This is a great challenge for you to come up with your own ideas, and start to build confidence as a writer by crafting your report in which you express your ideas. It would be robbing you of the experience to just do it for you. But I will help a little ;]
What even is symbolism? Colors and objects, certain actions, can be associated with a deeper meaning, which can be intentional or not on the author’s part.
Red is a color that’s used in TVL. So if I were to pick that as a symbol to investigate, I would look at things that are mentioned with this color. This is a short list.
Blood, obviously, and Lestat’s vision of the red stream when he is turned.
Lestat’s lip makeup he wears when he performed with the little actor troupe.
Nicolas has a red velvet frock coat.
Lestat’s red velvet cloak, given to him after killing the wolves.
Lestat getting kidnapped in that red cloak.
The murdered stable boy wearing a fancy red velvet coat.
What kinds of connections can you make? You could say that:
Red is associated w/ positive feelings like being rewarded, for Lestat’s service to his village. Velvet is expensive, and the villagers are showing that they appreciate him and respect him as their Marquis’ son.
Red lips make him look more attractive on stage, red lips usually imply that there is blood in them from kissing or the anticipation of kissing, so there’s that flirtatious excitement there.
When the Children of Darkness kill the stable boy, Lestat finds the body dressed in a red velvet coat:
“I kept thinking over and over of the stable boy, mangled and thrown there in that fancy red velvet frock coat. I had seen that coat before and I couldn’t remember where I had seen it. Had it been one of my own? Had they gotten into the tower? No, that was not possible, they couldn’t have gotten in. Had they had a coat made up identical to one of my own? Gone to such lengths to mock me? No. How could such creatures do a thing like that? But still… that particular coat. Something about it…”
Did they mean, “This is YOU Lestat, all dressed up like you’re the prince of France! We made this kid into a piñata and we’re going to destroy you as badly as this next BWAHAHAHAAAA!” ?
Skim TVL and find recurring colors, objects, actions, and list them. Then, you might start to see associations you can make.
In my younger days, it was spelled "teeny boppers" and referred more to “a young teenager, especially a girl, who keenly follows the latest fashions in clothes and pop music,” especially boy bands. So… maybe the definition has changed since then? But it still comes across as strange w/ an unnecesary negative connotation the way the Anon used it.
To suggest that “going through X phase” leads to serious mental health problems is wrong on so many levels, totally separate from the fact that I am not “going through a vampire phase,” I just have a blog that is largely focused on a subject and a specific media interpretation of it, but that’s fandom. It’s not “going through a phase.” Just sharing appreciation for something using social media.
And then: “all my friends went through that phase and one has serious mental problems now.” If we take this as fact and not trolling (which it IS)(not that I want to engage in a real discussion over this):
So, that’s 1 out of how many? 2? 10? 1,000?
“serious mental problems?” What is their definition of “serious mental problems”?
Are those "serious mental problems" so awful as to be ALL considered “unsafe”?
How does Anon know the “serious mental problems” weren’t brought on by, say, genetics, a difficult family life, an aggressive duck situation, a unicycle accident, the stress brought on by the pressure of wanting to measure up to societal ideals, or, like, VIRTUALLY ANY NUMBER OF THOSE OR OTHER THINGS INDIVIDUALLY or compounded together?
It’s most likely a troll, who has become active in the last month or so, and asked me other things trying to get some kind of reaction like a little kid prodding an adult for attention.
Reminder to that Anon: I’m not required to answer anything.
YOU’RE TOO LATE YOUR PROPHECY HAS COME TO PASS I AM A “TEEN BOPPER” IN TOO DEEP BC I CANNOT SEPARATE FICTION FROM REALITY WHY THE FRACK DIDN’T YOU MESSAGE ME SOONER???!!11!
