, Research Paper
Memnoch the Devil by Anne Rice
Killing, kidnapping and battles, all parts of Memnoch the Devil by Anne Rice. The main character, Lestat, is a well-known and flamboyant vampire. In Memnoch the Devil, Lestat is faced with a grim reality, causing his world to collapse around him. He learns throughout this book, about the world, and the divine forces that encircle the world?s existence. This book illustrates how Lestat?s morals, ignorance and understanding are greatly affected by outside forces.
In the beginning of the book, Lestat, the quick and cunning vampire referred to as ?the Brat Prince? by his followers stalks a wealthy artifact smuggler. Lestat soon becomes obsessed with his mortal victim, Roger, following him and trying to live his life through Roger?s eyes. Lestat quickly develops a love for Roger, due to Roger’s take on life, and his robust actions. Lestat comes to the reality that Roger is sick and evil, through his past was full of murders of family members and mercenary like acts. Even all of this added to the fact that Roger was a smuggler of godly artifacts, Lestat?s love for Roger still lived on. Lestat observes his own actions and concludes that he himself is sick and evil as well, due to his obsessive stalking. Lestat sees his morals are in fact worse than those of Roger, when he brutally slays and mutates his carcass. With this Lestat concludes that he was in fact the sick and evil one, more so than Roger was.
Lestat is soon encountered by Roger?s apparition and realizes the grave mistake he made, fueled by his ignorance. Throughout his stalking of Roger, Lestat encountered a demon, which he thought to be the devil. Lestat was so occupied with his stalking; he neglected to take much note of this demon. Lestat was confronted again by the demon the night he slaughtered his beloved Roger. This caused Lestat to realize the devil was observing Lestat?s own sick acts of evil and ignorance. As Roger?s ghost justified his evil doings Lestat obtained that Roger was not evil, as he was thought to be. This shocked Lestat, causing him to become more aware and observant, resulting with Lestat?s ignorance dissipating. Though these changes in awareness came too slowly, Lestat was soon kidnapped by the Devil, and brought on a mortifying and appalling trip. This furthermore extended Lestat?s awareness, when it was realized the Devil?s kidnapping was fueled by his cruel acts and ignorance.
Finally, through Lestat?s trek through Heaven and Hell with the Devil, Lestat grasps an understanding that he had never before conceived. Lestat sees images that take him to the extremes of his vampire mind. During his journey Lestat seizes Veronica?s Veil, a famous artifact, and brings it back to earth. Veronica?s Veil was said to have Jesus? face imprinted into it with blood. This Veil impacts the way society views God, and furthers Lestat?s vast knowledge of the world and its workings. This journey alters his understanding to such an extent, Lestat states; ? This is what I saw, This is what I heard, This is what I know! This is all I know?(447). This diverse change in Lestat had both a good and bad side. The good change is that Lestat is transformed into a fountain of knowledge, he realizes why the world is where it is, and why everything happens. The bad change, however, is that Lestat is so shocked by all of this, that it takes him months to compose himself and live a normal life again.
Lestat?s battles, defeats and triumphs throughout this book change him in mostly positive ways. The events in the book show Lestat all he has ever wanted to know, causing him to be a much better person in the long run. This trek made by Lestat altered him and his views on the world in extraordinary ways, ways that the average human cannot comprehend without understanding all of god, the devil and the world.