a lot of trouble because we had other sections to write that were coming up.

In my opinion, my final essay best shows my ability as a writer in my literature review (pages 13-19) and maybe my conclusion (pages 25-26). I am a history major and I wrote a short section on a historical figure in my research paper. I had a lot of information about him, so I had to compile it down into a suitable size that was relevant to my topic. As much of a pain it was, I am proud of myself for doing it. I thought people were going to say it was too long and boring, but surprisingly some of my peer s thought it was interesting and not too dry. Also with my conclusion I felt strong, because I felt like I could tie everything up again and add some interesting quotes which brought it together, but that’s just my opinion.

My peers informed me that my ability to create movement or flow within my paper was well done. In almost every peer review I had, they told me that my paper flowed well and transitioned well from paragraph to paragraph. For example, in my literature review on page 17, I think I did a good job of connecting the two paragraphs and leading the reader into an important figure relating to my research.

I feel that I have incorporated my sources to the best of my ability. I used APA because my paper is more Anthropological than historical. I didn’t even know how to cite in APA because I have always done CMS, but with the help of some peers and a formatting book, I think I have done an acceptable job. Although some things may be shaky, I did it as best I could. I think I really used it well when had to incorporate some block quotes, see pages 11-12, 14, 25). I also feel that I have done a decent job on creating a reference page (page 27).

Section 2- What is research writing?

WHAT IS RESEARCH WRITING?Research writing is the collection of data that is learned through research of other sources and own knowledge or observations. It is then compiled to answer the bigger question which leads to the overall conclusion of the topic.

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE A RESEARCH WRITER?It means that one has to have interest in aquiring knowledge in various topics. One gathers information from all aspects that lead to the conclusion, often contributing ones own theories that could one day help other researchers.

HOW ARE RESEARCH QUESTIONS DEVELOPED?Firstly, a research writer must think of topics of interest and brainstorm about these topics. In doing so, a question will spring out of this and hold much curiousity for the researcher driving them to complete the paper. Also, the researcher should have a passion for what they are researching which allows the process to fly by. Also, many conclusions often lead in a different direction, allowing the researcher to discover something new.My research philosophy would probably be development through change to the bigger picture. A researcher almost always begins with a certain goal in mind and ends up with something else. Often times, something completely different than what they intended. It is about finding your true topic through your research and your writings.My goal as a research writer is trying to expose people to a different perspective of the topic. I probably wouldn’t know what that is until i finish it, but hopefully i can bring an issue or side of the topic to light that nobody has ever addressed or considered before.

Part 2- Genres of Research Writing, Evaluating Sources

http://www.sheboyganfalls.k12.wi.us/cyberenglish9/multi_genre/multigenre.htm#Types%20of%20Genres :

I chose this webpage because i think that it addresses genres of research writing very well. Firstly, it takes the time to answer some commonly asked questions, such as, What is a Genre?, etc.(1) A genre is a type of writing that can vary from theme to theme. A paper can even have multi-genres. Next, it tries to help with questions on how to choose a topic. It, like other webpages, basically says that you should pick a topic that you are interested in and it should somewhat relate to a topic that you are studying in school. Next it addresses the issue of narrowing the topic. It shows a short example of a broader topic being narrowed into a specific topic, then into a special interest or focus of the topic. This helps to lead a writer to what specifically their paper is all about. It even has some links that lead to lists of topics. The next step that this webpage provides is an entire layout of what your paper should include, such as a title page, opening paragraph, body, etc. The most important part of this summary that relates to this blog is, types of genres. Here, there are many genres that are listed and could be selected. For example, some of the genres are analytical, argumentative, advice column, autobiography, informative essay, persuasive essay, interview, monologue, etc. The list could go on and on. Lastly, it goes into trying to get ready to write the paper, how to take notes, etc. This webpage, i thought was very helpful because it goes into so much detail and is trying to help people.

(1) Ruth Wollersheim & Dawn Hogue, “Your Multigenre Web: Everything You Need to Know to Succeed”, 2002,http://www.sheboyganfalls.k12.wi.us/cyberenglish9/multi_genre/multigenre.htm#Types%20of%20Genres:

Although this is a very difficult decision for me ( i am very indecisive). After some thinking, i decided to narrow my choices to options 3 and 4, The myth of the Vampire, or Creationism vs. Evolution. Although the vampire one may sound weird, i am a huge history buff (obviously, it’s my major) and i have always been interested in the history of Vlad the Impaler. He is looked at as being the original dracula, although he didnt have any supernatural powers. I think this topic would be very interesting because not many people know the realy history of this long told myth. This myth or legend is always in constant reminding because of how much of an important entity it is. Writers are always coming out with new vampire books and new movies are always coming out. We are also always reminded during halloween when people dress up like these creatures and they are on decorations everywhere. If i end up writing about this, i would probably inform the readers of who the actual historical figure is and why he was once given this name, also maybe some folklore from different countries so we can see how these myths have spread, and also how people see this topic. For this topic i would probably go about with an analytical genre because i am informing people of the history of the topic and how it came to be. Also i would interview some people to get their opinions on what they think it is and how they see it.

I chose creationism vs. evolution for my second choice because i am not on one particular side and would like to know more about it. It is am important topic because there are so many issues that surround it and i would like to address some of these issues. I would probably write about what each one is specifically and what evidence there is for each and then i would probably address the issues that go along with them, such as either of these subjects in the classroom, etc. For this paper, i would most likely start as more of an analytical paper, more informative, but i don’t know where my research is going to take me, so it could end up being arguementative. I think this topic is important in everyones lives because it is such a controverstial questions that involves everybody, religion or science?

Part 3- Reading Critically

http://www.writing.utoronto.ca/advice/reading-and-researching/critical-reading

In “Critical Reading Towards Critical Writing” seemed very dry to me. It wasn’t very enjoyable to read, and i had to reread a few things because i spaced out a little. Basically it defines Critical Reading as how a text in argued. It makes it clear that one should not make judgements, but focus in on the ways of thinking about the writing, and never to look for just information. Firstly, you need to find the purpose of the writing, the thesis. Next you must determine what the theories are and how the research has been done. You need to determine if the research is concrete and if it relates well within the text. Basically, this article states that you should not judge the paper but try and decode its real meaning. It could be very ambiguous. If it is then, does the research support every possible conclusion?

http://www.criticalreading.com/critical_reading.htm

In this article, ” What is Critical Reading?”, the author makes it a bit more bareable to read than the first article we analyzed. Basically it says that facts can allure the average reader, but critical readers must analyze everyt hing that is said and how it fits in with the context. How does it portray the topic? Critical readers don’t just try to get clear cut facts, but to have more appreciation for how the text was written and in what opinion it was written. Critical readers are always concerned with these 3 questions, What does the text say?, What does the text mean?, and What does the text do? These three questions are very important things to keep in mind while reading a writing critically. Next, this page interprets these 3 questions:

What a text says – restatement – talks about the same topic as the original text
What a text does – description – discusses aspects of the discussion itself
What a text means – interpretation — analyzes the text and asserts a meaning for the text as a whole

This site was very helpful. It teaches that critical reading is not as hard as it may sound. It is the analysis of a writers work and the interpretation. One must pay close attention to all aspects of the paper and make sure that all elements flow together and make sense.

Audience

http://wordswork.com/tips/audience.html

In the “Importance of Audience”, it focuses on if your message is getting through and how do people read and how to make your writing more readable. Firstly, it states that you must write clearly so that your message can be understood and it also depends on the audience in which you are trying to reach. This site included an interesting fact about how the average american reader only reads at a ninth grade level, and that is average! So when writing, you must be sure that you are writing on a level that the average person can understand, unless your target is of a much higher level. But it is nice to keep this in mind the next time you write. Readabitlity is a big issue with any writer, so one must take this into consideration as well. This site brings to mind the Fry Readability Scale, which averages the number of sentences and words and then it gives you the reading level of your paper. This site has some things to keep in mind as well:

Do you know what reading level your current publications are at?
Do you know how well your audience is understanding your writing?
Is your market base as large as it can be?

In Linda Flower’s, Writing for an Audience, stresses that you must close the gap between you and your reader. You want your reader to share your knowledge and the attitude of it.

knowledge- what should be addressed within the writing is key. how should you address this in concerns to the reader.
attitude- you should not make any assumptions about the reader and their knowledge or interest within the topic.

This article stresses knowledge and attitude because in order to reach your audience, you must take these into consideration or else there will be no connection. Also one must pay attention to the needs of the audience and the abitlity to adapt to the targeted audience.

Part 4- Formatting

The chapter that i read about formatting was from “The DK Handbook”. It was very helpful in instructing someone on the Chicago Manuel of Style of formatting. It told me that CMS focuses on documentation and in-text citations:

Footnotes- a text that is at the bottom of the page of a book or paper that cites a reference.
Endnotes- a text that is at the end of a book, paper, etc. that cites a reference.

Since the writer is using footnotes or endnotes, a references or works cited page is not required, although if the writer chooses to do so, then they can. Next, this chapter goes through many examples of citation for footnotes/endnotes and also for bibliographies. This book had many helpful tips that will help any writer. Also it had many examples for a variety of sources to cite, such as essays or chapters from books, online sources, journal articles, etc. This book was very clear and helpful on CMS.

http://www.libs.uga.edu/ref/chicago.html

This website was very helpful because it told the reader what CMS was and when it is used. Most importantly, it gave two different styles within CMS:

Author-Date System- Those in the Sciences use this.
Documentary-Note (or Humanities) Style-Those in Humanities and Social Sciences use this.

This is a clear distinction that the chapter in “The DK Handbook” did not include. Also this website included many examples of various types of citation within CMS and it also gave examples for each style, Author-Date or Documentary-Note.

What i think is most important about CMS is how to do the footnotes/endnotes. A lot of sites or books don’t explain this very thoroughly. The website used above wasn’t very good on this. The book, however, was better. It gave more insite as to how footnotes/endnotes work and was very helpful because it gave many examples of this.

Formatting is necessary because sources must be sited, credit must be given. Without formatting, or a strict way to do it, everyone would do it differently and it would be a mess and everyone would be confused.

I formatted blog #3 because it seemed like a good one to do. All i did was add a footnote. I did it a little different than usual because there was no footnote insert button. Usually on microsoft word or works, there is a footnote/endnote insert button that automatically puts the little number at the end of your sentence and at the bottom or end of the paper. So i had to put a 1 in parentheses at the end of the sentence and at the bottom of the paragraph. That was the only way i could think of doing it, but i think the point still gets across. What confuses me is when exactly do i site a source. Do i just cite it when i use a direct quote or should i also cite it when i also get a basic idea from it? This is somthing that i have more research to do on.

Part 5- Proposal and Outline

My Proposal & Outline

The Study of Myths & Legends through time and how they are percieved today: The Vampire

Abstract

Why is the myth/legend of the vampire still around today and how has it changed? This is often a question that doesn’t come to mind. The vampire is a figure that has been with cultures for thousands of years. It is a huge theme in American popular culture and has been for some time now and it often doesn’t get a second thought. It goes unnoticed. Why is it here? How is it here? What is it seen it as? These are just a few questions that will be addressed within this research paper. The main focus will be on Vlad III (a very influential figure regarding this myth), and his history, which will include who he was and why he is percieved in this way. Another focus is on American popular culture and how it includes the vampre through books, television, movies, etc. and what Americans, especially western Pennsylvanians, think about it. This is a very important subject because it studies why myths/legends follow cultures through time. It is something that is a part of everyday life, even if it is unnoticed and it should be addressed. How has it managed to survive through the years when there is no direct evidence of their existence?

Intro

A myth is a story that stays with a culture. It is retold to tell a story of moral behavior and the rewards or consequences that result from it. Paul Veyne explains in his book, Did the Greeks Believe Their Myths, “Myth is truthful, but figuratively so. It is not historical truth mixed with lies; it is a high philosophical teaching that is entirely true, on the condition that, instead of taking it literally, one sees in it an allegory.” (1) Throughout the centuries, vampires have been blamed for many misfurtones, and were thought of as real, but in today’s American society the figure is not. In saying this, why has the vampire myth survived for thousands of years? And why is it still a popular myth within the American culture, when these moral values are not as relevant? A popular myth within the American culture is of Vlad III. Also known as Vlad Tepes, Vlad the Impaler, Vlad Dracula or just Dracula. Vlad II (Vlad III’s father) took an oath for the Order of the Dragon which swore to protect the Holy Roman Empire. After his death, Vlad III carryed on his fathers legacy and defended the Holy Roman Empire from the Ottoman Turks. Why is he considered as evil? Wasn’t he defending the land in name of Catholicism? Vlad III was a very gruesome warrior. He is known as Vlad the Impaler because he would impale his victims dooming them to a slow, agonizing, and often bloody death. Maybe this is why he is known as a Vampire? Vlad is an important figure in American popular culture. He is seen as this romanticized figure and the appeal has definitly changed. Today, the vampire is a key figure in books, movies, television, etc. It even involves romantic relationships that the vampire is the sexy, mysterious hero. Why has it changed from Braum Stokers original figure, which is based on Vlad III, as the grotesque, scary vampire? Why do we see it like this today?

(1)Veyne,Paul. Did the Greeks Believe in Their Myths? . 1988.

Methods

Although much of this information has been researched, i plan on branching out a little bit and getting peoples opinions about who they think these figures are and what influence they have had today. I will be addressing some students at IUP, which is a regional research strategy. Meaning that i will be addressing people of Western Pennsylvania. I believe that this topic is of importance. It proves that myths or legends have spread through a wide range of time and place. I will be obtaining my research through qualitative research methods. I will interview students and get their opinion, then compile it together to reach my conclusion, also i will be observing the popular culture interpretation of vampires in todays american culture.

Disscussion

I think that others will conclude that my findings are interesting and maybe it will spark a curiousity of this subject. Or even get them intersted in influence of myths, legends, figures, religious icons, etc. on the world and the effect that it may produce. It is a vital part of culture. Culture, a lot of the time, is influenced so much by myths and legends. A lot of important ideals and morals are based on them. This is something that should be recognized.

Outline

I. Introduction

a. general backround on subject.

b. Thesis

II. Paragraph 1

a. What is a myth and how has it circulated through time?

b. How is the survival of myths relevant?

c. Why do myths survive?

III. Paragraph 2

a. Who was Vlad III?

b. What is his historical backround?

c. Why is he regarded as a vampire?

III. Paragraph 3

a. American popular culture and its influence on society.

b. Why is the vampire such an important figure in pop culture?

c. How is the vampire percieved in todays American culture?

d. Research methods and results included

IV. Conclusion

a. Review material

b. Restate thesis

c. Compile information to draw conclusions

Part 6- Source Evaluation

http://www.library.cornell.edu/olinuris/ref/research/skill26.htmhttp://www.library.cornell.edu/olinuris/ref/research/skill26.htm

This website seemed to be very helpful when verifying your sources and finding out a little backround about them. It went through a number of things to look for whil choosing sources.

The Initial Appraisal includes:

Author-who is the author? is the author a noted scholar? have you seen the name before?
Date of Publication-when was the source published? is it out of date depending upon your topic?
Edition or Revision-is this the first edition? are there other editions?
Publisher-is the publisher reputable?
Title of Journal-popular or scholarly journal?

The second part on this site is about Content Analysis:

Intended Audience-who is the author addressing? general or specialized?
Objective Reasoning- is the information covered fact, opinion, or propaganda? Valid and well researched?
Coverage- Does the work update other sources, substantiate other materials you have read, or add new information? Does it extensively or marginally cover your topic? primary or secondary?
Writing Style- Is the publication organized logically? Are the main points clearly presented? Do you find the text easy to read, or is it stilted or choppy? Is the author’s argument repetitive?
Evaluative Reviews- Do the various reviewers agree on the value or attributes of the book or has it aroused controversy among the critics?

This is what the entire webpage is all about. This are very helpful questions when it comes to sources. There is so much different information out there. These questions definitly help you evaluate your sources a little better and allows you to have faith in your research.

http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/553/01/

I picked this website because it was very informative on evaluating sources and it is a reliable webpage that i have used in the past. There are 3 main types of source verification that this site touched on:

Evaluating Bibliographic Sources-Look over the information first listed.
Evaluating while reading-Read the preface, is there a list of references? fact or opinion? Enough evidence? etc.
Evaluating Print vs. Internet Resources-Publication Process, Authorship & Affiliation, Sources and Quotations, Bias & Special Interest, Author Qualifications, Publication Information.

This site stresses the authentation of authors. You don’t want to read and search for something if it ends up being false. I also liked this website because it lists the important sources and how to evaluate them thoroughly.

Evaluating your sources is extremely important because you must know if they are authentic and reliable. It is good to know where your research comes from. This allows you to know your sources more in depth and how they are intended to be heard. This, in the end, will allow for a better paper.

Part 7- Understanding Audience

Why is it important to consider audience when creating your intro and lit review? It is very important to consider the audience because you want to draw them in. Without the audiences interest, your paper will never be read. It has to have some intersting fact or question that the reader wants to learn more about. You could have a very intersting topic, but without a good introducation or lit review, the reader will have no desire to read on. Usually the introduction is your test drive. If it goes well or draws that reader in, then they will be reluctant to read the rest, but if not then good bye audience.

Part 8- How to write an Introduction

The Introductory Paragraph was a very helpful source in creating an introduction. It stresses first impressions. Just like a first impression of a person, a first impression of a paper holds the same amount of gravity. Next your essay should start with an interesting sentence, or a hook. This should then lead into a few sentences that states what your paper is about. To be informative and correct is the thesis, which the whole paper is based upon. Certain ideas to be considered while writing your opening sentence,

Surprising Fact
Humor
Quotation

When trying to find your hook, keep these things in mind,

Curiosity-Interesting fact
Definition- Definition of main focus of paper
Anecdote-Story

This site also reminds writers that after the paper is completed, go back and recheck the introductory paragraph and the thesis statement to make sure it still is true.

http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/intros.htm

This webpage is very helpful in instructing someone on how to write and introductory paragraph. First of all, it lists things not to do when writing an introduction,

Apologize
Announce your intention
Use dictionary or encylapedia definition
Dilly Dally- not getting to your point.

Next, Harry Livermore (who wrote this), stresses that there are two things that you should address in an introductory paragraph. First come up with a good thesis, since that is what your paper is based upon, and second writing a good hook. He says that this is the hardest part. Things to consider when writing a introductory paragraph,

Historical Review
Anecdotal
Surprising Statement
Famous Person
Declarative-Stating what the paper is going to be about.

This site was very helpful also because it gives a list of paths to go and gives an explanation of them very thoroughly and also includes examples.

These websites were very helpful in writing an introduction. I think that the thesis is extremely important but no one will ever get there if you don’t reel them in first. So in saying this, i think the most important part is the opening sentence. In my paper, i think i might try to include an interesting fact, a story, or even just set the scene. I’m not sure what ill use yet but i hope that i can draw the readers in.

Part 9- Peer Review and Editing

What did you learn from your peer review projects about: The peer review projects were very helpful because we get a lot of feedback on our paper. It’s nice to have new eyes looking at your paper because it often gives you a different take on your paper instead of having the same people read it. They can only offer so much and may only see certain things that other people might miss.1) Writing and Editing in general: i have learned that people write in different ways and in ways that i would never think to do. everyone has their own style. Also that editing wasn’t absolute because i’m not an editor, i’m a college student so my editing skills were limited. 2) your actual research project, specifically: i thought my paper was horrible (which i still do at this point), but my peer reviewers liked it and think that it has a lot of potential. Also i need more sources!

Part 10- Reflection of Research Paper

1) What assignment/document was most useful to you during this proces? Explain your answer. A document that really helped me was Anne Lamotte’s Shitty First Drafts. I had anxiety about writing a draft, because i felt like it had to be well written for the first draft. It was very relieving to learn that we used this moto. Something Lamotte said that helped me ease the anxiety was, “I know some very great, writers you love who write beautifully and have amde a great deal of money, and not one of them sits down routinely feeling wildly enthusiastic and confident. Not one of them writes elegant first drafts.”

2) What was the most helpful feedback you received at any stage – why was it helpful? I think the most useful feedback was from when we did our peer review projects. Friends can help in editing your drafts, but it’s nice to have a set of new eyes from someone that you don’t know all that well. They are usually fairly honest with you and often times give really useful feedback because they have a different style of writing. Also because it’s the first time that they have ever read your work so they are not accostumed to your writing style. This allows for helpful feedback.

3) What was most difficult for you during the drafting process? Easiest? WHY? The hardest part for me was the first draft because it is the first piece of writing that i did for my entire research paper. It is the framework for your actual paper. It was also difficult to do the 2nd draft because my 1st draft mainly comprised of my ideas all written down breifly in a jumbled form. So the second draft was difficult, because of trying to lace them all together. The easiest part i think was my third draft because i then had a better feel as to what i wanted to write about and how to put all of my work together (for the most part).

4) Where does your final essay best show your ability as a writer? I think i show my best ability in my literature review. It still needs a lot of work, but i feel that i got what i wanted to say out in this section. I really liked it because i have never done one before, although it had a rocky beginning. It was interesting how we had to touch on anything that related to our papers and then later we could weave them all together. I feel that this is one of my strongest part, but my paper still needs a lot of work.

Section 3

Intro Draft-

The study of symbols and how they survive through time: the Vampire

“In 2004, Knight Rider Newspapers reported that a dead man in a tiny Romanian village was dug up, his heart ripped out, burned to ashes, then mixed with water and drunk by relatives who had fallen ill after the man’s death”, says Bonnie Henry (Henry, Arizona Daily Star). Why would anyone do this? People take part in these strange rituals to ward off evil. In this case, they are fearful of the vampire, which is a symbol that often represents evil. It is difficult to believe that people still do these types of things today. It seems so primitive and ignorant compared to American society, but what has to be understood is that this is a real fear for them. The vampire is not a mythical creature that is seen in movies, but a truely terrifying creature to their culture. They believe that they are real and that they are a great danger. This, for many Americans, would be hard to believe. It would be looked upon as barbaric and ignorant, but today, people still have a very strong belief in these terrifying beings that they would go to such extremes to prevent themselves from the same fate. In many small villages throughout Romania, the legend of the vampire is still a critical part of life.

He was in fact a real person who was claimed to be a terrifying and gruesome man. Other names for him would be Vlad III, Vlad the Impaler, Vlad Tepes, or Dracula. It is said that he is the one true vampire. In American society he is the face we give our vampire. We have romanticized him into a whole other creature, than what Bram Stoker gave us in his novel, Dracula. Vampires are only fictional characters that we display as seductive, human like creatures in our everyday society right? Wrong, although they are displayed as such, vampires are looked at as a vile, cursed condition that is only reserved for the damned. It is something that has a serious hold on many cultures even today.

Why does America have such a skewed vision of these creatures then? How did they evolve from truly terrifying to some girls boyfriend? Even though vampires aren’t as scary to us as they are to others, they still symbolize something. They symbolized evil and death in a physical form. Symbolism is key in society. It has shaped the American culture in its beliefs, customs, ideas, etc. “It is a fundamental part of human nature not only to survive and reproduce, but also to seek explanations for the mysteries of life. Because these mysteries are in fact beyond explanation, we use the language of symbolism to represent them” (Bruce-Mittford, p6). In saying this, symbols are a part of our very existence and a part of our everyday life. Without them, we would have nothing to base our beliefs upon. It would be very difficult to communicate with one another without using symbolism in some form. Symbols can be used as illustrations, and they can be based upon a person or thing. Throughout human history, symbols have been used to represent important aspects of life

In today’s American culture, we have show such as True Blood, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, etc that are strictly about vampires and how they relate to human life. We give them personalities, and relationships. Today’s vampire have definably changed, “Vampires in pop culture have come a long way from their 19^th-century roots in penny dreadful and countless film versions of Bram Stoker’s ‘Dracula.’ They were demons, sex fiends in a deep Freudian sense, rebelling against Victorian repression in ways that gentlemen never could. They hissed at crucifixes and seduced women and man from righteousness into evil” (Remington, The Washington Post). Like said before, the vampire represents the damned, the cursed, evil, death, etc. Anyway it is said, it’s not good. If vampires represent such horrible things, then why does our culture have such a fascination with it and why have we morphed it into something, in some cases, that is desired? Also, where does it come from? Why do we have this symbol and how has it lasted throughout the ages?

Literature Review Draft-

In American culture today, the vampire has evolved into an unrecognizable figure. It has morphed into a creature that is often desired today. Due to popular culture, by way of books, movies, television shows, etc, the vampire is seen differently. Throughout history the vampire has symbolized evil and death. It was something to be feared, and in some parts of the world, it still is. But American culture sees it as a new ‘cool fad’. In today’s writing genres, there is a category for vampire fiction. It has its own section, because it has become so popular. This category is filled with popular writings by Bram Stoker, Anne Rice, Stephanie Myer, amoung many more. Most of these books have seen the top sellers list and many have even reached number one, multiple times. Also the theaters are filling up with anxious viewers ready to see a vampire movie. It is pure entertainment today, when in the past it was seen as pure evil.

This research is very important because symbols affect society everyday, whether they are seen or not. They are located on the dollar bill, on signs and seals, television, books, etc. They are seen everywhere, so in my opinion, it’s important to know where they come from and what they represent. In understanding them, maybe we can understand ourselves and why we do the things we do. Also it is important to focus in the vampire, because they are a creature that is well known and is seen in everyday life. In saying this, Vlad III is an important figure in the American versian of the vampire, because he inspired the story of Dracula. This book, written by Bram Stoker, has been a critical part of this topic and other stories have stemmed off of this one. Dracula is the main vampire we will look at because he is the main influence. This leads us to today’s version of the American vampire. He is the key and the main figure in which this creature has been viewed and evolved.

I am interested in this topic because American pop culture has always portrayed it as a cool thing. It is mysterious and dangerous, which in some people, spikes their interest. It draws back to good versus evil. In todays versians of the vampire, it is portrayed as a forbidden love affair. For example, in Stephanie Myer’s Twilight saga, amoung many other books and television series.

The theme of my research will be symbols and their evolution through time. I will be focusing in on the Vampire as a symbol of evil and how it has evolved into a romanticized version. I will look at symbolism and what it consists of and how it is important to every day life. I also may touch on the misinterpretation of symbols. I think this relates because in a way, vampires have been misinterpreted (On a few different angles). They represent evil and death to some, but to others they represent sex appeal, desire, and the forbidden.

Much research has been done on vampires and what they symbolize, along with the evolution of them. For example, in Paul Barber’s article, “The Real Vampire”, he touches on how the evolution of them. In much of the writing, he talks about vampire in folklore and how certain customs and beliefs are still carried on today. Other important research has been done on the History of Vlad III. Will Romano is one of these researchers. In his, “Vlad Dracula’s War on the Turks”, he covers much of the history of Vlads wars, which was a key reason why he was labeled as a vampire.

I have done some other research into the popular culture aspect. I have come up with some articles that address the growing popularity of vampire television and tourism directly relating to the vampire myth. Lucian Kim’s article, “Transylvanian Town Sees Gold in Dracula Land”, is a great example. Although there is much debate, the government in Sighisoara, Romania is seriously considering building a Dracula themed park. This would succeed in bringing much tourism to the area, but there are issues surrounding it relating to religion. Another great article that addresses the pop culture aspect is in, “Vampires Stake a Claim on Audiences’ Hearts”. In this article by Alex Remington, he discusses how vampires have evolved out of the old country to in homes everyday. He talks about some of the key issues concerning this topic and summarizes some shows and movies that have been made.

As i said before, much research has already been done on this topic, but i am hoping t bring something new to the table. I am looking at the vampire as a symbol that, obviously, represents something. I’m not just looking at it as a popular thing, but i am combining much research and bringing it together, to look at the bigger picture. I will also be doing qualitative research, and making surveys that iwll focus on the average college student of western Pa and looking at the influence on them.

Methods Draft-

To help prove my point in that the vampire is interpreted differently today in American popular culture than in the past, I conducted research through survey analysis. Since I did qualitative research, I asked open ended questions interviewing __ amount of people ranging from ages ___to___. The questionnaire/survey only took roughly ten minutes to complete. These surveys were anonymous, only requiring age and gender. Most of my participants came from Indiana University of Pennsylvania and from Western Pennsylvania.

Questionnaire/Survey

Age:____ Gender:____

1.) What is a Vampire?

2.) What does a Vampire Symbolize to you?

3.) Do you think Vampires are popular today?

4.) By what means have you been influenced by Vampires?

5.) Why do you think the Vampire myth has survived through time?

6.) Where did the Vampire myth originate?

7.) What do Vampires look like?

Results, Disscussion, Conclusion-

Results

In order to conduct my research, I interviewed a few random people and asked them the survey above. Comparing the older people to the younger people that were interviewed, the answers I got were related but substantially different. One of my participants, a 71 year old woman, basically said that, vampires were animals that represented evil and they originated from the devil. “The myth has only survived because of crazy people (laughter). They look like monsters with pointed ears and a big nose, with funny faces. They are ugly.”

Another one of my participants, a 21 year old female has some different answers. She believes that vampires are former human beings that live off of drinking blood for survival and they represent darkness. Twilight has made them 100% popular today through the popular culture scene. She claims that vampires have influence her because of today’s popular culture. “I view vampires differently. I think people today are drawn to their forbiddingness, darkness of nature. They are kind of like the ultimate bad boy.” This participant also continues by saying that they have survived because it’s a good story and it keeps people entertained. “Today’s vampires are pale, beautiful, human, and sexy.”

The 56 year old male that I interviewed responded by saying that, “Vampires symbolize evil and are against the basic principles of life. They symbolize the demoralizing of the soul.” He also claims that they are normal people with fangs and they suck blood and are deflected by garlic and that vampires aren’t that popular today, but were more so in the 1940’s and 1950’s when the black and white vampire movies were very popular.

My 20 year old female participant said that “vampires are someone who sucks blood, sleeps during the day and wakes at night, can morph into bats, they sleep upside down, and are cold blooded.” This sounds a lot like the classic black and white movie version. The vampire here also had some sex appeal. She also states that she has a different vision of them as well due to twilight. She sees the attractive figure, like Edward Cullen. She also answered that they symbolize the bat and evil and that the myth has survived because it is a timeless classic, like Frankenstein.

Another participant, a 75 year old female says, “Vampires suck blood and are evil spirits. They represent Halloween and evil and they cause trouble.” She also said that they survive because people allow them to because they believe, but she doesn’t. And she also includes that they are not popular today.

My 22 year old female participant says that vampires are monsters and they symbolize Halloween. She also informs me that the vampire is very popular today and she has been influenced by them because of a very interesting experience she had. “I accidentally walked into a Goth club. The people were imitating vampires. They had sharpened teeth, capes, black clothes, and nails, with chokers. They were scary.” She now envisions them as the classic Halloween appearance, but could sometimes have the Gothic look. She also believes that the vampire has survived through history due to the Stoker novel, movies and fear.

“Vampires are mythical creatures of the night. They are mans attempt to achieve immortality without God and they are popular because of the shock value. The idea of them is insulated from realities of life. They appeal to our basic nature, the sinner in us all”, says a 52 year old female participant. She also was aware that our modern day vampire comes from the legends of Vlad the Impaler from Romania. She envisions them as pointy eared and teeth with the widows peek, the classic Halloween costume.

My last participant, a 19 year old female, who is actually the daughter of the participant above, claims that, “They blood suckers with big teeth that come out at night. They symbolize evil, darkness, and are mean, except for Twilight.” She also believes that, “They are popular because of movies and books. The myth has survived because they are just like any other myth. It’s a story, legend, folktale that was passed down because people are interested in something that’s different. People are intriqued by evil. It gives them fulfillment, because its something that they can never do.”

Discussion

Throughout my research I found a trend between both groups. They have very similar ideas of vampires, but are perceived in different ways. Group 1 (older group) looks at vampires in a more evil and unacceptable entity, but group 2 (younger group) looks at them in an evil but more accepted manner. This is greatly due to the vampire evolving through popular culture, especially media. Throughout the past few years, popular culture has greatly influenced our idea of the vampire due to Anne Rice, Stephanie Myer, to name a few. These books were written and were successful in popular culture during the younger groups generation, when my older participants only had the influence of Stoker’s, Dracula. Also, in today’s popular culture, there are many movies, and television shows that portray the vampire as a romanicitzed figure, such as Twilight, New Moon, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, etc. All of these movies show that vampire as humanized and with a love story attached to it, while many years ago, the black and white vampire movies looked more like the classic Halloween version, and also earlier films portray it as an ugly creature. A couple of my younger participants claimed that they have in fact been influenced by the vampire due to popular culture, but especially be Twilight. There is almost a madness going on right now, because young girls are almost obsessed with it. Due to American popular cultures love of vampire fiction, the vampire has been romanticized so much that it is very different from its historical, and fictional origins. Through this survey we can see that it indeed has. My older participants are not nearly as influenced by it and don’t think that it is an interesting or attractive thing, but my younger generation is more prone to that idea. My older generation of participants seems to be more religious based with their answers, but that is a whole different branch of research. Although both generations have a similar idea of what the vampire is and represents, the younger generation is definitely more accepting of it and finds it interesting.

Much more research could be performed on this topic. My research could be carried on through a bigger pool of participants, but it can also be approached in a different way. Such as focusing in on religious backgrounds, race, different age groups, region, or country, etc. There is much more that can be learned, and hopefully the research that I have performed contributes to it.

Conclusion

The vampire is a well known figure, and has been throughout much of history and is ever changing,

“Vampires in pop culture have come a long way from their 19^th-century roots in penny dreadful and countless film versions of Bram Stoker’s ‘Dracula’. They were demons, sex fiends in a deep Freudian sense, rebelling against Victorian repression in ways that gentlemen never could. They hissed at crucifixes and seduced women and men from righteousness into evil” (Remington).

Through American popular culture, the vampire has taken on a new face. “Scholars of vampire lore often say that each generation creates its own vampires, a reflection of society’s fears and values” (Dooley).It has evolved out of a grotesque, deformed being into a human. Tara Dooley also says that, “The best among them are trying to get in touch with their inner human” (Dooley). The line between monster and human is disappearing. It is now a sex symbol that is desired by many, although it still possesses the characteristics of evil and the need to kill. They are symbolizing not only death, but sex. These are two trends that will always be present within culture. The vampire is scary but intriguing and will capture audience’s hearts for a long time to come.

With understanding the origin of the American vampire myth, how it has influenced our culture, and how it has changed, we can maybe have an understanding of our own culture. This concept is present within the vampire myth, but it is present within many other aspects of American culture.

Final Draft

Introduction

“In 2004, Knight Rider Newspapers reported that a dead man in a tiny Romanian village was dug up, his heart ripped out, burned to ashes, then mixed with water and drunk by relatives who had fallen ill after the man’s death”, (Henry, 2007). Why would anyone do this? People take part in these strange rituals to ward off evil. It is difficult to believe that people still do these types of things today. It is so much different than the perspective of the American society, but what has to be understood is that this is a real fear for them. The vampire is not a mythical creature that is seen in movies, but a truly terrifying creature to their culture. They believe that they are real and that they are a great danger. This, for many Americans, would be hard to believe. It would be looked upon as extreme superstition resulting in paranoia, but today, people still have a very strong belief in these terrifying beings that they would go to such extremes to prevent themselves from the same fate. In many small villages throughout Romania, the legend of the vampire is still a critical part of life (Henry, 2007).

In American culture today, the vampire has evolved into an unrecognizable figure compared to its origins. It has morphed into a creature that is often desired today. Due to popular culture, by way of books, movies, television shows, etc, the vampire is seen differently.

Throughout history the vampire has symbolized evil and death. It was something to be feared and in some parts of the world, it still is. But American culture sees it as a new cool fad.

Throughout history the vampire has symbolized evil and death. It was something to be feared, and in some parts of the world, it still is. But American culture sees it as a new ‘cool fad’. Why does America have such a skewed vision of these creatures then? How did they evolve from truly terrifying to someone’s boyfriend?

Even though vampires aren’t as scary to American culture as they are to other cultures, they still symbolize something. They symbolized evil and death in a physical form. In my opinion, symbolism is key in society. Some believe that it has shaped the American culture in its beliefs, customs, ideas, etc. “It is a fundamental part of human nature not only to survive and reproduce, but also to seek explanations for the mysteries of life. Because these mysteries are in fact beyond explanation, we use the language of symbolism to represent them” (Bruce-Mittford, 1996). In saying this, symbols are a part of our very existence and a part of our everyday life. Without them, we would have nothing to base our beliefs upon. It would be very difficult to communicate with one another without using symbolism in some form. Symbols can be used as illustrations, and they can be based upon a person or thing. Throughout human history, symbols have been used to represent important aspects of life.

The mold of the vampire has been twisted so much, that in today’s American popular culture it is seen as a romanticized figure. This influence occurs through entertainment, literature, and decoration. In this paper, I will examine how the vampire has morphed into a different symbol through looking back on where it came from, the influences of it, and how and why it is romanticized. I will also be conducting some primary research through survey analysis by asking my participants questions about the vampire relating to symbolism and American popular culture. In my mind, this research is very important because the vampire is a figure surrounding us every day through television, literature, and maybe in our own minds. I think its good to know why this myth has stuck with us for so long and why we have morphed it into what it is today.

Literature Review

Throughout my research and concerning my hypothesis, I have a few topics to touch on. This will in turn help me as a researcher and readers to understand it more thoroughly.

Symbolism is a very important aspect of life and has been since human existence. It is something that every culture and society has come in contact with and holds much history in. Symbolism is used in many aspects of culture, such as religious, mathematical, political, color, architectural, and advertising. They are used to represent something and in many cases hold much meaning and they are evolving. For example, the swastika was originally a symbol out of ancient times. Jennifer Rosenberg informs us that, “Until the Nazis used this symbol, the swastika was used by many cultures throughout the past 3,000 years to represent life, sun, power, strength, and good luck”(Rosenburg, 2009). This side of the Swastika is often not referred to. The most popular meaning for it represents hatred, and death due to Hitler and his Nazi Regime. The misinterpretation of symbols is often times hazardous and insulting to some. Symbols can also take on a dualistic quality. John Fraim informs us that,

“As we argue, the key symbols of the modern world are the products of popular culture. But they do not simply appear and disappear through the magicians of Hollywood and Madison Avenue but rather through a series of dynamic energies. While the meanings of symbols have changed throughout history, these energies have not changed. One might suggest that they represent a type of philosophy of life, an attitude towards seeing life, rather than a structured belief system…We might say that a philosophy of symbolism involves the energies of duality, relationships and sequence or repetition” (Fraim,).

In my opinion, I think that Fraim is saying that symbols aren’t cut and dry. They have various meanings by different people around the world. This relates back to Rosenburgs example above. The Swastika has a horrible meaning to the modern world today, but it still has a meaning of peace to India. The way in which people interpret symbolism often depends on the culture from which they come and that culture’s interpretation of it.

The vampire has a long line of existence as well. Although the exact date of origin is unknown, it goes back thousands of years to the beginning of civilization or commonly known as Mesopotamia. In the time of Abraham, there was said to be a vampire woman, Lilith. She is said to have been the first wife of Adam. “However, she was demonized because she refused to obey Adam and demanded to have equal rights as her husband. Her desires were considered evil and so, her thirst for revenge is what turned her into a vampire” (Proach, 2009). It is said that Lilith’s disobeyed Adam when she wanted to be on top during sex, and his refusal to allow her to do so, because she was woman. Legends also say that Lilith took her revenge by murdering pregnant women and new born babies throughout the nights. The vampire myth was then spread orally by merchants and traders. It has always been seen as evil and death in a physical form and especially gained attention during outbreaks of the Bubonic Plague. The Black Death was thought to be brought on by God, due to sin and end of time perceptions. “People commonly believed that those who were different, unpopular, or great sinners returned from the dead” (Barber). In saying this, it was a common thought that vampires could be credited with the cause of this plague, and throughout history became a current trend. Fear of differences, and extreme superstition, drove people to commit dreadful acts to prevent themselves from this demonization. Many exhumations were performed, “In Eastern Europe the fear of being killed by a vampire was quite real, and the people devised ways to protect themselves from attacks. One of the sources of protection was the blood of the supposed vampire, which was baked in bread, painted on the potential victim, or even mixed with brandy and drunk”(Barber).

Culture is a learned way of life. Culture is adopted through influence of a surrounding society through learned religion, rituals, customs, language, ideas, food, music, etc. Through looking at culture, we can begin to understand what popular culture is. Popular culture also includes all of the elements listed above, but is a compilation of popular trends. For example music, movies, books, fashions, etc, that is considered part of this trend due to mass popularity, usually by the younger population. American popular culture, but culture in general is a complex system that encompasses many aspects of life throughout the world.

Each culture also has its own rendition of the vampire. For example, the Rakshasa is a vampire creature in India that is deformed and ugly and consumes the flesh of its victims (Skyscanner, 2009). This version is very different than our western perception, but a similar concept. To western society, the vampire has many characteristics that are still well known today. They wake from the dead, suck blood, cannot come out in sunlight, are repelled by garlic and holy water, cannot come into a house uninvited, often times can morph into a bat, can be killed by a stake through the heart, the list goes on and on. Most of the influence comes from Bram Stoker’s Dracula which was based on a real person who existed in Romania in the fifteenth century. His name was Vlad III, Vlad Tepes, or Vlad Dracula.

Vlad III is well known for the war against the Ottoman Turks and the vicious way in which he fought. Another name he is known as is Vlad the Impaler, because impalement was his favorite form of punishment/death. There are stories that actually tell of him eating his dinner to a forest of his impaled victims. Maybe because of his bloody and violent ways he was a prominent candidate for the fictional bloodsucking character known today as the vampire, “Five and a half centuries after his death, the Turks still equate the name Dracula with evil, and they are not referring to Bram Stokers fictional vampire…By the time he was disposed, he had killed between 40,000 and 100,000 people” (Romano, 2003). At the time of Vlad III’s birth, in the 15^th century, Romania was long engaged in a ruthless war with the Ottoman Turks. Vlad Dracul, Vlad III’s father, took an oath to defend the Holy Roman Empire, which was called the Order of the Dragon. Dracula literally means “son of the dragon”. When Vlad III was very young, he was given to the Sultan of the Ottoman Turks as merely a political move by his father. After 5 years of harsh captivity, Vlad III was finally released and was put into the Turkish army. He was driven by the desire of his rightful place of heir to the Wallachian throne and by revenge. Many years of alliances and deceit, Vlad finally returned home and claimed the throne, but gruesome wars still continued, not only with the Ottoman Turks, but with Boyars from his own country. In many of his battles, he is said to be harsh with his enemies and even his own troops. After a disappointing night attack, he was furious and had some of his own men killed. “Furious at the indecisive outcome, Dracula rewarded men who had been wounded in the front of their bodies, but told any who were wounded in the back, ‘You are not a man but a woman,’ and then had them impaled” (Romano, 2003). Many years of battle followed, and Dracula was finally captured for many years and was then released. He regained his throne, but his army was weak, and he was eventually killed in battle. It is said that in Snagov, “A monastery on an island in Lake Snagov about 30 kilometers north of Bucharest where Vlad Tepes is reputed to be buried. The only problem is that an excavation in the 1930s failed to turn up a body” (Toronto Star, 2007). His death and burial are very mysterious, which plays well into the myth of his eternal existence throughout American popular culture.

Romanticism is commonly known as a literary and intellectual movement in 19^th century England, following the period of Enlightenment. It stressed the importance of feelings, creativity, and expression. “Romanticism invited people to dream again, to imagine, to give in to flights of fancy, to explore the border between conscious experience and unconscious dreams and desires”(Smith, 2009). This movement allowed many authors and painters to express themselves without having to worry about conformity and accusation. During this movement, Romanticism was often portrayed in literature, music, and art. Smith points out, “Another characteristic of Romanticism, as expressed by Shelley in his Defense, was the very currency of life…,Shelley argued that: The great secret of mortals is love…and an identification of ourselves with the beautiful which exists in thought, action, or person, not our own” (Smith, 2009). The Romantic Movement was exploring our inner emotions to a degree that wasn’t once acceptable. It stresses intense emotion, experience, and expression. It was the desire for something greater. Many of the vampires that are romanticized in American popular culture today, such as Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Twilight have come from this concept. Popular culture has morphed the vampire into a desirable figure.

Methods

To help that the vampire is interpreted differently today in American popular culture than in the past, I conducted research through survey analysis. Since I did qualitative research, I asked open ended questions interviewing 8 people ranging from ages 19 to 75. I basically have 2 age groups that I interviewed. The first age group ranges from 52-75 and the second age group ranges from 19-22. The questionnaire/survey only took roughly ten minutes to complete. These surveys were anonymous, only requiring age. Most of my participants came from Indiana University of Pennsylvania and from Western Pennsylvania.

Questionnaire/Survey

Age:____ Gender:____

1.) What is a Vampire?

2.) What does a Vampire Symbolize to you?

3.) Do you think Vampires are popular today?

4.) By what means have you been influenced by Vampires?

5.) Why do you think the Vampire myth has survived through time?

6.) Where did the Vampire myth originate?

7.) What do Vampires look like?

Results

My last participant, a 19 year old female, who is actually the daughter of the participant above, claims that, “They blood suckers with big teeth that come out at night. They symbolize evil, darkness, and are mean, except for Twilight.” She also believes that, “They are popular because of movies and books. The myth has survived because they are just like any other myth. It’s a story, legend, folktale that was passed down because people are interested in something that’s different. People are intrigued by evil. It gives them fulfillment, because it’s something that they can never do.”

Discussion

Throughout my research I found a trend between both groups. They have very similar ideas of vampires, but are perceived in different ways. Group 1 (older group) looks at vampires in a more evil and as an unacceptable entity, but group 2 (younger group) looks at them in an evil but more accepted manner. This is greatly due to the vampire evolving through popular culture, especially media. Throughout the past few years, popular culture has greatly influenced our idea of the vampire due to Anne Rice, Stephanie Myer, to name a few. These books were written and were successful in popular culture during the younger groups’ generation, when my older participants only had the influence of Stoker’s, Dracula. Also, in today’s popular culture, there are many movies, and television shows that portray the vampire as a romanticized figure, such as Twilight, New Moon, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, etc. All of these movies show that vampire as humanized and with a love story attached to it, while many years ago, the black and white vampire movies looked more like the classic Halloween version and also earlier films portray it as an ugly creature. A couple of my younger participants claimed that they have in fact been influenced by the vampire due to popular culture, but especially by the Twilight series. There is almost a madness going on right now, because young girls are almost obsessed with it. If you go into a bookstore, and sometimes you can see that vampire fiction has its own section now. Due to American popular cultures love of vampire fiction, the vampire has been romanticized so much that it is very different from its historical and fictional origins. Through this survey we can see that it indeed has. My older participants are not nearly as influenced by it and don’t think that it is an interesting or attractive thing, but my younger generation is more prone to that idea. My older generation of participants seems to be more religious based with their answers, but that is a whole different branch of research. Although both generations have a similar idea of what the vampire is and represents, the younger generation is definitely more accepting of it and finds it interesting and alluring.

Maybe today’s American popular culture keeps this myth around because it has such a scare factor behind it. The vampire was always seen as evil and it instilled fear in people, which relates back to the opening quote from Bonnie Henry. Today, the vampire has been so humanized due to shear fantasy, resulting in the fear being clouded by attraction. Maybe we have romanticized the figure so much because we want what we can’t have. Some members of society want the forbidden, the untouchable, the dangerous, which the vampire definitely gives them.

Much more research could be performed on this topic. My research could be carried on through a bigger pool of participants, but it can also be approached in a different way, such as focusing in on religious backgrounds, gender, race, different age groups, region, or country, etc. There is much more that can be learned, and hopefully the research that I have performed contributes to it.

Conclusion

The vampire is a well known figure, and has been throughout much of history and is ever changing,

Through American popular culture, the vampire has taken on a new face. “Scholars of vampire lore often say that each generation creates its own vampires, a reflection of society’s fears and values” (Dooley, 2009).It has evolved out of a grotesque, deformed being into a human. Tara Dooley also says that, “The best among them are trying to get in touch with their inner human” (Dooley, 2009). The line between monster and human is disappearing. It is now a sex symbol that is desired by many, although it still possesses the characteristics of evil and the need to kill. They are symbolizing not only death, but sex. These are two trends that will always be present within culture. The vampire is scary but intriguing and will capture audience’s hearts for a long time to come.

References

Bruce-Mittford, M. (1996). The Illustrated book of

signs and symbols. London: Barns & Noble.

Dooley, Tara. “Power, Money and Blood: Vampires rise again on HBO’s True Blood.”

Houston Chronicle (TX) 06/09/09, Print.

Fraim, J. (n.d.). Symbolism of popular culture:leading dynamics of brands, products and entertainment

Henry, B. (07, 10 29). The Arizona star, tucson, bonnie henry column:

vampires suck in ua students. Arizona Daily Star (Tucson, AZ,)

Proach, D. (09, 06 11). Vampires: a brief history of vampire mythology. Retrieved from

http://weuropeanhistory.suite101.com/article.cfm/vampires

Remington, Alex. “Vampires Stake a Claim on Audiences’ Hearts.”

Washington Post 09/07/08, Print.

Romano, W. (03). Vlad dracula’s war on the turks.

History Reference Center, 20(4),

Rosenburg, J. (2009). The History of the swastika. Retrieved

from .http://history1900s.about.com/cs/swastika/a/swastikahistory.htm

Smith, N. (2009). Overview of romanitcism in

literature. Retrieved from http://www.articlemyriad.com/212.htm

Toronto Star, . (07, 10 27). Dracula sites. Toronto Star,

genres. Retrieved from http://www.symbolism.org/writing/books/spc/home.html

Section 5- Annotated Bibliography

My Anno Bib!

1.)”Dracula Sites (Fact and Fiction).” Toronto Star (Canada) 10/27/07, Print.

In Dracula Sites, there is a list of locations that in some way relate to Vlad III, or Dracula. Some places are fact such as Sighisoara, the birth place of this momentous figure, Tirgoviste which was his captial, Poenari a ruined fortress, and Snagov where his body supposedly lays. Some fictional places would include Bucharest which houses a Count Dracula Club, Bistrita where Jonathan Harker was, and Borgo Pass the Dracula’s Castle Hotel.

2.) ”It Is Now As It Was In The Beginning.” Irish Times 4/16/08, Print.

In the Irish Times, It is now as it was in the beginning, describes folklore very well. “Every society has a set of customs, beliefs and ideas – folklore – that makes it unique. Although it is passed through tradition, folklore is always changing, as people, groups, tribes and nations learn from each other. Many people are surprised to learn that much of contemporary popular culture is rooted in folklore.” This quote is very useful in prooving the theory of this paper. It relates a lot with symbolism, because many of these stories represent some sort of symbol.

3.) Dooley, Tara. “Power, Money and Blood: Vampires rise again on HBO’s True Blood.” Houston Chronicle (TX) 06/09/09, Print.

Focusing mainly on the hit HBO series True Blood, Tara Dooley also comments on the vampire classification of today, “The best among them are trying to get in touch with their inner human.” This holds true for many hit vampire stories today. The desire for a vampire to fit in with the culture and to be normal is a very popular theme in much vampire fiction. Dooley also states that, “Scholars of vampire lore often say that each generation creates its own vampires, a reflecttion of society’s fears and values.” This is very true in saying that a vampire is the symbol for evil, but in today’s culture has a human twist. They are looked at as attractive and sexual creatures.

4.) Robert G. Cohn (1974). Symbolism. Journal of Aesthetics and Art Criticism 33 (2):181-192.

In this article, Robert G. Cohn who was a professor of french at Stanford University, talks about what symbolism is and what it means. He also stresses that certain symbols can be based on the name or the appearance of the symbol. He also talks of the evolution of symbols.

5.) Henry, Bonnie. “The Arizona Star, Tucson, Bonnie Henry Column: Vampires suck in UA students.” Arizona Daily Star (Tucson, AZ) 10/29/07, Print.

Bonny Henry explains how her “Slavic Folklore: Vampires and Werewolves” class fills up every semester. It is a very popular course to take at the University of Arizona. “Every semester the course is filled immediately”, states Henry. She goes into the history of the vampire myth and certain events that occured. Such as, “In 2004, Knight Ridder Newspapers reported that a dead man in a tiny Romanian Village was dug up, his heart ripped out, burned to ashes, then mixed with water and drunk by relatives who had fallen ill after the man’s death.” This is very disturbing to think of happening today. This just prooves that seriousness that it holds for some cultures.

6.) Barber , Paul. “The Real Vampire.” 99.10 74. Web. 09/17/09.

To start, Paul Barber brings his article to life. He took a passage from Bram Stoker’s Dracula, setting the scene for The Real Vampire. The passage brings in many of the common assumptions about vampires, for example the count in laying in the coffin, he was pale and had hate in his eyes. Due to Bram Stoker’s popular novel, the typical vampire in American culture has many of these attributes, but now have a little bit of a twist. In this article, Barber touches on this common misperception and also digs deeper into the myth, recovering history and incidents surrounding the vampire. “People commonly believed that those who were different, unpopular, or great sinners returned from the dead.” Another good quote is “Note that when a saint’s body failed to decompose it was a miracle, but when a body of an unpopular person failed to decompose it was because he was a vampire.” This article is so varied because it talks a lot about the appearance, but also on disturbing instances and superstitious events.

7.)Lucian, Kim. “Transylvanian Town Sees Gold in Dracula Land.” Christian Science Monitor 08/16/01, Print.

“For centuries, the town has slumbered in the heart of Transylvania, a region most outsiders would associate with bats and vampires. Now, the Romanian government, searching for new sources of revenue, has decided to capitalize on the region’s most infamous son: Officials hope to draw a million tourists a year to a Dracula Land theme park.” Kim catches it all here. This article is focused on the dilema of establishing a Dracula Land in the town of Sighisoara, Romania. There is much controversy here because of religious beliefs. The theme park would bring in a much needed economic boost which would supply jobs for hundreds, but the town is skeptical. Many religious locals are worried that it would go against their religion, because Dracula has always represented evil and the devil.

8.) Remington, Alex. “Vampires Stake a Claim on Audiences’ Hearts.” Washington Post 09/07/08, Print.

Remington focuses on the evolution from, “…demons, sex fiends in a deep Freudian sense, rebelling against Victorian repression in ways that gentlemen never could. They hissed at crucifixes and seduced women and men from rightousness into evil.”, into a more modern version. The Edward Cullens, one could say are how vampires are seen. “The line between vampires and humans was getting blurrier.” which is also a common characteristic of todays vampires. Remington also touches on why vampires are so popular, “No matter how mundane their politics or morals, vampires will always be cool, because sex and death never go out of style.”

9.) Raftery, Isolde. “Vampires Rise Again: Twilight phenomenon has local youths hitting the books.” Colombian (Vancouver, WA) 11/22/08, Print.

“At least five students asked Burton this week to check out copies of the Twilight books, which she can’t keep on her shelves.” Raftery talks about how Twilight has locally affected her area, focusing in on libraries. It just prooves the hype of the romantic vampire novel and how it has captivated popular culture, especially amound young teens.

10.) Romano, Will. “Vlad Dracula’s War on the Turks.” 20.4 (10/03): 58. Web. /9/1.

In this article, Romano summarizes most of the crucial history involving Vlad III. He covers when his father was in power and the beginnings of the Order of the Dragon, and Vlads succession to this order. It doesn’t base any of its information on Bram Stoker’s novel, but on the actual historical character. “Five and a half centuries after his death, the Turks still equate the name Dracula with evil, and they are not referring to Bram Stokers fictional vampire.” Romano gives a lot of informative information on the history of Vlad III’s bloody battles.

Section 6- Presentation Handout

The Evolution of Symbols Through Time: The Vampire

Indiana University of Pennsylvania

Email:

12-02-09

Abstract: The purpose of this presentation is to educate those reading this, on how symbols evolve through time, focusing in on the vampires symbolic evolution. The presenter will first describe the current evolutionary state of the vampire through cultural terms then follows into the historical versions back to the 15th century. She will also mention by what means it has evolved, such as what has allowed it to do so. A research study was also applied by obtaining different ages of participants and getting their opinions of what vampires are symbolically related to.

Backround: The myth of the vampire has survived throughout history because people have allowed it to. It was/is either feared at great levels, looked at as a characterized figure of Halloween, or contains a mysterious sexuality that lures many to its feet. The main focus of the presenters research has drawn on the vampires roots through romanticism, studying Vlad III to today’s interpretation of his influence.

Research Question: How has the vampire, as a symbol, evolved through time?

Methodology: A survey analysis was administered to 8 participants. Two age groups were studied, a younger group ranging from 19-23 years of age, and a older group ranging from 52-75 years of age.

Discussion: Through the presenters research, she can conclude that the evolutionary theory of symbols through a period of time is in fact, true. The older participants viewed the vampire as a blood-sucking fiend, who’s intentions were filled with evil. “Vampires are evil, and are against the basic principles of life. They symbolize the demoralizing of the soul.”(56 yr old participant). Meanwhile the younger participants understood that it still represented evil, was more humanized with great sexual appeal. This is through Amercian popular culture by means of literature and media. “I view vampires differently. I think people today are drawn to their forbiddingness, darkness of nature. They are kind of like the ultimate badboy…Today’s vampires are pale, beautiful, human, and sexy” (21 yr. old participant).

Annotated Bibliography:

Barber , Paul. “The Real Vampire.” 99.10 74. Web. 09/17/09.

Remington, Alex. “Vampires Stake a Claim on Audiences’ Hearts.” Washington Post 09/07/08, Print.

Romano, Will. “Vlad Dracula’s War on the Turks.” 20.4 (10/03): 58. Web. /9/1.

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