Representation of the "Good"
Elena Gilbert is the epitome of goodness in this television show. As an innocent student who
has recently lost her parents, Elena is thrust into the world of witchcraft when she meets
vampires Stefan and Damon Salvatore. Multiple times within the series, other characters go
to Elena for advice on what is the moral thing to do in each situation. The scene above
represents an important moral dilemma that Elena faces in one of the most pivotal episodes
in the series. In this scene, Elena and her close friend, Matt, drive off of a bridge (the same
bridge where her parents died), and land into the water. When Stefan comes to save Elena,
she sacrifices herself in order to save her friend.
has recently lost her parents, Elena is thrust into the world of witchcraft when she meets
vampires Stefan and Damon Salvatore. Multiple times within the series, other characters go
to Elena for advice on what is the moral thing to do in each situation. The scene above
represents an important moral dilemma that Elena faces in one of the most pivotal episodes
in the series. In this scene, Elena and her close friend, Matt, drive off of a bridge (the same
bridge where her parents died), and land into the water. When Stefan comes to save Elena,
she sacrifices herself in order to save her friend.
In this scene, Stefan (the good vampire) is teaching Caroline, a new vampire, how to hunt
animals. As he is a vampire with a moral conscious, Stefan chooses to ignore his natural impulses
and refrain from ever drinking blood from a human. He does not believe that his "lack of humanity,"
as he calls it, should in any way affect the life of a humans. He explains how he is a moral figure in
this scene, with the intention of teaching Caroline how to follow in his footsteps and remain
the good person that she is--despite having become a vampire.
animals. As he is a vampire with a moral conscious, Stefan chooses to ignore his natural impulses
and refrain from ever drinking blood from a human. He does not believe that his "lack of humanity,"
as he calls it, should in any way affect the life of a humans. He explains how he is a moral figure in
this scene, with the intention of teaching Caroline how to follow in his footsteps and remain
the good person that she is--despite having become a vampire.
Representation of the "Evil"
Klaus Mikaelson is the oldest and most evil vampire that has ever lived. He kills with no regrets,
and has a very short-temper. He is introduced into the show because he is after the main character, Elena,
and plans to kill her, as well. However, once his father comes into town, Klaus realizes he has an obstacle. In
this scene (at approx. 2:25), Klaus is shown killing his father. He is a character that is void of love, and utilizes this
nature to get way he wants no matter what may be in his way.
and has a very short-temper. He is introduced into the show because he is after the main character, Elena,
and plans to kill her, as well. However, once his father comes into town, Klaus realizes he has an obstacle. In
this scene (at approx. 2:25), Klaus is shown killing his father. He is a character that is void of love, and utilizes this
nature to get way he wants no matter what may be in his way.
In this scene, another evil character, Rebekah, is shown torturing Damon Salvatore with the intention
to make his death "a slow and painful experience." Rebekah is similar to Klaus in the way that she kills without
regrets and has no moral conscious. She does not feel empathy for the people she hurts, demonstrated in
this scene with Damon. This relates to the "Slippery Slope" theory that is believed by philosophers such as Richard
Aganes. If you stand at the top of a slippery slope, and take a single step, you might slip and fall down to the bottom of the
slope, or you might not, but your chances of slipping are much greater than if you were standing on level ground. Take another step
down the slope, and your chances of sliding all the way to the bottom increase. When applied to the case of the evil characters in
The Vampire Diaries, Abanes is suggesting that exposing children to “the world of occultisms” in Harry Potter is like taking that
first step on a slippery slope—some children might slide all the way to the bottom after taking this single step (where “the bottom”
equals the practice of magic and the occult, understood to be pathways to Hell); others might just be at increased risk for
taking that second step, which in turn might lead to a slide to the bottom. Her "my-way-or-no-way" attitude
allows for a lot of drama within the series, with her evil tendencies often putting numerous good characters into bad situations.
to make his death "a slow and painful experience." Rebekah is similar to Klaus in the way that she kills without
regrets and has no moral conscious. She does not feel empathy for the people she hurts, demonstrated in
this scene with Damon. This relates to the "Slippery Slope" theory that is believed by philosophers such as Richard
Aganes. If you stand at the top of a slippery slope, and take a single step, you might slip and fall down to the bottom of the
slope, or you might not, but your chances of slipping are much greater than if you were standing on level ground. Take another step
down the slope, and your chances of sliding all the way to the bottom increase. When applied to the case of the evil characters in
The Vampire Diaries, Abanes is suggesting that exposing children to “the world of occultisms” in Harry Potter is like taking that
first step on a slippery slope—some children might slide all the way to the bottom after taking this single step (where “the bottom”
equals the practice of magic and the occult, understood to be pathways to Hell); others might just be at increased risk for
taking that second step, which in turn might lead to a slide to the bottom. Her "my-way-or-no-way" attitude
allows for a lot of drama within the series, with her evil tendencies often putting numerous good characters into bad situations.