Monday, April 21, 2014
Vampires: The New Version of Humanity?
We talked in class on Thursday about how I Am Legend is both science fiction and fantasy in the sense that it combines the fantastical Dracula-garlic fearing-wooden stake vampire with a scientific method of germ theory and "infection". When I read the first half I had a difficult time taking the vampires seriously because of their fantastical qualities, but the end of the novel felt more similar to R.U.R. with an exchange of the human species with something totally different. When the vampires discover a way to "live" in the sunlight and begin to build a new society, Neville is no longer the only living being on the planet. While the vampires used to lack any kind of humanity, they eventually begin to have a sort of "soul" and similarity to human kind, as embodied by Ruth. Neville, as the last true human being, is feared just as we would fear a single being from an intelligent species we cannot relate to. The novel ends with a similar message as Capek that humanity can be expressed by more than just human beings.
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I also felt that the ending of I am Legend was similar to that of RUR. In both works, the Earth changes hands to a different race. Also, while this exchange is taking place, we are left with the hope that the world is in good hands due to some display of a human-like soul in the emerging race. In I am Legend, the entire human race except for one man, Robert Neville, is wiped out by the rise of the vampires. This situation is similar to that of RUR, where Alquist was the last human alive after the robot takeover. Also in both cases, we witness the emerging race evolve from something seemingly harmless to something superior to humans. Throughout the course of I am Legend, we witness the vampire race evolve from diseased humans to a structured race that is able to outsmart Neville and infiltrate his guarded life. Also, at the end of the novel, Ruth expresses compassion towards Neville. This suggests that the vampires are evolving to become more like humans with the possession of a soul and provides readers with the hope that even though humanity is no more, the world they left behind will be in good hands.
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