In chapter 5 of The Gilda Stories, Gilda meets a new friend Julius who seems interested in her but at first she does not feel the same. Gilda then does seem to begin to have feelings for him in some way seeing as she ended up changing him into a vampire. I think that by Gilda doing this it was for selfish reasons, she did it so she could have someone to be with and bond with. If Bird had not left again would she have been as eager to change Julius into a vampire? I don't think so, she does not like to kill people, and although Julius is still around or "alive" it is not like a normal person. Also, when Gilda is explaining to Julius about what is going to happen, she seems to over-romanticize it and make it seem better than it is. She is giving a biased point of view in order to ensure Julius will want to be changed.

I think that Gilda made the wrong choice because it was a choice she made to benefit herself. Yes, Julius was alone and did not have family etc. but who says he wouldn't have found someone to love or found friends that turned into his family. Just like he met Gilda so easily he could have met someone else, but Gilda ruined that and made it so he could never have a real relationship with people outside the "vampire family." This is a selfish act. This in no way makes up for Gilda killing the others, to me it doesn't even relate.

Although Gilda does explain to Julius what he is getting into, I don't think the characters can fully understand what it is they are getting themselves into until it is too late. Just because Gilda wanted to be changed does not mean everyone else who may be lonely wants to.

Cassidy Weeks Post 3