CLASSIC VAMPIRISM AND RECENT CHANGESChange often occurs due to the simple nature of time. What was once a finite, unshakable definition will change and evolve. Genres mix and mix mythologies. The domain of the supernatural in literature is no exception to this trend. Wizards are no longer called Merlin and spend their days under the patronage of a heroic king; the average wizard now goes by common names like Harry or Ron and goes to school, saving the world on the side. Cyclops currently refers to a laser-eyed man who wears leather and fights crime, not a one-eyed island beast. Vampirism does not escape such a change. We can no longer systematically consider a vampire to be the bloodthirsty, life-sucking demon of a story. Recent popular fiction humanizes vampires, embodies them with the common individual struggles of humans, and distorts the vampire ethos to fit such reformation. This trend exists outside of works traditionally classified as vampire literature and covers all fiction. Samples from across the spectrum of vampires in literature, Stephenie Meyer's popular Twilight teen romance series and Christopher Moore's absurdist humor novels Bloodsucking Fiends and You Suck, demonstrate the common humanized depiction of vampires and its effects. To understand the evolved nature and image of vampirism in recent popular fiction, one must first know the previous representations and the assumed norms. Vampires, and all monsters for that matter, generally exist to represent one of humanity's greatest fears: fear of the unknown. Vampires embody this through many facets, including death and the dark world of night. Rosemary Ellen Guilley, Ph.D. and vampire expert, succinctly summarizes the middle of the article......filled with their kind. Technically, they come from deceased humans and therefore have no body heat or need to eat, breathe, or go to the toilet. As soon as the sun peeks over the horizon, Moore's vampires automatically collapse and enter the "sleep of the dead" and survive only by drinking blood (Fiends 28). Vampires also possess heightened senses and immense strength, capable of performing impossible feats such as running up the side of a building and hearing the heartbeats of those around them (Fiends 24). Unable to be harmed by traditional means, Moore's creatures feel little pain and heal quickly. Vampires possess the ability to shift from human form to mist. Moore grants his vampires the unique ability to see the auras of humans around them. Healthy humans radiate a bright pink glow; patients emit a faint gray light.