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Ch. 1Describe the setting of the first part of the story.Dark, ominous; Western Europe, late 1800s. Transition from home to a more creepy/foreboding surroundings; as Harker travels from West to East, he sees the cultural traditions change; his mentality changes from things he knows to new surroundings – things he would like to share with Mina (this is a nice reminder to the reader that this novel is in diary format)What is the first indication that something ominous might happen on Jonathan’s journey?When Jonathan is in the village at the inn, the landlady offers him a crucifix (Catholic religion); when Jonathan is at the inn and the people are asking him to stay for a few more days; as he leaves town the peasants signal to him to ward off the “evil eye”; everyone in this village is in on this idea that something bad could happen – too much for coincidence? Harker is also going all the way to Romania from England just to sell land to a Count (could show the dedication he has toward his job as well as showing the newness of Harker’s surroundings and situation).What clues about the troubled nature of his destination emerge from Harker’s account of its history and ethnic mix of people? How do you think Stoker’s readers at the time would react to such descriptions? ?What do you suppose is the reaction of readers of today?A. blue flames floating about when he is in the carriage. B. wolves howling in the distance. C. As Harker leaves the village, he hears the people mentioning words he is unfamiliar with – he translates them to “werewolf” and “vampire”. D. the castle is aged and decrepit. Pt. 2 – Perhaps the values and beliefs of Western society are meant to contrast that of the more remote/less civilized parts of Europe. Perhaps ideas of witchcraft would be in the minds of those in the 1800s, even that the author would have a mental flaw/abnormality. Pt. 3 – questioning what the significance of these things could be? What is going on? Fear factor: not so much with newer generations – more desensitized to the horror genre. For someone in the 1800s these images bring more of the fear factor because they would not have been as exposed to horror.When Harker mentions Dracula, the landlord and his wife cross themselves, then the landlady says, “It is the eve of St. George’s Day.” Follow this link to an article about the Eve of St. George’s Day and vampires, then answer the question: what is said about vampires in this article, how accurate is Stoker’s detail here?From the landlord’s perspective – if she considers vampires and witches to be the evil that she knows, then this description is complete accurate – evil takes on different perspectives based on what you believe. In some sense you could say that evil in this novel is anything beyond human – something that’s more powerful or above the human form (supernatural aspect); all of the power and what the supernatural could possess in the evil form, sets the idea of paranoia and fear; these days people have romanticized the idea of vampires and evil. In many folktales, animals are more sensitive to the supernatural than humans are. List one example in this chapter and, later on, keep this theme in mind. One theme in Dracula turns on the conflict between the “scientific” mind versus the seeming irrationality of the supernatural. “Scientific” means (1) trusting only in the empirical: what can be directly observed or measured, etc; and (2) trusting in reason and method to draw conclusions from empirical observation to verify the truth. “Irrational” means (1) beyond the grasp of reason and hence (2) dismissed by the “scientific” mind.The wolves – they keep a certain distance from the castle ; during the entire carriage ride the horses were generally uneasy (the horses react to the blue flames and give the coachmen trouble)Ch 2. Recall the description given of Dracula in this chapter.Aged/old; tall aged man; has a white moustache; long teeth and fingernails; pointed ears; cold hands to the touch; hair on his palms; wears a black hat – also has unusual strength; he keeps touching his teeth (Harker notes that his teeth aren’t like this); he looks ill (very pale)Who are the “children of the night”?Wolves are howling away – they are the children of the night; the wolves have a certain connection to the Count – perhaps in another time their paths; the wolves are seemingly submissive to the CountWhat is surprising to Jonathan Harker as he explores the grounds of Castle Dracula?He slowly realizes that he is a prisoner of Castle Dracula; there are very few people in the castle itself; no servants to speak of; everything in the castle is very old, but in perfect condition; there are no mirrors; windows are not locked; he finds that the doors are all locked except for his own.What does the Count want from Jonathan Harker while he is there?He wants Harker to stay for another month; he also wants Harker to tell him more about England and the city of London; in Romania is a count and has power – in London he would be stranger, so he needs to know about life in the city; he is interested in the property Harker is selling him – it is located next to an insane asylum – he is intrigued by this idea. Harker notes the downside of the property, but Dracula is ok with these things. Ch. 3.What impression is Dracula’s account of his racial history meant to have on Harker? What impression does it make on you?Dracula is proud of his race and gives him pleasure to tell the tale – Harker came from a strong background, but should feel sympathetic toward Dracula and his people.Use of pronouns in Harker’s diary entries help the reader to see that Harker is aware of Dracula’s age and his part in history. Also, Dracula might be intimidating Harker with how much he knows about his history #2. He saw Dracula scaling the wall of the castle (outside) – he thinks it’s strange and hopes he can leave soon, but he doesn’t want to try to escape; he is unsure of what the Count is capable. Though Harker is mellow, he is also intrigued by what the Count is doing. #3 Based on your summer assignment, you are aware that this novel includes sexual undertones of desire. ?List words that emphasize the sexual undertones in this section. Coquettishly Voluptuous Mated Ravages Gentle breastEcstasy Wicked burning desireGems/precious metals (diamonds, pearls, sapphires, rubies, silver)This could be Bram Stoker’s way of hinting at the feminist undertones as well – Harker mentions how he does not wish for Mina to find this diary entry. But perhaps Stoker includes the 3 women who all strongly desire Harker in that moment, as a hint to the idea of the power women did not have over men in society, but that they sexually would hold over men.Ch. 4The Count instructs Jonathan to write three letters home. What is the content of these letters?1st – he’s nearly done and will be leaving home in a few days – June 122nd – he’s leaving the next morning – June 193rd – has left the castle and is on his way to Bistritz - June 29One theme in the book is dream versus reality, which has parallels to the related contrast of night versus day. ?Find two examples in this chapter.1 – Harker realizes that Dracula is never seen during the daylight and assumes that he cannot function during those hours; this may provide a time frame for his escape2 – Harker wakes at the beginning of the chapter and he is confused about the previous night’s events being dream or reality3 – Harker is hypnotized by the specks of dust that become the three women4 – Dracula’s emotions are night and day – no close companions or friendsThe Szgany are commonly called Gypsies. What are gypsies? What legends about them can you discover? Try searching the web. - May 28th entry-They originated from the Egyptian time – hence the name ‘gyp’- They have supernatural powers – levitation, traveling through projection- mythical figures that they looked up to – most of which have vampire-like qualities - Gypsies might come from Adam and Eve – cursed for the mistakes of their ancestorsHow does the narrative technique change in the entry starting on p. 53? Why do you think Stoker does this at the end of the first section of the novel drawn from Harker’s journal?The narrative is a bit rushed – the effect is to perhaps note that Harker would be in danger; why? Creates a sense of despair for Harker; serves as a cliffhanger into chapter 5 where we will get more explanation laterCh. 5How do you respond to the sudden change in method and tone when you go from Harker’s journal to letters between Mina and Lucy?? (Mina - Harker’s fiancée; Lucy – Mina’s promiscuous friend)Somewhat a relief/relaxed going from high tension with Harker, to the fresh lax feeling of Mina’s life. It does create a feeling of worry for what is happening to Harker – Mina is clueless to what is happening to Jonathan at this time. A good opportunity for the author to provide exposition before switching back to Harker’s point of view. How many men are in love with Lucy Westenra? Does that number have any parallel in what you’ve read so far? What can you make of this?Three men – this parallels the 3 letters the Count has Harker write; 3 women who live in the castle and nearly attack Harker. The three men in love with Lucy parallel the three women in the castle who are in love with the Count but he does not reciprocate that love. Lucy’s attraction to these men are for various reasons, but there is no deep connection to any of them. Possible – the era plays a significant role in how Lucy feels about the men – that she doesn’t feel it necessary to care too much, she just wants to be comfortable. Lucy does seem in love with one of the men. The Number 3 – relation to the holy trinity and the three wise men. The three women who nearly attack Harker could be a symbol for the wise men who visited Christ the night of his birth. Could be a nod to the idea that Harker is in a sense a Christ-figure experiencing a “rebirth” of sorts. Revisit this at the end of the novel. After the letters and before the letter that ends the chapter, Stoker plugs in a passage from Dr. Seward’s diary. What is its effect here?Dr. Seward’s mention could be a connection to the asylum mentioned earlier. Foreshadowing of events to come. Renfield seems like he might have a major role in the novel. The insane asylum serves to connect characters and plot points together. Perhaps the asylum could serve as an ironic place of escape. Or maybe it is simply putting two evils next to each other. Dracula could use this asylum as a way to cover for the acts he commits; who is to question when a crazy person goes missing in that time period?Ch 6.Mina describes a funny old man she encounters at Whitby who speaks in a local dialect. What is the effect of his way of speaking? How does Mina react to it?Parallels the way Jonathan has been writing his letters to Mina – scattered, jumbled and confusing. Mina is amused by it but still confused. Parallels Dracula and the troubles he has when he comes to England assimilating with society. Gives the old man an identity with where he lives and his culture; wise to the goings-on of what happens around him and the town (he knows the area and the people well). Shows some difference between the higher and lower classes – different status/positions within society.One theme, noted earlier, is the conflict between science and the irrational. How does Dr. Seward’s style of writing in his diary (pp. 69-72) characterize him as a man of science? List some words that support this description.He writes with vast detail; with a cautious tone; reserved in including his feelings and keeping his notes to what he is observing. He tends to write a form of shorthand, more like a doctor’s ledger rather than a traditional diary. He has an eye for specific details (facts and descriptions exclusively used) leaving out the emotional aspect of things. Speaks in short proper sentences almost as if he is dictating his notes instead of writing them by hand. Contradicts Jonathan’s diary - reads like a case study.Largely developed and jottingVivisection Disgorged RudimentaryExpostulateGrows more (comparison of things)Acquiesced Hobby (noting behavior)Is there any paradox in the implication that Seward’s science, guided by reason, seeks to uncover reasons for irrational behavior – madness? Explain.He’s a scientist – there’s a reason for everything with scientific reasoning. Problems have solutions. The people he observes he is simply giving a label. Irrational things cannot be rationalized or explained. One cannot do a scientific experiment to figure out what is wrong with an insane person (Renfield). Seward is trying to solve things that cannot be solved which opposes his innateness as a man of science. Lucy is soon to become a victim of the vampire. What is the first indication in Chapter 6 of her eventual fate? What theme in the novel is echoed here?First indication: when she is sitting on the grave and discussing death. Theme of the living dead is brought up. When Mina mentions that Lucy has started sleep walking and is making her way out of the house (dream vs. reality theme) (general theme of death/approaching death) (theme: fear of the unknown) (theme: good vs evil) (theme of impending evil) (theme of natural vs. supernatural)Ch 7.Why do you think Stoker shifts to a newspaper account to describe the arrival of the Demeter (the mysterious ship)? Would it be different if Stoker had Mina or Lucy or Seward describe it?Why newspaper? General public account of what is happening – filling in the blanks of what is actually happening vs what the general public is aware of and information they are receiving. Gives a mysterious and curious feel – the anticipation of what or who could be on the shipDepending on whose perspective it is, the person would have a biased or uncaring perspective, we wouldn’t get as much detail or have the same effect. There would be a witness to this event – give a detail that no one else might be aware. Newspaper gives a neutral effect to the story itself. A plot element – by the point in the novel the reader is expecting the reading to switch back to Harker’s viewpoint, and the newspaper article serves as a way of adding to the plot by bringing in a new perspective. The ship is called Demeter. Do a little etymology research and find a meaning for the name. ?Why do you think Stoker chose this name?Demeter = the goddess of the harvest and the mother of Persephone. Zeus has Demeter and Hades share Persephone which explains the seasons of the year. Symbol of life and death – to represent the lives on the boat, people who will eventually meet their death. Demeter is also the goddess of the cycle of death – one reason to choose the name – docking of the boat will bring death to the people of England. Festival to celebrate Demeter – festival of mystery. Plot parallel – ship is used as a mysterious element to the storyline. Go to the section of this chapter with “the ship’s log”: ?What is the effect of this day by day, then minute by minute first-hand account? Is there anything similar in the book so far?Gives an eerie, firsthand experience of the crew mates and captain. Similar to how Harker described his experiences at Castle Dracula. The reader is exposed to events from someone who is experiencing them as a witness. Transitioning from day to day to minute to minute – shows that something is clearly wrong. The idea that someone transcribes so quickly shows the fear growing among the shipmates.Ch 8. and 9Pay attention to the footnotes in chapter 8. ?List two reasons why you think Stoker had his vampire bite necks instead of the bosom.1 – decreases the sexuality of the act, for the particular time2 – presents the “meal” the vampire in a more graceful manner – makes it less gruesome 3 – from a medical standpoint – more blood is accessible from this area than the chest4 – to exhibit the relationship between Dracula and his victims; makes Dracula more of a predator. Predators go after the neck of their victims5 – Makes more sense – going after the neck, the predator can attack their victim from a more vulnerable position6 – kissing necks adds an intimacy – adds to the characterization of vampires – keeps the lustful act of vampires without crossing any boundaries7 – the bosom is seen as more of a female quality – a vampire lusting after a man’s bosom doesn’t have the same sexual appeal as lusting after a woman’s bosomJot down a few (minimum 3) instances of the theme of dream versus reality, etc. in these chapters.August 11 entry – Lucy in in the graveyard on the bench with the dark figure (both Lucy and Mina’s perspectives)When Lucy recounts what happened to her she cannot decipher what was real and what was a dream – she very vaguely remembers things, but she reasons that things could not have possibly happened that wayWhen Renfield escapes and begins scaling the wall in the same way Dracula had done – Seward questions if that was something that had actually happened or if he is crazy like his patientsWhen Lucy has her worry-free mood and Mina is constantly anxious and worriedLucy is talking about the figure’s red eyes in her sleep, talking about getting out of the house Lucy and her mother: Lucy is living life as she wants to with multiple men; her mother is actually sick and fighting to liveWindow sill – Lucy is by the window sill and covers her neck. It has a sense of being in a dream (she’s by the window, it’s at night, the moon is out, she is dozing off)Seward calls Renfield a “religious maniac”. ?What is his evidence? ?Why do you think Stoker includes the theme of religion throughout this novel?Evidence: Renfield praises his master (Dracula) calling him his savior. “You don’t count now; the master is at hand.” “Blood is life” – puts Dracula in the position of God – Dracula is technically considered a Christ-figureInferring that Renfield is not praising a religious force, but something outside of religion – Seward may not believe in the religious aspect, and sees Renfield as a devout man. Keeping the theme of religion – for the time, discussing demonic forces he would need to mention religion to keep from being too out of social norms.The holy trinity – could the way Renfield speaks of Dracula connect to how other people view Dracula? (those who love him) (those who worship him) (those who fear him)Ch 10 and 11To save Lucy, Van Helsing resorts to blood transfusion. This is common today but was considered an exotic, desperate technique when Stoker wrote. Why do you think Stoker repeatedly uses blood transfusions in the story? How does it relate to the folklore theme that “blood is life”? Also, how does this therapy relate to the theme of science versus the irrational?It gets the idea across of how severe Lucy’s condition is – theme that Lucy needs blood to live her new life just as much as vampires need it to live. Contributes to the exotic nature of the supernatural elements – powerful theme that relates to Christ and the Devil. Blood is the basis of the novel, for Lucy and Dracula – serves to show that something is going wrong, Lucy is losing blood at an alarming rate without any other signs of anemia or other disease. If blood is life, it represents that Dracula is literally sucking the life out of Lucy. Relates to theme of science vs. irrational – even though it was a scientific procedure, it was considered irrational at the time because of how new the procedure. The blood transfusion is performed so many times it is just irrational – trying to outwit the irrational occurrences. For the time, this was the farthest science had come, and no matter what Van Helsing does to save Lucy, nothing will help her. Essentially, though advanced as the procedure may be, nothing will best Dracula and his powers. Van Helsing is another man of science, but he believes in the charm of garlic to ward away the evils of vampires. Look closely at the footnote about garlic: “it is an apotropaic, which means “a charm that turns away evil.” Such charms in folklore typically have some characteristic that likens them to the evil they dispel. Here is a passage from Paul Barber, Vampires, Burial, and Death: Folklore and Reality (Yale UP, 1988): Various substances are deemed effective [in warding off vampires]. One of these – and here, for a change, fiction and folklore come together – is garlic, which may not only be put in the grave [of a suspected vampire] but may also be hung around one’s neck to keep off vampires. In the Folklore Archives at the University of California, Berkeley, I found several accounts of people who as children had been forced to wear garlic around their necks . . . “Why do you think people believed garlic would work?A higher authority may have come up with this idea to keep the masses under control. The people believed vampires to be evil and descendants of Satan and perhaps garlic has the capabilities to ward off evil. The potent smell of garlic be attributed to the idea that the way you smell could ward off vampires (bug spray for vampires)Garlic has antibacterial properties, given to people with the plague. In Eastern Europe there was the belief that garlic would have the power to ward off evils associated with disease. Perhaps it came from cultural groups like the gypsies who would sell “products” to unsuspecting people telling them that these products have special powers.If higher powers (kings/rulers) were using things it would be more likely that the common folk would use those products.Ch 12-13Lucy’s deathbed scene: What happens? ?Why does Van Helsing fling Arthur from Lucy when she attempts a dying kiss? Why does Lucy then say to Van Helsing, “My true friend . . .”? How “theatrical” is this scene? How “sentimental”??A dramatic scene – she’s received multiple (!) blood transfusions. The maids are found dead, multiple jagged lacerations all on her neck, and they note that her teeth have become sharper.Van Helsing feels that Lucy is a danger and that she will attack him. Her kiss – Lucy is wanting to kiss Arthur, but Van Helsing has to hold him back with all his strength. Lucy has hypnotizing abilities which lures in Arthur – seductive tone that all vampires seem to have.“My true friend” – Lucy couldn’t control herself while trying to kiss Arthur. Perhaps she is thanking Van Helsing for saving Arthur and saving someone she loves. She knows that Van Helsing knows and is thanking him for keeping her safe. There’s a shift between Lucy and this animalistic instinct that has been created inside of her. Her thanks is spiteful, coming from this new natural instinct. Parallels the shaving scene with Dracula and Harker, when Dracula was lusting after the blood drawn from Harker. Theatrics – lots of tension between the characters. Lucy would push or kick away the garlic, and would wake up and pull it back to her to keep her safe. Note – when Lucy sleeps she is much more animalistic, dramatic, but more like the vampire than when she’s awake. The bat at the window emphasizes the tension; the window does eventually open signifying that death has arrived and will take Lucy. Sentimental – Quincy does arrive when he hears that Lucy is ill, offers his blood to her. Shows the horror of Lucy’s transformation and the horrifying nature of Vampires compared to humans. The humans involved in Lucy’s life are doing everything they can to save her, at least everything in their power. Englishmen in the Victorian age adored death scenes and made a fetish out of the dead, especially a young and beautiful corpse; noted in the quote “All of Lucy’s loveliness….” ?This description agrees with the idea, current in those days, that the beauty of such a corpse was evidence of her purity. However, that beauty has an ominous significance here. Van Helsing requires an autopsy, which was not a common practice then? ? ? ? ? ?a.?How does Seward react?Seward is outraged and does not want Lucy’s beauty to be tarnished – especially in the afterlife. Seward is upset but understands why it needs to be done – I don’t want it, but the doctor knows what needs to happen. His respect for Van Helsing is greater than his affection for Lucy. If the autopsy will be done for the right reasons then it won’t tarnish her appearance. He realizes that Lucy has been through enough at this point, but he still respects the fact that the procedure needs to be done. The awareness is there that this could be a leap in medical science – evolving the science of the autopsy and ideas of vampirism (what a normal human would look like compared to a vampire corpse). Ch. 14-18One common theme in horror and science fiction concerns the limits of what man can – or should – know. The legend of Faust is a good example. Typically, variations on this legend have a scientist or philosopher who makes a pact with the devil to get secret, forbidden knowledge in exchange for his soul. How is Dracula the reverse of the Faust legend?Faust willingly made a deal with the devil, Dracula was unwillingly cursed by God. The people who suffer from vampirism secondhand – Lucy – their soul is taken from them and they do not have a choice as far as their soul is concerned. The only thing they get out of it is becoming a monster – there is no fortune; what you don’t know is probably best left unknown; immortality perhapsIf they are not willing, the power that comes with immortality is another unknown. They do have abilities that humans do not have. Parallels between D and F – some willingly become vampires – Renfield chooses to try to become a vampire so that he can serve Dracula. Find the section with the discovery of Lucy’s body in the coffin. ?Van Helsing notes it should have started to decompose, but it has not. Van Helsing calls Lucy “Un-Dead.” What does this mean? Did Lucy actually die?Undead – she has died, but her body and her “soul” (it isn’t hers any longer) are still living. She feeds off the life of others in order to sustain her own. She does not rely on her heart to beat for her – she simply survives without any normal human function. Alive, but not in the human sense – transformed into the vampire form of mortality. Lucy herself does die – but the animalistic part of her is still alive. She is almost possessed –her body is being utilized, but the mentality is not who she once was. She’s a shell holding someone else inside. What does Stoker define as a “host”? ?How does a wafer become a host? ?Host: the body the vampire uses to feed off of – the wafer is then used to fight off the parasiteWafer: a holy aspect of how to create a barrier around the tomb; literally a powder that became a doughy substance that eventually becomes the host somehow Around pages 192-193 there is a heavy undertone of necrophilia. ?Notice also the kiss motif here and elsewhere in the novel. Remember when Dracula’s women wanted to “kiss” Harker? ?In a few sentences, express your thoughts.Necro - death; philia – affection, love forObvious point – vampires are no longer alive, but they seem more hypnotic/seductive. They allure everyone – not just their victims. Does this imply that vampires create necrophiliacs? In a sense – without realizing it. The men realize that Lucy is dead, but they still find her attractive and beautiful. If the idea of undead doesn’t make much logical sense/ the reasoning behind the undead doesn’t make much sense – when the characters go to see Lucy in the coffin they describe her as peaceful, she looks dead. She is very still, no signs of life. After they kill her, they mention her beauty – the necrophilia comes through when they admire her resting, peaceful state. When she is out terrorizing, it is no longer a peaceful beauty, it is an unnatural thing – she’s beautiful, but fearful. Who does Dr. Seward realize may be strangely linked to Count Dracula?Renfield – Seward noted that whenever Dracula was around, Renfield would act differently. Renfield scaling walls, eating bugs/animals in general, and that one quote “Blood is life”List the powers that Van Helsing claims Count Dracula has as a nosferatu.He becomes stronger the more he killsHe is as strong as twenty menHe can trans morph on commandHe can control the weatherHe can control animalsMore cunning than humansAbility to vanish then reappear He ability to disappear in the sunlight/daytimeWhat is Renfield’s reaction when Seward tells him that he may not leave the asylum.He drops to his hands and knees and begs to be released so he may see the Count. He also says “Don’t say I didn’t warn you.” He becomes angry when he doesn’t get his way – he says that he will get his vengeance on Seward somehow. What is Renfield – a hybrid? Acolyte – a follower of Dracula (CD is his master)How does Van Helsing prepare Seward and the others to go to Carfax to find the Count?He gives them crucifixes, garlic necklaces, lamps, and a reminder of what Dracula is capable of. What is distressing to Mina regarding her husband’s visit to the Count’s house?She has no idea what happened that night – Harker won’t tell her. She is worried for Harker’s safety after what happened at the Count’s castle. Also worried about Harker’s sanity – he does have this sense of paranoia of people on the street and their resemblance to the Count. Describe the strange dream Mina has.Dreams that she is in bed, but immobile. Watches as a fog enters the door and has two red eyes. Sees a white face hovering over her as she wakes. (Dream vs reality). She wakes up to see her window is open, but she shrugs it off as just a breeze opening it. Her naiveté is still intact – perhaps it was the Count hypnotizing her in an attempt to “kiss her”. Foreshadowing that she could be the next victim. She is consumed with drowsiness.Ch 19How does the search for Dracula’s boxes of earth combine the themes of science versus the irrational? Does Stoker lean on the presumed “scientific” knowledge of Van Helsing to make this incredible scene credible to his readers?The group is doing background research of the people who lived on the property. Using methodology to hunt down the inhuman creature as if it were a missing person (a human). They treat this investigation as a “study” where things are planned out and you follow paths. Yes/No – Stoker uses Van Helsing’s knowledge to make the reader understand why it actually does make sense. All Seward really knows is science, so perhaps that lends some credibility. Renfield is an especially interesting character in that he is deemed “insane” by Seward and others. What kind of treatment, if any, does Renfield receive in the asylum? Psychiatry was in its infancy when Stoker wrote. Scientific thought regarded insanity as the loss of reason. Yet in folklore there are numerous examples of characters we’d consider mad who are regarded as having special insight into truths normal people can’t see. In particular, they often know what will happen.Madness is frequently associated with prophecy in folklore. The reader of Dracula knows that Renfield’s delusions result from his foreknowledge of Dracula’s nature and his plans. WHY at this point in the book do you think Seward and Van Helsing fail to consider that Renfield’s ravings are the truth?Treatment: solitary confinement. No real treatment given – observing what his condition actually is. Perhaps it can help them figure out the stages of his condition. Lack of treatment for observation purposes. In Renfield’s case, he was more outwardly experiencing the symptoms of being seduced by a vampire, whereas Lucy and Mina have different experiences with the vampire’s seductionThey couldn’t believe him because of his mental status – they didn’t want to believe him because they may have viewed him as an animal. Anything he says couldn’t be credible – he’s too much of a jokeThe true infancy of psychiatry is seen in how many people are allowed to be exposed to Renfield with no real control over who is seeing him. Watching/observing Renfield to see what behaviors he would exhibit, see if there are any changes, etc… Ch. 20, 21, 22Why do you think Stoker spends so much time on Renfield in these chapters?Shows how Renfield reacted differently after being in contact with Dracula (as opposed to Lucy and Mina); foreshadowing element to his relationship with Dracula.The reader can begin seeing Renfield as credible source of information, more merit-worthy than just a madman. Develops him as a more defined character – more defined person, specificity about his person. The reader can see him as more than just a mad man – he’s more defined as a sane humanPage 247, Mina meets Dracula. Notice her wail that she is “unclean” What does “unclean” mean here? Why the biblical allusion? The Book of Leviticus has rules on what is clean or unclean, but several of them pertain to women. What particular fact of female life is associated with the “unclean”? How is this relevant here? How does this perception affect Mina’s “purity”? ?Ch. 23 and 24Unclean in Leviticus (King James Bible version ) is not translated as being contaminated/dirty – TUMA – the loss of spiritual power that comes from being distanced from God and being able to die, both physically and spiritually.Mina means that she is tainted – she kept apologizing to Harker, almost as if she has betrayed him. Her relationship with God is tarnished – her purity is gone. Harker is willing to go against the word of God for his love. This was also a time in which women were not valued – to have the values of purity and godliness to be taken away from her means a great deal to what Mina (and Victorian women) believed was a solid foundation to their relationships.Blood – the determining factor of one’s purity and virtue. Political move for Stoker to continually the biblical presence Dracula again similar to a god figure for Renfield – powerful figure that some people look up toPerhaps Mina’s “unclean feeling” has to do with her virginity – being seduced by a man other than her own husbandDirect connection to fantasizing about Dracula (another man) – she thinks she’s dreaming, but she is merely hypnotized by Dracula. By now Mina is tainted by the vampire. Given her role in the story up to now, why is this a real crisis for the men?Mina is the character that helps set what is going on with the storyline – with her becoming a vampire, she becomes a characters who becomes lost to Dracula. She provides valuable information to the men and now she is lost as a powerful female character. At the beginning she was frowned upon, because of the patriarchal society – the men realize at this point that she was a key figure in helping them figure things out. Why do you think Mina’s presumed defilement is so much more important to these men than what happened to Lucy?With Lucy - she was all over the place, and off doing her own thing. Mina is more like the vanilla. Now that she’s not acting this way, things are going to act a lot fasterShe is now under complete control of Dracula – she is not just a meal like Lucy – Dracula wants her and will use her for so much more – to do his bidding. The men will never know if she is leading them into a trap set by DraculaShe has such a close relationship with the men – they all show some kind of concern for Mina’s well-being.Can one say that, on a sexual level, Dracula is about the emasculation of Harker and, in a way, the fact that Dracula makes him, symbolically at least, a?cuckold? (look this up!)Yes – the connection between Dracula and Mina is strengthened, because she desires Dracula more so than her own husband. However, this behavior is unwilling on the end of Mina. Mina’s blood has made her impure, which translates to her being an adulteress in this sense. She will be stronger, more beautiful, and in this case stronger than Harker, which makes him seem a lesser figure than her.On one level of the story, sexuality is dangerous. How so? Examples? Do you think the power of Stoker’s story rests in part on the suggested equation between sexual instinct and vampirism? Why?Vampireslust over the humans, and their desire is much stronger than a normal human. They are more aggressive than a human lusting over a humanPutting yourself out there to get you attention – the sexually based character of Lucy got her the “wrong kind” of attentionThe stronger you are mentally, the less susceptible you are to the seduction of Dracula, not to say that this isn’t going to happen.What Stoker implies, later vampire tales and films make explicit, especially the sexual link. Consider, for example, movie depictions of Dracula.? Look up the 1922 film Nosferatu and the interpretation of Bela Lugosi in Dracula, 1931.?Neither of these Draculas matches Stoker’s description, but which one is closer to the character Stoker invents? Do you prefer a Dracula who looks like a human bat or one who looks as if he could spend the evening in a nightclub sipping champagne? Why?\Bela Lugosi – charming, able to pass as a human – he clearly doesn’t look like a literal bat, but can walk the streets without people knowing that he’s a vampire – much of the undertone of Dracula is sexual – Lugosi is more slick and elegant, which adds to the sexual tensionNosferatu – takes the monster aspect a bit far, but it still makes it clear that he is a monster. The manifestation that he is a monster is very clear – gothic monster?Ch. 25 and 26Most of this is filler: Stoker puts the anti-Dracula team on trains etc. to head him off on his home turf. Only interesting point is that Stoker hints at the “modern” versus “ancient” theme implicit throughout the book in his concern for railroad timetables, etc. Railroads across Europe were one sign of “progress” in the late 19th century. What does all of this represent as far as the rational and irrational are concerned?The closer that they get to the castle the more rural it gets. Nod to how long Dracula has actually existed. Raises the question of why at this time has he chosen to branch out to England While there are modern uses of transportation, there is a theme of the old age “witch hunt”. They aren’t exactly sure of what they are going to find or do once they get there. ?Ch. 27The chapter is really a sequence of expected gestures (“expected” in terms of the conventions of Victorian melodrama) that serve the simple purpose of ending the book and giving a happy ending to Mina and Jonathan.? However illogical things seem in this chapter, how is Mina’s image preserved in terms of how we view her?? How about the modernity of Van Helsing’s science?? General thoughts on the ending of this novel?She has gone to hell and back and pops out of Stoker’s era, to become a person who proves herself to people as a woman who did things – adds to the Victorian era thought of women taking charge being completely irrationalOne final question to end it all: why do you think a figure from folklore continues to exert such an enormous influence? To get some idea of this subsequent influence, go to and search for “Dracula”. Just get an idea of how pervasive the character has been in movies.There are so many ways that readers and viewers can see Dracula that people have continually been adapting it to their interpretations ................
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