In Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter, death is both a source of pain and also possible relief from pain. Abe spends a lot of his life losing friends and family—and not lose as in "misplace" but lose as in they die on him, which leaves the living Abe in a lot of pain. Because of all that pain, Abe begins to see death as a restful vacation. But it's even better than a quick jaunt to Tahiti because it's permanent. Then again, in a book with vampires (who exist in a gray area between life and death), death may be none of those: it may not be permanent, it may not be a total loss, and it may not be restful. Well then what's the point?
Questions About Death
- Is death talked about in a special way in this book? Are there any metaphors or imagery that get used to describe death? Anything surprising?
- How do different characters react to death? For instance, do Mary Todd and Abe react the same way to their children's deaths? What about Thomas Lincoln and Abe Lincoln?
- Are there any religious issues that characters talk about when death comes a'knockin'? Do characters pray over coffins or talk about meeting each other in the afterlife?
- How does the presence of vampires affect our notion of death in this book? Is death less sad because it's not totally permanent?