So just how do Teenagers use vampires to socialize?

My review of Shattered Glass by autho... The Lure of the Vampire…what every re...

So just how do Teenagers use vampires to socialize?

I've decided to start the week a little differently with an exciting commentary from author Bertena Varney! I found her subject fascinating, as well as her books, and hope all of you do, too!

How Teenagers have used vampires as a socialization tool:

All of us love vampires! Well you do if you are reading this blog today. Whenever vampire lovers get together one of the first things that they always talk about is their "first" – their first vampire that is. The majority of time we had our first encounter as a teenager. But, we rarely talk about how we related the vampires we loved to the crazy teenage hormones and up and down lives in which we were living in at this time.

The Lure of the Vampire began as a master's paper exploring the vampires affect on culture and one of these was a look at how teenagers use vampires as a socialization tool. The following except is from the essay on the Young Adult Literature section of the book. There are several essays included in the book. Topics range from Dracula movies, vampires throughout history, vampires as lovers and more.

I hope that you enjoy this essay. If you do there is more like it in Lure of the Vampire.

As children grow into teenagers they begin a search for self identity. They seek acceptance from their peers while simultaneously seeking individualism from their family. For many teenagers this means learning lessons the same way that they have since birth, through pop culture and the media. Teens suffer from unwilling physical changes, new desires that they do not understand and problems they have never faced all with a sense of immortality. They are filled with confusion, ambiguity, and fear of the future. Many times teenagers identify with the characters in the books and play out that character to see if it fits them. They can then begin to develop a sense of identity and even resolve everyday problems of acceptance, abuse, purpose in life, need for stability, and peer pressure. Vampires are good role models because they are still confident, immortal, strong, intelligent, and most often achieve every desire. When teenagers can relate to the characters that are set in everyday situations it begins to blur the line between reality and fiction and they may associate with the social problems that the characters are going through.

With the recent release of Twilight and television shows such as Vampire Diaries many question if teens are not only using the plot to work out their social issues but are instead losing their identity.

Today, sales in literature and the relationship that the vampire gives to the teenage reader are still on the rise. The top book series of this genre are: Vampire Kisses by Ellen Schreiber, Blue Bloods by Melissa de La Cruz, and Twilight by Stephenie Meyers. Each in their unique way relate to a different type of teenager. Vampire Kisses is more geared to the outsider that is still insecure in who she is. Blue Bloods is geared to the teen that loves fashion, modeling, and shopping while trying to decide who they can trust. Finally, Twilight, relates to not only the girl next door or the awkward teenage girls but to boys and adults alike.

The first series, Vampire Kisses, relates more to its gothic readers. The main character is 16 year old Raven, a non conformist that is attracted to a boy at school that turns out to be a vampire. She is a younger character who still relies upon her family and friends for her boundaries and identity. She searches for acceptance while fighting the bad vampires who want to harm her family and friends. The story is fun, adventurous, and each book ends in a cliff hanger. It is a mixture of a teen's learning to trust others while finding someone who accepts you for you. Vampire Kisses is a simple read that can be used as an introduction to the vampire genre as well as the introduction to young adult literature.

The second series is Blue Bloods. This story is written for the teenager reader that enjoys shopping and the country club scene. The vampires in this book are the world's wealthy and most powerful. They are attractive models that attend a private school. Schuyler Van Allen is the newest student to this elite group. But all is not perfect in their world, once they turn a certain age they are transformed to vampires with fashion and attitude. They were once fallen angels who are now vampires on this earth. They must continue to reincarnate into a human body until each has been redeemed. The story tells of each characters search for who they were in their past life as well as whom they are to become in this life. The readers identify with her struggle to fit in, the acceptance and rejection by the peers as well as the mystery and adventure of who the silver bloods are that are killing these new vampires. Blue Bloods introduces the mystery and self exploration that is true to this new genre.

The final series to be discussed is Twilight. This series has gained enormous popularity because it is easy for not only teen girls but teen boys to identify with the vast array of characters in this narrative. The story is told as first person narrative through the main character Bella Swan. Bella is a plain girl next door who meets and falls in love with the most beautiful vampire in the world, Edward Cullen. Teen girls identify with her average life. It is a Romeo and Juliet story where the two are drawn together by fate while trying to manage their relationship as human and vampire. Twilight is a different vampire story than those in the past. The author, Stephenie Meyers is a devout Mormon. Her religious views can be seen in the fact that Meyer's vampires don't show fangs and are self proclaimed vegetarians (they live off the blood of animals not humans). But the biggest difference in this story is that the vampires hide from the sunlight not because they will turn to dust but because they will sparkle like beautiful diamonds. They are perfect creatures. However, the story is not a simple happy one. It is wrought with Edward's desire to kill Bella the first time they meet and Bella's struggle between her love for Edward and her friendship with Jacob, a werewolf and a member of the enemy clan of the Cullen family. There is questioning of Edward stalking Bella, her loss of identity when she is with him, the discussion of abortion and of course the controversial underlying abstinence lesson that result in a heavy sex scene in the last book only after they are married. These are all choices that are prevalent in the world of teenagers today. Many readers use this as a "how to book" with relationships.

Teens learn through social institutions such as family and culture and when one is absent the other steps in take fill the void. As a result the media and literature of popular culture becomes the teachers of today's youth. The vampire was introduced to these youth at an early age and has maintained strong staying power. It is only natural that it may become the role model for teen's socialization whether it's learning to make friends, find acceptance or make life choices.

How do you see vampires like Edward Cullen, Alice, Skylar, and Raven influencing today's youth? And I am not referring to the change in the mythos of vampires but the socialization skills that come with these characters.

If you would like more discussions as well as pop culture facts and lists about vampire then buy my book, Lure of the Vampire here- http://amzn.to/nwDAKR