Would you let Eli in?

[sauvin]

On the contrary, for me it is precisely this knowledge that makes Eli less dangerous. She does not resort to violence for petty reasons, only for her survival or Oskar's - these for a cured Eli translate to self-defence, which I don't see a problem with. Precisely because Eli know so well what it takes to kill someone, I would trust her not to go too far without need, not to let herself be carried away.

I wouldn't, because the world she's known for so long has been so different from that of a normal child's. I agree that she won't use violence without cause, but I disagree that she'd see "cause" in the same light normal people would. She's simply been both hunter and hunted for too long to shed this part of her nature as easily as she would the supernatural aspects of her present vampirism (assuming the cure, of course, is "easy").

[lombano]

She wouldn't see it in the same light, but I think her very experience but, while I think it would be very difficult for her to trust, and she would have a different perception of brutality than most people, I don't think that she'd be more inclined to violence, though no doubt she'd be more effective than an equivalent child, and I think he would keep her cool better.

[PeteMork]

On the contrary, for me it is precisely this knowledge that makes Eli less dangerous. She does not resort to violence for petty reasons, only for her survival or Oskar's - these for a cured Eli translate to self-defence, which I don't see a problem with. Precisely because Eli know so well what it takes to kill someone, I would trust her not to go too far without need, not to let herself be carried away.

I wouldn't, because the world she's known for so long has been so different from that of a normal child's. I agree that she won't use violence without cause, but I disagree that she'd see "cause" in the same light normal people would. She's simply been both hunter and hunted for too long to shed this part of her nature as easily as she would the supernatural aspects of her present vampirism (assuming the cure, of course, is "easy").

There are real stories about children who have grown up isolated from human contact and none of the ones I’ve read have had happy endings. Sauvin has a point here. Eli had a normal life for 12 years 230 years ago, but since then her relationship with humans has been unimaginably (even for all of us in the forum) different, dark, and deadly. She simply could not ‘shake it off’ that easily. I personally would be very reluctant to allow Eli unsupervised contact with a 12-year-old child of mine until I had fully satisfied myself that she posed no danger. And physical danger to my child, although foremost in my mind, would be just part of it. I would want to be assured that the darkness in her life is not contagious before I would allow them regular contact. (This is reality we’re talking about here; not my fluffy FF ) Evidence in the real world (children, for example, who are forced into the military at very young ages in third-world countries) indicates irreparable psychological damage is usually the result. Why would Eli be any different?

[God of Vampires]

Intresting question .

Myself I face one problem, Eli is the one I view as my child. My feelings for her is the same as I would have for my own children. If I put that aside for a moment. I do not think a cured Eli would pose a physical threat, if I remeber correctly she was considered abnormaly weak before being turned. As for being a "bad influence", that would be pure hypocrisy from my side as I am probably a much worse influence than Eli. Also, if my child wants to be friends with Eli I do not feel I have the right to deny him/her that. Children do have a will of their own you know, if my child really wants to be with a person, I will not make them unhappy. You may notice that I think very highly of children and their capabillities. I do not deny that Eli would be strange, but I am strange too, and any child of mine could not possibly be anything else than strange . I would even allow my child to see Eli as a vampire, though I would keep an eye on them, so that no "accidents" happen.

[intrige]

I will thank those who welcomed me waay in the back. My first (comment).. or .. something.. haha

Well, To Let Eli is, as I said. I wouldn't. If I knew she was a vampire. But prpbubly wouldn't know that is that. I would let her in as a cute little girl who seem to be weak and I would offer her blankets and something warm to drink. But vampire Eli, no way. I am not a little boy, so that ship have sailed.

[lombano]

There are real stories about children who have grown up isolated from human contact and none of the ones I’ve read have had happy endings. Sauvin has a point here. Eli had a normal life for 12 years 230 years ago, but since then her relationship with humans has been unimaginably (even for all of us in the forum) different, dark, and deadly. She simply could not ‘shake it off’ that easily. I personally would be very reluctant to allow Eli unsupervised contact with a 12-year-old child of mine until I had fully satisfied myself that she posed no danger. And physical danger to my child, although foremost in my mind, would be just part of it. I would want to be assured that the darkness in her life is not contagious before I would allow them regular contact. (This is reality we’re talking about here; not my fluffy FF ) Evidence in the real world (children, for example, who are forced into the military at very young ages in third-world countries) indicates irreparable psychological damage is usually the result. Why would Eli be any different?

But Eli is different. Not only because being a centuries-old child is entirely outside human experience, but also because it would seem she has abnormal levels of resilience - indeed it seems her condition results in mental as well as physical superhuman resilience. Physical danger seems to me less of an issue in such a scenario than with a random child. I would be wary of unsupervised contact for the psychological reasons you mention - still, bear in mind some of Eli's traits: a strong desire for empathy, a remarkable level of self-restraint, etc.

[sauvin]

There are real stories about children who have grown up isolated from human contact and none of the ones I’ve read have had happy endings. Sauvin has a point here. Eli had a normal life for 12 years 230 years ago, but since then her relationship with humans has been unimaginably (even for all of us in the forum) different, dark, and deadly. She simply could not ‘shake it off’ that easily. I personally would be very reluctant to allow Eli unsupervised contact with a 12-year-old child of mine until I had fully satisfied myself that she posed no danger. And physical danger to my child, although foremost in my mind, would be just part of it. I would want to be assured that the darkness in her life is not contagious before I would allow them regular contact. (This is reality we’re talking about here; not my fluffy FF ) Evidence in the real world (children, for example, who are forced into the military at very young ages in third-world countries) indicates irreparable psychological damage is usually the result. Why would Eli be any different?

But Eli is different. Not only because being a centuries-old child is entirely outside human experience, but also because it would seem she has abnormal levels of resilience - indeed it seems her condition results in mental as well as physical superhuman resilience. Physical danger seems to me less of an issue in such a scenario than with a random child. I would be wary of unsupervised contact for the psychological reasons you mention - still, bear in mind some of Eli's traits: a strong desire for empathy, a remarkable level of self-restraint, etc.

... and indestructibility. I have an impression she doesn't rattle terribly easily as a vampire because she knows she can handle almost anything. She doesn't actually care because she doesn't have to, and the only thing that really bothers her is the fear of being surprised while she sleeps.

Now, she's "cured", in the sense that there is no beast in her chest to drive her to consume blood (it probably disgusts her now, in fact), but also no beast to give her the power of flight or the ability to blow through plate glass easily. She now has dulled vision and muddled hearing. She's vulnerable, no more vulnerable than any other child in "objective" terms but relatively helpless in terms she's lived with and understood for centuries. Do you not feel she'd be naturally more "defensive" in this state, much readier to act pre-emptively if she feels threatened, and do you not feel her perception of threat would be very different from that of a normal child who's never known differently and has a much keener grasp of the social contract most of us have grown up with and never questioned?

[lombano]

I think Eli would indeed feel fragile, insecure - but I don't think that would make her more likely to engage in violence, I think it would make her more likely to engage in some form of flight - avoidance, etc, as well as far less likely to seek adult help.

[sauvin]

I think Eli would indeed feel fragile, insecure - but I don't think that would make her more likely to engage in violence, I think it would make her more likely to engage in some form of flight - avoidance, etc, as well as far less likely to seek adult help.

And if she doesn't see flight as a viable choice?

[lombano]

That could happen, but what exactly is a cornered human Eli going to do? Yes, she knows well exactly what it takes to kill someone, but that doesn't mean she'd have the means to implement it. In any case, book Eli at least is perfectly capable of distinguishing between horseplay and genuine violence.