True blood

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Running Head: FANTASY THEME ANALYSIS OF TRUE BLOOD

FANTASY THEME ANALYSIS OF TRUE BLOOD

Joshua Mann

George Mason University

Communication 300-004

December 9, 2011

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Abstract

In this criticism, I am using Fantasy Theme Analysis to analyze the television show True

Blood. As someone who watches True Blood, I have noticed recurring messages, or themes, that

can be found within the show that have recently emerged from society. I plan to discuss how

there are specific messages in society that can be found within television shows, such as True

Blood, and how the audience can learn from them.

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I. Background Information
a. Vampire sensation
b. The back story of Sookie Stackhouse

II. Social Convergence Can Be Found Within True Blood
a. Dramatizing from society
b. Understanding of gay rights
c. Understanding of civil rights
d. Understanding of Christianity

III. Rhetorical Vision
a. The theme of religious fanaticism
b. The theme of forgiveness
c. The theme of acceptance
d. The theme of female empowerment

IV. Concluding Analysis
a. The effect of True Blood on society
b. The lessons to be learned from True Blood

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Background Information

Based on The Southern Vampire Mystery series by Charlaine Harris, True Blood is a

show that will leave Twilight fans thinking twice before dating a vampire. Filled with gore,

violence, and sex, True Blood is the essence of vampire culture. It is how vampires were

perceived to be before Twilight existed. With one Golden Globe, one Emmy, and more than four

million viewers each week, True Blood is a vampire sensation that will not go away anytime

soon.

True Blood is set in the town of Bon Temps, Louisiana, where mythical creatures, such as

vampires, werewolves and fairies, exist alongside humans. The series is centered on an ordinary

waitress named Sookie Stackhouse, who viewers later find out is not so normal. Sookie‟s life

gets a bit more interesting once she meets Bill Compton, a 173-year-old vampire. Alongside

Bill, other mythical creatures, and even a few humans, Sookie‟s life is much more difficult to

handle than that of Bella and Edward in Twilight. Although True Blood may not be appropriate

for all ages, there are lessons that can learned from it.

In this criticism, I plan to analyze the components of True Blood using Ernest G.

Bormann‟s Fantasy Theme Analysis. First, I will analyze how there is a social convergence of

messages in society that have been dramatized into True Blood. I will then move on to analyzing

the different set of themes that can be found within True Blood. Lastly, I will analyze what

lessons can be taken from True Blood. In this criticism, I plan to answer the following question:

How are syndicated television programs used to spread recurring messages throughout society?

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Social Convergence Can Be Found Within True Blood

In society, there have been continuing struggles for gay rights. There have been

continuing struggles for civil rights. There has also been continuing struggles involving the

church versus state: Should the values of the church be integrated into the values of the 50

states? There is an understanding in society that there needs to be a change in the way people

view certain issues, which is considered dramatizing. This understanding has then been agreed

upon and the word has been spread. As a result, these understandings, or messages, can be found

within all areas of society, including television. In True Blood, there are several references to

some of these different struggles that have been taken place in the real world.

During the opening credits of every season, there is a picture of a sign that reads: “God

hates fangs.” If the letter „n‟ is taken out in „fangs,‟ then it would read: “God hates fags.” This

is, of course, is referring to the struggle that the lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender (LGBT)

community has been going through to obtain equal rights.

In season 2, episode 3, Bill‟s “daughter,” Jessica, meets a guy in a bar who is not aware at

first that she is a vampire. They go back to Bill‟s home, and start making out. After a few

seconds, her fangs pop out. Jessica tries to hide her fangs from him, but he tells her not to hide

them from him because it is natural. This can go along with the argument regarding whether

people are born gay or rather they choose to be this gay. Is it natural people for people to be gay,

or do people choose to be gay?

In season 2, episode 12, when Bill proposes to Sookie, he suggests they go to Vermont,

which happens to be the first place that allowed same-sex couples to legally marry in the United

States.

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True Blood has also made references that could be compared to the Civil Rights

Movement. In season 3, episode 10, Russell Edgington, the king vampire of Mississippi, killed a

newscaster on live television and ultimately declared war on the human race. Afterwards, at

Bill‟s house, a group of protesters threw a brick through the window and told them to “go back

to hell.” When Jessica goes to confront them, there is a cross set on fire in the front yard.

Burning crosses can be traced back to the Ku Klux Klan (KKK), who used to do the same thing

to African Americans.

In addition, as stated before, it is illegal for humans to legally marry vampires, or any

other mythical creatures. This can be compared to interracial marriages. During a big part of

American history, it was illegal for a black person to marry a white person. In Bon Temps, it is

not illegal for a black person to marry a white person, but it is illegal for a vampire to marry a

human.

Lastly, there are several references that exemplify society‟s viewpoints toward

Christianity. On more than one occasion during the entire four seasons, the Christians on True

Blood have not been kind to vampires. During the season two arc, Sookie was fighting against

the Fellowship of the Sun, which was a church that can be compared to the Westboro Baptist

Church.

At one point, the pastor of Fellowship of the Sun, Steve Newlin, kidnapped Sookie

because he thought she was a vampire. After Sookie escaped with the help of two vampires, Eric

Northman and Godric, Steve attempted to chain down Eric to a table with silver, which is a

weakness for vampires, where he then planned to execute Eric at dawn. Again, these were the

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actions of a spiritual leader in a “Christian” church, who is doing all of this in the name of God.

When putting Christian in such an extreme light, such as those of the Westboro Baptist

Church, some people would consider Christians as nothing but hate-spreading, hypocritical

bigots.

Rhetorical Vision

Throughout the series, there is a unified set of themes that can be found, even within the

title sequence. During the title sequence, viewers will see images displaying a balance of sex,

death, and religion. This was intended to show how people who are religious fanatics and people

who are not religious fanatics could corrupt humans, and make them animalistic. This was also

intended to show the pairings of religious and sexual themes with implied violence. The

intended point of view was not that of a religious fanatic individual, or that opposite of a

religious fanatic but rather that of a “supernatural, predatory creature observing human beings

from the shadows.”

In society, people tend to not have the greatest opinion of other people who are religious

fanatics. An example of religious fanatics would be the Westboro Baptist Church, which

believes that “God hates fags above all other sinners.” They also believe Catholic priests are

vampires who suck the semen out of male children, and Barrack Obama is the Anti-Christ who is

in an allegiance with Pope Benedict XVI, who is the false prophet (JTA).

Another theme of True Blood is forgiveness. One of the characters, Godric, can be

compared to Jesus Christ of the Christian religion. In season two, episode 12, when Eric is

attempting to kill Russell, Godric appears to Eric to tell him to “forgive him. Forgiveness is

love. Love is all. Only peace follows death,” which is similar to a verse in the bible of what

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Jesus would have said. Ironically, Russell could be said to be akin to a modern Judas Iscariot in

relation to Godric.

In society, the saying is: Forgive and forget. If one does not forgive, then they cannot

move on with their life. In the Christian religion, one of the overall themes of the bible is

forgiveness. Christians are supposed to forgive people in order to truly be with Jesus.

Forgiveness is not about the other person, but rather forgiveness is about letting go of any

resentment that one may hold for the other person. Not forgiving someone hinders a person from

moving on with his or her life and it hinders him or her from living the life that Jesus would love

for them to live.

Another theme of True Blood is acceptance, or rather acceptance of others. Vampires are

considered outsiders who only want to do harm to humans. For the most part, they are only seen

as undead creatures that only want one thing from the human world: To drink blood. This

concept can be applied to the “outsiders” of society, such as homosexuals, illegal immigrants,

foreigners, Goths, and so forth. But then again, what is normal? What does it mean to be

normal?

According to Merriam-Webster dictionary, normal is conforming to a type, standard, or

regular pattern. In other words, to be normal is to do as everyone else does. This is the same as

following a tradition, or a religion. Everyone is expected to follow a certain standard of living,

and those who do not follow it are put on the outskirts of society. They are seen as different, and

they are seen as freaks who do not know any better.

However, it is people like Sookie Stackhouse, Bill Compton, Eric Northman, and Godric

who are the ones to show, and to prove, that there is nothing wrong with being different from

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everybody else. They understand this because they are different. They are on the outskirts of

society. Overall, the show displays what it truly means to love people for who they are, despite

the kind of life they life. The truth of the matter is that like all of the fish in an aquarium, people

are diverse, and people are distinct from one another. This is an emerging message that can be

found within society: The message of acceptance. The emerging message is to accept people for

who they are, not what they do, or how they live their life.

Author Charlaine was quoted as saying:

When I began framing how I was going to represent vampires, it suddenly occurred to me

that it would be interesting if they were a minority that was trying to get equal rights. It

just seemed to fit with what was happening in the world right then (Charlaine Harris,

February 2009, n. p.).

Another emerging theme that can be found within True Blood is the message of female

empowerment. Throughout most of the first and second season, whenever Sookie is in danger,

she would scream and yell for help. However, by the end of the second season, when she finds

herself in danger yet again instead of screaming, she pulls out a shotgun and takes care of the

situation herself.

One of the best examples of female empowerment throughout True Blood would be

Sookie‟s best friend, Tara Thornton. Throughout the series, Tara is the one girl that everyone

knows not to mess with. She has such a powerful, forceful, and demanding attitude that

whenever Tara has something to say, everyone else has no choice but to listen. She is the

embodiment of feminine power.

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In society, during recent years, there has been a movement of women to change from

their traditional roles as housewives. Instead of maintaining the home, women are encouraged

that they can do the same thing as men. They are encouraged to have their own careers, and not

to depend on men to support them. Women are also encouraged to stop allowing men to run

their life. Instead, they should run their own life.

On some level, True Blood has become an example of what women can become in

society. Women can become strong, independent, and feared just as the female leads in the

show. Instead of waiting for a man to “come to their rescue,” women should try to help

themselves first. This is not to say that women should completely abandon men, but women

should not be as dependent on men as they have been in the past.

Concluding Analysis

In closing, within the television programs that millions of people watch on a weekly

basis, messages and themes from society can be found dramatized within them. Within True

Blood, viewers will learn of acceptance, forgiveness, and empowerment. Although True Blood

is filled with sex, violence, and blood, there are lessons that can be learned from it. So the old

saying may not be true: “Television will rot your brain.” If there are lessons that can be learned

from television, then how is it rotting your brain? In the end, television could be the platform

that could be used to teach the next generation of children how to behave in society. More

importantly, television could teach the next generation of children how to accept people for who

they are instead of what they do.

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References

Doing baptism, bars, and bloodlust. September 2008. RedOrbit. Retrieved from:

http://www.redorbit.com/news/entertainment/1550089/doing_baptisms_bars_and_bloodl

ust/index.html

Feature: DK‟s True Blood – the making of. Creative League News. Retrieved from:

http://news.creativeleague.com/feature-dks-true-blood-the-making-of

Flesh & „Blood.‟ June 2009. New York Post. Retrieved from:

http://www.nypost.com/p/entertainment/tv/item_WKvyfOFvvONjfWj5S1xa8N;jsessioni

d=59C33DF7E8E28F2D254BDFE4A7879466

Militant anti-gay church turns its sight to Jews. JTA. Retrieved from:

http://www.jta.org/news/article/2009/05/12/1005095/militant-anti-gay-church-turns-its-

sights-on-jews

True Blood. True-Blood.tv. Retrieved from: http://true-blood.tv/About/.

True Blood. Wikia Entertainment. Retrieved from:

http://trueblood.wikia.com/wiki/True_Blood_Wiki

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