Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead

Assignment:
Discusses the relationships portrayed in the book you read for this week. How is situation and character of the vampire used to outline or convey ideas or truths about the important relationships in the story?

Responce:

In the book Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead there are many different relationships shown.  Whether it be friendship or love interest, the vampire attributes affect the relationships both metaphorically and physically. 

Rose and Lissa are best friends in the book.  Rose allows Lissa to feed off of her multiple times in order for Lissa to survive.  This is shown yes through the actually blood sucking that vampires must do, but also through their relationship.  Rose protects Lissa, she is her guardian, but also she relies on her.  When horrible rumors are spread about Rose through the entire academy, Lissa is the one to get them changed.  Like friends do, the two of them feed off of their reliance for each other and would not be able to survive without the other.  Lissa makes almost deadly decisions whenever she gets overwhelmed, and she used Rose to help her through them.  Lissa is saved in the end because of the bond that the two of them share.

Each of the girls also has a romantic relationship and what I would refer to as a fake romantic relationship.  They both want a certain boy, but string a different one along in order to get something out of him.  This is cruel, but does not sound out of character for a vampire.  They are put into different situations with the boys they like and the boys they do not like romantically to show the different ways that they feed off of their personalities.  When the girls are with the boys they do not care about they seem dull and fake, yet when they are with their compatible counterparts they seem to shine and do their best.  Rose becomes a better fighter and fully gives herself into the guardian role while Lissa gains control of her gifts and is able to feel calm.

The final relationship in the book that is worth mentioning is the feeders; these are humans who literally allow the vampires to suck their blood in order to feel a drug like high.  Without these people the vampire would either die or attack humans.  They are grateful to the humans and use them.  This is a simple reminder that the characters are vampires, showing literally how they must suck the blood of others in order to stay alive.

-Amanda LaCorte