Questions about Eli before the infection

For discussion of John Ajvide Lindqvist's novel Låt den rätte komma in
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drakkar
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Re: Questions about Eli before the infection

Post by drakkar » Sun Jan 01, 2012 11:36 am

Only 100 m or so between the places. Eli had bad luck with Virginia, since Lacke was running after her.
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cx1138
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Re: Questions about Eli before the infection

Post by cx1138 » Tue Jan 03, 2012 7:13 pm

metoo wrote:
lombano wrote:The attack on Jocke is fairly risk-free, as Eli can easily see anyone approaching long before being seen. The attack on Virginia isn't, as someone an easily come by, as indeed happens. In fact Eli should probably have been able to hear Lacke shouting at Virginia, which suggests she really wasn't thinking straight.
The places are rather similar, visibility-wise. Mind you, this is the novel topic, the film locations are different.

The place for the attack on Jocke (13 on the map below):
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Image

The place for the attack on Virginia (8 on the map below):
Image Image

Image

(Pictures and map from the thread Blackeberg pictures in context by drakkar.)

Finally, a satellite view.

Thanks for posting those pics! You can't see that much in the film and now I have a better idea what the area looks like.

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Re: Questions about Eli before the infection

Post by WhiteBackground » Thu Feb 09, 2012 1:31 pm

The turning process of Virginia and the sensation she experiences is a good reference point for how Eli may feel in all cases she goes out hunting. JAL does not provide us with much information about what's going on in Eli's little head, but he does provide it, indirectly, via Virginia's experiences. It is, quite literally, a torture of mind and body. The most compelling reason for Eli being not careful enough and not thinking far is that the hunger is overwhelming to the point of clouding his judgement. He is simply not thinking straight, and it is not sure he is capable of it in such a state. Especially after the basement scene with Oskar. Actually, it also makes obvious the amazing restraint that Eli exhibits towards Oskar. The whole basement scene is happening when Eli is in fact being tormented by hunger, and yet he is there playing with Oskar.
"The one with enough courage and patience to dare gaze all his life into the darkness will be the first one to see in it a glimmer of light" (c)

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cx1138
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Re: Questions about Eli before the infection

Post by cx1138 » Thu Feb 09, 2012 6:26 pm

WhiteBackground wrote: It is, quite literally, a torture of mind and body. The most compelling reason for Eli being not careful enough and not thinking far is that the hunger is overwhelming to the point of clouding his judgement. He is simply not thinking straight, and it is not sure he is capable of it in such a state.

My thinking is after a couple hundred years Eli isn't tormented anymore because she has gained control of the beast within her. Virginia may have obtained that same state after many years too. It's all Virginia could think about and Eli thought of other things like playing with puzzles.

I also think that Eli's judgement was only clouded a little by hunger, I think she was mainly just too immature to be careful. That and she was still so young mentally that no one had ever taught her anything and she had no life experiences to fall back on. After she attacked Virginia and sated her hunger and was kicked away she just looked around and calmly left the area. I think she was either too young to care or she just didn't care about anything including being caught. After so many years on earth I guess no one would care what happened to themselves.

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metoo
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Re: Questions about Eli before the infection

Post by metoo » Thu Feb 09, 2012 8:48 pm

cx1138 wrote:... My thinking is after a couple hundred years Eli isn't tormented anymore because she has gained control of the beast within her. ...
Barely so, as is obvious at the basement scene. However, Eli might never before have needed to fight the impulse to feed, that might have been the first time he ever had someone in front of him that he cared for. If that was the case, maybe Eli learnt something there.
But from the beginning Eli was just Eli. Nothing. Anything. And he is still a mystery to me. John Ajvide Lindqvist

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Re: Questions about Eli before the infection

Post by S_M » Wed Mar 14, 2012 5:48 am

So was Eli really able to sprout wings? Sorry didn't finish the novel yet ;)

Anyway, in this sense LtROI reminds me of another vampiric universe (namely, BLood the Last Vampire and Blood+ by Mamoru Osii and Junichi Fujisaku). Weekness after hibernation and bond with a "caretaker" are also similar points. Can't wait to read through.

Though, of course, all of it has become more or less a common 'knowledge' about vampires but it's nice to view the issue from a new perspective, thanks to J.A.L.

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Re: Questions about Eli before the infection

Post by Jessi » Wed Mar 14, 2012 7:17 pm

S_M wrote:So was Eli really able to sprout wings? Sorry didn't finish the novel yet ;)

Anyway, in this sense LtROI reminds me of another vampiric universe (namely, BLood the Last Vampire and Blood+ by Mamoru Osii and Junichi Fujisaku). Weekness after hibernation and bond with a "caretaker" are also similar points. Can't wait to read through.

Though, of course, all of it has become more or less a common 'knowledge' about vampires but it's nice to view the issue from a new perspective, thanks to J.A.L.
Yes, I believe Eli could sprout wings :)
--
Du waren Eine Sommer aus Rücksichtslosigkeit
aber man hatte immer diese zwei Regeln --
Bleib bei mir.. und nicht nach ein Geist geworden.

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metoo
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Re: Questions about Eli before the infection

Post by metoo » Wed Mar 14, 2012 8:07 pm

S_M wrote:So was Eli really able to sprout wings? ...
Eli was able to convert his arm into wings. The specifics are unclear, however, the novel just mentions a thin, cellophane-like membrane between his arms and his body.
But from the beginning Eli was just Eli. Nothing. Anything. And he is still a mystery to me. John Ajvide Lindqvist

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Re: Questions about Eli before the infection

Post by intrige » Wed Mar 14, 2012 8:11 pm

Jessi wrote: Yes, I believe Eli could sprout wings :)
Sprout? :D
Yeh Eli can fly, but I don't belive it's wings directly. More like,, skin between arms and body to make him soar in the hair. I donno 8-)
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Re: Questions about Eli before the infection

Post by S_M » Thu Mar 15, 2012 7:09 am

intrige wrote:
Jessi wrote: Yes, I believe Eli could sprout wings :)
Sprout? :D
Yeh Eli can fly, but I don't belive it's wings directly. More like,, skin between arms and body to make him soar in the hair. I donno 8-)
Yeah, what's wrong with that?) But actually, if she growed some kind of a membrane, rather than a separate pair of limbs, then it's probably correct to refer to it as "shapechanging" :)

I would like to see Eli soaring in the hair :lol: ;00

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