In Eula Biss's On Immunity: An Inoculation, several metaphors are used to discuss the fear associated with vaccines. Some of the main themes include the body waging war on disease and doctors being paternal figures trying to protect the general populace from disease.
One of the lesser discussed metaphors from On Immunity involves vampirism. In the book, Eric Nuzum is quoted as saying "If you want to understand any moment in time, or any cultural moment, just look at their vampires." This concept is demonstrated exceptionally well by Victorian vampires. In Victorian times, one of the most taboo subjects was sex and sexuality. Victorian vampires were often cold but highly sexual creatures using physical attraction to lure their victims to their doom. Modern vampires are much more focused on morality. They are conflicted about their need to consume human blood. They try to forego preying on humans often substituting human blood with animal blood. Our vampires are less focused on sexuality and much more focused with power. They use their personal will power to overcome their need for blood in order to live in close proximity with humans. This concept demonstrates the modern infatuation with power. Our current society is focused around status symbols. The clothes you wear, the car you drive, your title at work are all indicators to the amount of power you have over other people in the world.
In On Immunity, Biss's father suggests another view of vampires in which the vampire serves not as a metaphor for sexuality or power but one for medicine. "Medicine sucks the blood out of people in a lot of ways" he states. This statement refers to the exorbitant prices of almost any medical procedure as well as the amount of time and stress involved. Going through a surgery or major illness is draining not only physically but emotionally and economically also. It is just as draining to watch a loved one go through such an illness or surgery. The forced hold major medicine imposes on a person's life too often leaves them struggling after it passes. This vampirism on a person's life is a major characteristic of modern medicine. Every illness, every procedure is a process that claims a hold on one's life until it has been completed. Medicine continues to complicate itself extending its predatory hold on the life of each patient.
References
Biss, Eula. On Immunity: An Inoculation. Gray Wolf Press: Minneapolis, 2014. Print.
I found the metaphor used between vampires and medicine to be rather striking. At first I kind of laughed and wondered if anyone actually looked at health care as a monster leeching the life out of society. As it turns out, people absolutely do. Biss did an excellent job of painting healthcare in a way that I had not previously viewed it and I feel like I have a much greater understanding after reading On Immunity.
ReplyDeleteWhoa, I never actually interpret the book like that. You showed such great understanding of the author's writing that I never found. Short, concise and overall great job, Caitlyn!
ReplyDeleteNice connection between vampires and medicine, I also wrote about this metaphor, but we discussed two different aspects of it. You talked about the symbolism of vampires in the Victorian age and today while I talked about which was more dangerous, disease or vaccination. Reading your thoughts about this metaphor makes me realize how much our society is focused on status symbols. It's always about the next trend and who has what.
ReplyDeleteI think you just managed to sum up the issues plaguing the United States healthcare system using the coolest metaphor ever! Because you are absolutely right! It draws blood from the common folk, both literally and figuratively with money, and uses it to add to its own power. Now, this metaphor breaks down when you consider that the money is then used to research new and better ways to help others, but from the perspective of a impoverished or average citizen, it is easy to see how that could be the image in their minds.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed the connection between vampires and society. I would have never thought that vampires could be something used to traces the values of society at a moment in time. However, it is very evident that vampires evolved from being sexual, to being obsessed with morality and power. It very accurately represents the shift of what society values at a moment in time.
ReplyDeleteThe vampire metaphor in this book was one that struck me as one of my favorite little pieces of this book. I had never thought about vampires as a metaphor, a reflection of a time period, until I read this book. I loved how you went into what the author meant when by "medicine sucks the blood out of you in many ways". You bring up some awesome points that I didn't even think about!
ReplyDeleteThis is really interested and it also begs the question of vaccines being a "vampire slayer", because while sometimes vaccines may have adverse side-effects, they prevent people from needing to through even more medication and therapy if they caught a disease they weren't vaccinated for.
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