Essay Questions

Explain how death is presented in the novel.

This is a key theme during Blood Promise and is signified by Dimitri's turning into Strigoi. Rose questions whether death is a bad thing because she feels as though Dimitri is still living. Dimitri too reveals that death makes one more powerful and tempts Rose into joining him in death. However, Rose understands that death must only come to her in battle and that she will not succumb to death easily.

Explain how duty is presented in the novel.

There is a conflict Rose's attitude towards duty because she arrived to kill Dimitri and by doing so would be 'saving him' from a life of evil, but she cannot bring herself to kill him. Having been taught that since an early age, that Strigoi are evil, it is surprising that Rose still hesitates to kill Dimitri. She questions everything she has ever been taught by considering becoming a Strigoi herself.  

Explain how good and evil and presented in the novel.

There is a struggle between these two ideologies and this is physically represented by Rose and Dimitri. Rose is a representation of all that is good and pure whereas Dimitri represents something that has become evil. However, the lines begin to blur when Dimitri tempts Rose into joining her into the dark side. Rose is willing to be turned into a Strigoi and this is indicative of her evil nature. However, something holds her back from fully accepting life as a Strigoi and it is this goodness in her soul that allows her to prevail.

How is humanity portrayed in the novel?

The idea of humanity is brought into question by Dimitri, who informs Rose that he is still very much alive despite being a Strigoi and that his heart continues to beat. Humanity is no longer described as being simply mortal and immortal but rather the way that one behaves and acts. Dimitri's ability to behave in the same way and still have the mannerisms as he did before he was 'turned' is suggestive of the fact that humanity may still linger within that that is evil. His human appearance also further blurs the line of what is human and what isn't.

How is love presented in the novel?

Rose's love for Dimitri is brought into question now that he has turned Strigoi. Nonetheless, she believes that he is in love with her due to his desire to spend all eternity with her. Their engagement in sexual activity also confuses Rose's feelings of Love and Lust. She understands that Dimitri can still stir up old feelings in her but eventually realises she is only in lust with Dimitri as a Strigoi but is still in love with Dimitri the Damphir.