I Am Legend: Chapter 17 Summary & Analysis

Neville and Ruth eat supper together. Neville explains to Ruth that he doesn’t understand how the vampires are surviving: surely their nourishment is running out, and they spend their days lying in a coma. Ruth seems surprised to hear about the vampires—she claims that she and her husband never realized that the vampires had come back from the dead. However, she agrees to let Neville check her blood in the morning. Neville realizes that he’s afraid to check Ruth’s blood, in case she really is infected.

Neville explains to Ruth that crosses are sometimes an effective deterrent to the vampires, but not always. Vampires who weren’t Christians in life don’t care about crosses. As he speaks, Neville notices that Ruth has a body like a young girl—it seems unlikely that she gave birth to two children. He also notices that, in the last few years, his sex drive has virtually disappeared—he’s “submerged himself in investigation” for the last two years. Thus, he feels little to no desire for Ruth now. He also feels a vague suspicion that Ruth isn’t telling him the truth.

Ruth looks at Neville carefully, and says, “You don’t believe a word I’ve said, do you?” Neville demands that Ruth tell him more about her husband, but Ruth begs, “Not now. Please.” Neville isn’t sure what to believe—he’s not sure why she would lie. He resolves to check her blood first thing in the morning. He also tells Ruth his theory—he seems to be immune to the vampiris germ, which would suggest that there are other people who are immune to it too; perhaps Ruth is one of these people. Neville thinks about Ruth some more: if she really is immune to the disease, the two of them could have a family together. Such a possibility seems “terrifying” to Neville—he’s lived as a bachelor for the last three years.

Neville tells Ruth about something else he’s discovered: he can make Cortman panic by waving a copy of the Torah in his face. Since Cortman was Jewish in life, the sight of the Jewish holy book would naturally make him frightened as a vampire. Neville also tells Ruth that bullets have no effect on dead vampires. Privately, Neville thinks about why this is: he’s discovered that the vampiris germ creates a “powerful body glue that sealed the bullet openings as soon as they were made.”

Ruth asks Neville, “Tell me about yourself,” and Neville isn’t sure how to reply. Neville realizes how greatly isolation has changed his personality; he’s no longer sure how to interact with other people. Ruth, sensing Neville’s discomfort, asks him to tell her about the vampire plague instead. Neville explains that the vampire plague is caused by a vampiris germ. This germ causes the various symptoms of being a vampire, including elongation of the canine teeth. When vampires die from a lack of blood, their bodies disintegrate into dust. Then, dust storms blow vampiris spores across Los Angeles, infecting more people. Neville hypothesizes that he’s immune to the disease because he was bitten by a vampire bat during his time in Panama, causing him to develop an immunity.

Neville also explains that wooden stakes kill the vampires. The stakes don’t have to penetrate the heart, contrary to legend; anywhere on the body will do (and, in fact, a wooden stake isn’t necessary; any sharp object will do). The reason that a stake kills the vampire is that the stake lets air into the body “and keeps the flesh open so that the body glue can’t function.” In spite of the knowledge he’s accumulated, Neville says, he still doesn’t know how to cure the vampire plague—he’s experimented with antibiotics, but nothing works.

Ruth then asks Neville a question: if, as he says, some of the vampires are still living, how can Neville know “they’re not going to stay alive?” Neville, feeling vaguely defensive, insists that the only way to protect himself is to kill vampires before they kill him. Neville is amazed by Ruth’s question—in three years, he’s never once considered that it’s wrong for him to attack the vampires during the day. Neville asks Ruth, “do you think I’m wrong?” and Ruth replies, “It’s not for me to say.”