The Theme of the Sacrifice of Blood

Explores the recurring motif of blood as a life force and a symbol of the vampire's need for sacrifice, and the counter-sacrifice of the vampire's own blood.

increasingBearing stren­gth in each eventdecreasing

The First Blood

An Early Drawing The Needle-like Pricks Laura's childhood attack leaves her with a sensation of needles piercing her breast. No blood is seen, but the puncture marks are the first sign of the vampire's need for blood. The child's blood is taken, though not enough to harm. The Beginning of the Cycle This early encounter establishes the vampire's interest in Laura. It is a prelude to the later, more serious drainings. Blood is the currency of the vampire's existence.

Laura's Blood Drawn

A Slow Drain The Wasting Laura's health declines as the vampire feeds on her nightly. She feels a cold thrill and a sense of strangulation. The blood is taken slowly, and Laura becomes pale and weak. The vampire's need for blood is insatiable, but she husband her victim's life. The Blue Spot The doctor finds a small blue spot on Laura's throat, the mark of the vampire's lips. This is evidence of the blood-sucking. The spot is a sign of the sacrifice that Laura is making.

Bertha's Blood

A Parallel Sacrifice The Same Symptoms Bertha experienced the same symptoms as Laura, including the blue spot and the sensation of strangulation. Her blood was drained until she died. The sacrifice of Bertha's life is the catalyst for the General's quest. The Cost of the Vampire's Existence The vampire requires blood to sustain her undead life. Each victim is a sacrifice. The novel implies that the vampire's existence is a continuous cycle of bloodshed, and that only by sacrificing the vampire herself can the cycle be broken.

The Vampire's Own Blood

A Torrent of Blood The Stake and the Decapitation When the stake is driven through the vampire's heart, a torrent of blood flows from the severed neck. The vampire, who has taken so much blood, now gives it back. The blood that fills the coffin is a symbol of the lives she has taken. The Final Sacrifice The vampire's own blood is spilled, ending her existence. The sacrifice of the vampire's blood is necessary to restore balance. The theme of blood as a life force is completed: the vampire's blood is returned to the earth, and the living are freed.

Laura's childhood encounter

during the weeks of her illness

during Bertha's illness

during the exhumation