Gender Issues

Essay by PaperNerd ContributorHigh School, 11th grade May 2001

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Gender Issues of "Interview with the Vampire" In Anne Rice's novel Interview with the Vampire, she explores the different aspects of men and women. Rice's novel not only illustrates the weaknesses of women but their strengths as well. By using the women characters in the book as examples she shows us different views of women in society and explores gender issues as well.

The first major woman character to appear in the novel was the intelligent plantation owner named Babette. Babette was different from the average woman of her time. She broke the mold with her intelligence and management skills. When her brother died, the future of the plantation was in limbo until she decided to step in and take control, despite what the people of the plantation thought. This handing over of the plantation from a man to a woman is a significant point, especially for the time the story takes place.

Her knowledge and confidence in herself enabled her to block out what others where whispering behind her back. "There was absolutely no talk on the river coast of any strange apparition to Babette Freniere, but after the first mourning and sad talk of the women left all alone, she became the scandal of the neighborhood, because she chose to run the plantation on her own (pg.48). Babette Freniere was a woman ahead of her time and with her willingness to take control, unlike many woman of her time, she stands out as one of the strongest characters of the novel.

The dominant female character in Interview with the Vampire is Claudia, the little girl who is turned into a vampire by Louis in the beginning of the novel. She is a vital character, not only because she is a main character, but she...