Sleepy Little Vampires

[a_contemplative_life]

Hope Ophelia won't mind me linking to her sketch to introduce this little topic.

I am curious to hear opinions on just how asleep Eli is during the day. You're welcome to pull from the film or the novel.

It seems to me when I read the book (don't recall precisely where), that sleep for vampires is different from sleep for normal folks; there seems to be an "on-off" quality to it. And their sleep cycles are apparently tied to the rising and setting of the sun.

Yet, there are indications that they are arousable during the day, or at least when the night is just over, or when the day is about to be over. I base this on Eli's waking up in the film when Lacke tries to let more light into the bathroom and Oskar shouts a warning, and on Virginia's ability to tell the hospital attendant to open the blinds when clearly, the sun is up. Maybe their are transitional zones on either side of night in which they have the ability to function for brief periods?

Another point is that, as best I can recall, in classical vampire tradition vampires cannot leave their resting place until it is fully dark. Yet, Eli is apparently capable of springing from her tub to nom Lacke. I suppose this may not contradict the traditional rule if we assume that dusk falls right at the instant that Lacke does his thing, but this seems to me, at least, too happy a coincidence. Hmmm...

[ofelia]

that picture surprised me when I clicked on the topic!

I'm going from the book here. In Virginia's case she could keep herself awake during the day if she actively tried, such as when she goes to the grocery store and tries to work. That was when she had blood in her system; it got harder for her as she grew weaker, and she was fighting to stay awake by the time she was in the hospital. However Virginia was newly infected and I think Eli would be more capable of staying awake if he needed/wanted to. He managed to run to the store and steal T-Rod and run all the way back while the sun was rising.
About the part where Lacke tries to kill Eli... honestly, I don't think JAL ever picked apart the logic of his book the way we have I think some part of Eli sensed that he needed to wake up: either the vampire brain could tell that the host body was in danger, or Eli heard Oskar scream and recognized it. The sharp hearing might come into account. Hearing doesn't always tune out all the way when we're asleep. Although I always thought that the sleep cycle in the book was more like shutting down a computer or some other machine, the way it's described as 'turning off' rather than falling asleep. If you're going from the film, I think the light was what woke Eli in the bathtub; the book, having more time to describe things, would be a little more complicated.

[Ash]

And their sleep cycles are apparently tied to the rising and setting of the sun.

The day/night cycle does seem to have a strong influence over Eli. Obviously because daytime for a vampire is potentially lethal.
"Eli puts his hands up on his face, presses his fingers against his eyelids.
Feels it in his body, the approaching sunrise, like a worry."
As for on/off, I've never had the "half-asleep" thing myself. I'm either asleep or awake and alert. Other people I've known, after waking, do seem to have a short period where they need to "gather their thoughts" but I never have. Is this normal?

[a_contemplative_life]

that picture surprised me when I clicked on the topic!

You might be interested in knowing that your picture popped up right away when I Googled "eli asleep 'let the right one in'"! That 'ole Google-bot has been busy...

I'm going from the book here. In Virginia's case she could keep herself awake during the day if she actively tried, such as when she goes to the grocery store and tries to work. That was when she had blood in her system; it got harder for her as she grew weaker, and she was fighting to stay awake by the time she was in the hospital. However Virginia was newly infected and I think Eli would be more capable of staying awake if he needed/wanted to. He managed to run to the store and steal T-Rod and run all the way back while the sun was rising.
About the part where Lacke tries to kill Eli... honestly, I don't think JAL ever picked apart the logic of his book the way we have I think some part of Eli sensed that he needed to wake up: either the vampire brain could tell that the host body was in danger, or Eli heard Oskar scream and recognized it. The sharp hearing might come into account. Hearing doesn't always tune out all the way when we're asleep. Although I always thought that the sleep cycle in the book was more like shutting down a computer or some other machine, the way it's described as 'turning off' rather than falling asleep. If you're going from the film, I think the light was what woke Eli in the bathtub; the book, having more time to describe things, would be a little more complicated.

I had always assumed that Eli heard Oskar yell because Eli did not wake up before that, when Lacke kneeled by her side and pulled back the covers.

I have always thought there was a bit of a discrepancy in this part of the story because Eli was not burned by the sunlight; on the other hand, maybe it was only on her skin for a second or two before Lacke let go of the paper on the window.

[a_contemplative_life]

And their sleep cycles are apparently tied to the rising and setting of the sun.

The day/night cycle does seem to have a strong influence over Eli. Obviously because daytime for a vampire is potentially lethal.
"Eli puts his hands up on his face, presses his fingers against his eyelids.
Feels it in his body, the approaching sunrise, like a worry."
As for on/off, I've never had the "half-asleep" thing myself. I'm either asleep or awake and alert. Other people I've known, after waking, do seem to have a short period where they need to "gather their thoughts" but I never have. Is this normal?

I've read somewhere that soldiers develop the ability to be "instantly awake" after being in combat for awhile.

One might imagine that the constant worry/fear of having to be back inside and covered up at sunrise might create psychological disturbances over the long run. Anxiety disorder-NOS? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_anxiety_disorder

[intrige]

I have thought a lot about this, for FFs and how to.. Mix it all together, in the stories. So this is what I think:

Eli, or vampires in genuial I guess, REST during the day. Like they just lay there, almost like a dead person. No need to breath, maybe they don't need it at all? (That Eli puts up an akt for Oskar to seem more normal?) And when resting, very unaware of suroundings and not asleep at all. That's why Eli always want Oskar to lock the doors. Or telling Håkan about if someone could go in there, what could happen? Not sleeping, but very very deep resting. The sleeping I think are those long sleeps. for months. Not caused my hunger or depression. But genuial sleep like we do every night.

It would also be a very logical defence mecanizem to feel the sun. Then Eli or Ginia or any vampire would feel when it wasn't safe to go outside or when it was. And that it apperently is a worry is also something that's easy to understand. Tke it as how many people, kids but also grown-ups are scared of the dark. It's a defence mecanizem we have inside of us, back in the cave days for us. Animals could be luring, rocks or whatever sticking out could also cause us to fall and break something. Then we would die, we are afraid of what we can't see. So for a creature that burst into flames and eyes popping out when being in the sun, a worry when the danger comes up to the sky is at its place. Don't you think?

[ofelia]

You might be interested in knowing that your picture popped up right away when I Googled "eli asleep 'let the right one in'"! That 'ole Google-bot has been busy...

Whoa! Weird!

[a_contemplative_life]

I have thought a lot about this, for FFs and how to.. Mix it all together, in the stories. So this is what I think:

Eli, or vampires in genuial I guess, REST during the day. Like they just lay there, almost like a dead person. No need to breath, maybe they don't need it at all? (That Eli puts up an akt for Oskar to seem more normal?) And when resting, very unaware of suroundings and not asleep at all. That's why Eli always want Oskar to lock the doors. Or telling Håkan about if someone could go in there, what could happen? Not sleeping, but very very deep resting. The sleeping I think are those long sleeps. for months. Not caused my hunger or depression. But genuial sleep like we do every night.

It would also be a very logical defence mecanizem to feel the sun. Then Eli or Ginia or any vampire would feel when it wasn't safe to go outside or when it was. And that it apperently is a worry is also something that's easy to understand. Tke it as how many people, kids but also grown-ups are scared of the dark. It's a defence mecanizem we have inside of us, back in the cave days for us. Animals could be luring, rocks or whatever sticking out could also cause us to fall and break something. Then we would die, we are afraid of what we can't see. So for a creature that burst into flames and eyes popping out when being in the sun, a worry when the danger comes up to the sky is at its place. Don't you think?

Agreed!

[Jules]

I have thought a lot about this, for FFs and how to.. Mix it all together, in the stories. So this is what I think:

Eli, or vampires in genuial I guess, REST during the day. Like they just lay there, almost like a dead person. No need to breath, maybe they don't need it at all? (That Eli puts up an akt for Oskar to seem more normal?) And when resting, very unaware of suroundings and not asleep at all. That's why Eli always want Oskar to lock the doors. Or telling Håkan about if someone could go in there, what could happen? Not sleeping, but very very deep resting. The sleeping I think are those long sleeps. for months. Not caused my hunger or depression. But genuial sleep like we do every night.

It would also be a very logical defence mecanizem to feel the sun. Then Eli or Ginia or any vampire would feel when it wasn't safe to go outside or when it was. And that it apperently is a worry is also something that's easy to understand. Tke it as how many people, kids but also grown-ups are scared of the dark. It's a defence mecanizem we have inside of us, back in the cave days for us. Animals could be luring, rocks or whatever sticking out could also cause us to fall and break something. Then we would die, we are afraid of what we can't see. So for a creature that burst into flames and eyes popping out when being in the sun, a worry when the danger comes up to the sky is at its place. Don't you think?

Agreed!

Me too. Nice deduction.

[intrige]

Thank you