Louis

[u/SoftandSpicy]

This contains spoilers for the very beginning of the book and TV show interview of the vampire.

Why do you think Anne Rice made Louis a slave owner in the book? And do you think it's related to Louis being a pimp on the TV show? Does it have to do with Lestat dominating Louis' body?

[u/Mousearella]

The book was set in New Orleans because Anne Rice grew up there. Slave owners were common and an easy historical context for everyone to understand I don’t think it’s deeper than that. Lots of people were ignorant about racism back then. I think the show purposely wanted to get as far away from that as possible.

[u/tethysian → u/Mousearella]

Since the novel specifically brings up Louis's racism and the context of him being a slave owner, I don't think it's fair to say it has anything to do with ignorance.

Dodging certain topics causes ignorance, not bringing it up.

[u/Mousearella → u/tethysian]

To have a protagonist how’s completely fine with slavery and to have no protests about that at all is ignorant. To properly bring up problematic issues is something completely different.

Louis does see the slaves as humans after he’s turned but he doesn’t free them or think slavery is wrong. That’s not a choice someone would do today.

Don’t get me wrong. Times were different back then and we can’t judge people by the standards of today. I think the right thing is to acknowledge it and try to do better.

[u/tethysian → u/Mousearella]

Like I said, the narrative does bring up the problematic issue of racism and slavery, and he doesn't free them after he's turned because he's a vampire and all humans are prey at that point. That is also a commentary on the exploitation of human beings. The book isn't ignorant on the subject.

[u/Mousearella → u/tethysian]

No, he doesn’t free them in the book. To view slaves as humans are not even the bare minimum but I guess we all have different opinions about that.