Week 5: 9.24.10

In your book, what are some of the ways that your character expresses themselves through their emotions? How do they show love? Anger? Hate? Why is this important to you as a reader?

In my book, Eight Grade Bites by Heather Brewer, the main character, Vladimir Tod shows his emotions through his actions. Although I have only begun this book and am on page 47, I can tell this by the way the author is describing Vlad's behavior. Earlier in the story, on pg. 12, Vlad begins to act to his try nature of being a vampire:

"Touching the tip of his tongue to his newly exposed fangs, he leaned forward until his feet slipped from the branch. Wind brushed his hair back from his face as he descended and then, with a flicker of concentration, Vlad willed his body forward. Arms outstretched, his fangs exposed, his throat releasing a low, guttural growl, he floated closer to the boys until he was just above their heads, and screamed."

This tells me, as a reader, that Vlad is using his vampiric nature to his advantage, to scare some little boys on Halloween out of their candy. That, in my opinion, makes him a bit of an opportunistic jerk. He's not taking into consideration how he could be hurting those little kids, only that he is willing to scare them to get their sweets. It is a selfish thing to do and irritates me as a reader. This is important because if I wasn't interested in my character, whether they are entertaining or irritating, the author is still drawing me into the story.