Chapter 5 moves on from Jonathan Harkers journal. It begins with a letter from his wife Mina (who is also an assistant schoolmistress) that is to be sent to her friend Lucy. Chapter 5 is generally a very odd chapter compared with the rest of the book. This is simply because it lacks gothic and supernatural elements compared with other chapters in the book: it is a chapter based on love affaires and friendship which makes the chapter come across as very positive and perhaps even cheerfull. The chapters' main focus is how Lucy is as a person in generall. She is described as a very sensitive individual; which is portrayed by the fact that she cries after she turns down every man who proposes to her(apart from the third man who was the man she was in love with), which makes her admirable to the reader. It is also touching to the reader that the men she turns down are all "dignified in defeat" that she is already in love with another man, as they all accept it and offer to be her friend due to her honesty. The chapter does well in keeping the reader interested because these facts are basically what makes up the chapter aside from Mina's letter to Lucy.
Chapter 6 directs the tone of the book back into the gothic atmosphere that was portrayed within the first four chapters. It is also generally more interested because it explores through Mina's journal as well as Dr Steward's of who works in a lunatic asylum, and was also the first man turned down by Lucy of who proposed to her. Elements of superstition are built up in this chapter with lines such as "They have a legend here that when a ship is lost bells are heard out at sea." which immediately makes the reader anticipate what could happen later on in the book. Stoker also includes other things happenning that are rather unsettling for Mina and possibly the reader too, such as Lucy's bad habit of sleepwalking and the fact that Mina hasn't recieved any letters from Jonathan for a worryingly long time, even though the reader knows why. This builds up a sense of irony due to the fact that the reader knows what happens to Jonathan but Mina doesn't. It is also unsettling for the reader because there is no way to know how Mina will ever find out what actually happenned to Jonathan mostly due to the fact that he died in a place where no one is likely to find him.
These things also appear to deteriorate which makes life even more unsettling for Mina, including what the Old Man said to them when they arrived. This is because things generally seem to worsen: Lucy's sleepwalking becomes more frequent and she she still hasn't recieved a letter from Jonathan. Mina is portrayed as not really being a worryer, by lines such as "Oh I do hope he is not ill" when others' would probably jump to more extreme conclusions. But despite this she still seems to deteriorate as the chapter goes by, although she still manages to keep herself together which portrays her as a very strong character. This is conveyed by the fact that she panics to a minimal level when things start to get even stranger.
The chapter also includes pieces of Dr Steward's journal. His journal is all based on a patient that he has become hugely interested in. The patient, known as "Renfield", is obsesses with animals. At the start it appears that he hugely cares for them, however he eventually eats all of them. This is clearly used as shock tactics by Stoker to convey an emotional response from the reader. However despite this Dr Steward continues to grow more interested in him therefore he decides to take his note pad and observe him even further. At this point it is clear that Dr Steward is putting his job aside at this point to fulfill his own personal interests. This is portayed by "I shall test him..." which is clearly not what he is paid to do. Going by his growing interest in Renfield's behaviour it is clear that Dr Steward has become emotionally attached to him, which is portrayed by "My poor mad friend". Stoker constantly uses shock tactics in this part of the chapter, including parts where Renfield's obsession with animals includes watching the predators eat their prey which explains why he has the urge to eat them himself, and also his reaction when he is refused a cat. Dr Steward also pulls off a few interesting questions which would also largely interest the reader such as "I wonder how many lives he values a man". This is especially intrigueing in his journal.
Back to Mina's journal, another significant factor is the manner in which the people react towards the coming of the storm. Rather than treating it like a storm they fear it as though a war is coming, which suggests that they are expecting something else on top of the storm. This is supported by the manner in which the Old Man (Mr Swales) speaks his last words (though him, Mina and Lucy don't know this of course) because he speaks as though its the last day he's going to be alive, such as lines like "But Lord, love ye, miss, I aint afraid of dyin' not a bit". There is definately a gothic tension that Stoker is building up for the storm at the end of the chapter. The use of a storm altogether is very prominant in gothic writing; on top of this everything is described as "grey" near the end of the chapter which adds to this gothic tension. Also, the use of "Dark figures" and "seem""men like trees walking"" " make the people of the town sound inhuman, and even zombie-like at this point. The manner in which this chapter ends makes the reader incredibly eager to read on due to the immense build up and tension that Stoker portrays in this chapter. Chapter 7 follows through this beautifully.
Thursday, 26 November 2009
Thursday, 5 November 2009
Dracula: Chapter 4
The whole of Chapter 4 is basically a dramatic climax of all the clues that Jonathan Harker puts together during his stay at the Count's castle. By this time he has realised that the Count is in fact an element of the supernatural, and there are lots of gothically iconic images used to convey the intense, dark and (most importantly) gothic atmosphere during this chapter.
The setting itself in chapter 4 is key to what is conveying this gothic atmosphere. The ruined chapel is most responsible for this, and the fact that Stoker has included a graveyard indicates that this is how he wants to convey this setting, as graveyards are used prominantly within gothic writing. The use of "welcome cock crow" is also interesting because this gives off a homely feeling which relates to feeling safe as if you were at home, when actually it is strongly going against the elements of what is coming up for Harker. Stoker also uses the dramatic build up to build up towards a shock tactical image of the Count in his coffin inside the vault, of him "gorged with blood". This gothic snapshot would have been shocking for a reader within the days that this book was published, especially with the vivid description of the Count whilst he is asleep in his Coffin with "There lay the Count, but looking as if his youth had been half renewed, for the white hair and moustache were changed to dark iron grey; the cheeks were fuller, and the white skin seemed ruby red underneath; the mouth was redder than ever, for on the lips were gouts of fresh blood, which trickled from the corners of the mouth and ran over the chin and neck.". Even though this sentence is extremely long, the phrases within the sentence used are short and these constant pauses of semi colons and commas portrays perhaps gasping for breath, simply because everything that has just happened is incredibly overwhelming and horrifying. This allows us to empathise with Harker to a very strong degree at this point, by almost putting us in his shoes. From this point there is an incredible tension right to the end of the chapter, with the gripping scene of Harkers hysteria when he attempts to make a great escape which unfortunately ends up with him attempting suicide. However just before this the Szgany leave without him, which means that he was then alone with the Count. Satanic lexis is also used with "They are devils of the Pit!" which adds to the texture that Stoker is portraying. There is also the constant use of exclamation marks which is also effective on the hysteria that is being portayed at this point, including short sentences aswell.
Unfortunately at this day and age chapter 4 ended up being rather predictable for a modern day reader, but for a reader that read the book shortly after it was published (end of 19th century) it would be the complete opposite. A gripping climax to what is Harkers last journal entry.
The setting itself in chapter 4 is key to what is conveying this gothic atmosphere. The ruined chapel is most responsible for this, and the fact that Stoker has included a graveyard indicates that this is how he wants to convey this setting, as graveyards are used prominantly within gothic writing. The use of "welcome cock crow" is also interesting because this gives off a homely feeling which relates to feeling safe as if you were at home, when actually it is strongly going against the elements of what is coming up for Harker. Stoker also uses the dramatic build up to build up towards a shock tactical image of the Count in his coffin inside the vault, of him "gorged with blood". This gothic snapshot would have been shocking for a reader within the days that this book was published, especially with the vivid description of the Count whilst he is asleep in his Coffin with "There lay the Count, but looking as if his youth had been half renewed, for the white hair and moustache were changed to dark iron grey; the cheeks were fuller, and the white skin seemed ruby red underneath; the mouth was redder than ever, for on the lips were gouts of fresh blood, which trickled from the corners of the mouth and ran over the chin and neck.". Even though this sentence is extremely long, the phrases within the sentence used are short and these constant pauses of semi colons and commas portrays perhaps gasping for breath, simply because everything that has just happened is incredibly overwhelming and horrifying. This allows us to empathise with Harker to a very strong degree at this point, by almost putting us in his shoes. From this point there is an incredible tension right to the end of the chapter, with the gripping scene of Harkers hysteria when he attempts to make a great escape which unfortunately ends up with him attempting suicide. However just before this the Szgany leave without him, which means that he was then alone with the Count. Satanic lexis is also used with "They are devils of the Pit!" which adds to the texture that Stoker is portraying. There is also the constant use of exclamation marks which is also effective on the hysteria that is being portayed at this point, including short sentences aswell.
Unfortunately at this day and age chapter 4 ended up being rather predictable for a modern day reader, but for a reader that read the book shortly after it was published (end of 19th century) it would be the complete opposite. A gripping climax to what is Harkers last journal entry.
Monday, 12 October 2009
Dracula: Chapter 3
Chapter 3 is probably the most significanat and intense chapter throughout Jonathan Harker's journal. It is the chapter where some of the mysteries of chapter 2 are answered with small drips of evidence to what is actually going on.
To begin with, the Count is beginning to act more like a king, and due to this Harker is feeling ever more like a prisoner. The scene in which he writes letters to his boss and family is significant to this, as he knows that the Count will read whatever he writes on the letters therefore he has to be very careful on what he writes. This makes Harker feel completely helpless, and adds to the unease that he goes through whilst he stays at the castle. This unease is then built on when the Count slyly forces him to stay longer (by saying he wont accept refusal), as "business" is not finished according to the Count. Also, the dramatic monologue on page 26 implies how important family history is to the Count, and the way he goes about it appears as though he wants vengence for something related to it.
The Count is still becoming more and more fearful to Jonathan Harker. Harker also has no one to go to as it is just him, and the Count in the castle. The Counts warning, which is "Let me advise you my dear young friend, nay-let me warn you with all seriousness, that should you leave these rooms you will not by any chances go to sleep in any other part of the castle. It is old, and has many memories, and there are bad dreams for those who sleep unwisely. Be warned!". This begins to unfold a very supernatural and gothic tone to the story, and gives the reader (possibly Harker aswell) the urge to explore the castle in greater detail.
When Harker does decide to explore the castle in places that are forbidden, everything appears to become very distorted as a result of this. An example of this is the grotesque phrase "the distant hills become melted". This distorted texture portrays the high degree of supernaturality that there is at this point. "The weird sisters" are significant to this aswell. Throughout the gothic genre you will always come across something related to lust and perhaps a degree of female nudity, and this is the point in Dracula where it is mainly portrayed. An example of this is "The fair girl advanced and bent over me till I could feel the movement of her breath upon me. Sweet it was in one sense, honey sweet, and sent the same tingling through the nerves as her voice, but with a bitter underlying the sweet, a bitter offensiveness, as one smells in blood." The fact that this woman's skin in pale is also gothicly iconic. The Count's power is also shown off later in this part of the chapter, as he controls their movement through the wave of one of his hands; in the same way that he did with the wolves.
As this scene shows, Harker's sanity is declining further and further as we read through the journal. It will convey a sense of unease towards the reader as well as Harker himself as it suggests that the Count could get in control of him, like he does with the wolves and "the weird sisters".
To begin with, the Count is beginning to act more like a king, and due to this Harker is feeling ever more like a prisoner. The scene in which he writes letters to his boss and family is significant to this, as he knows that the Count will read whatever he writes on the letters therefore he has to be very careful on what he writes. This makes Harker feel completely helpless, and adds to the unease that he goes through whilst he stays at the castle. This unease is then built on when the Count slyly forces him to stay longer (by saying he wont accept refusal), as "business" is not finished according to the Count. Also, the dramatic monologue on page 26 implies how important family history is to the Count, and the way he goes about it appears as though he wants vengence for something related to it.
The Count is still becoming more and more fearful to Jonathan Harker. Harker also has no one to go to as it is just him, and the Count in the castle. The Counts warning, which is "Let me advise you my dear young friend, nay-let me warn you with all seriousness, that should you leave these rooms you will not by any chances go to sleep in any other part of the castle. It is old, and has many memories, and there are bad dreams for those who sleep unwisely. Be warned!". This begins to unfold a very supernatural and gothic tone to the story, and gives the reader (possibly Harker aswell) the urge to explore the castle in greater detail.
When Harker does decide to explore the castle in places that are forbidden, everything appears to become very distorted as a result of this. An example of this is the grotesque phrase "the distant hills become melted". This distorted texture portrays the high degree of supernaturality that there is at this point. "The weird sisters" are significant to this aswell. Throughout the gothic genre you will always come across something related to lust and perhaps a degree of female nudity, and this is the point in Dracula where it is mainly portrayed. An example of this is "The fair girl advanced and bent over me till I could feel the movement of her breath upon me. Sweet it was in one sense, honey sweet, and sent the same tingling through the nerves as her voice, but with a bitter underlying the sweet, a bitter offensiveness, as one smells in blood." The fact that this woman's skin in pale is also gothicly iconic. The Count's power is also shown off later in this part of the chapter, as he controls their movement through the wave of one of his hands; in the same way that he did with the wolves.
As this scene shows, Harker's sanity is declining further and further as we read through the journal. It will convey a sense of unease towards the reader as well as Harker himself as it suggests that the Count could get in control of him, like he does with the wolves and "the weird sisters".
Wednesday, 7 October 2009
Dracula: Chapter 2
Chapter 2 follows the same character as in Chapter 1, and is where he and the reader meet Count Dracula for the first time in the novel. When Harker arrives at the castle, his surroundings are described as very dark and gloomy (the fact its night adds to this) in significantly gothic detail. This is building up to the point where the reader and Harker have their first impressions of the Count, and it has to be done with significant effect as there is never a second chance to make a first impression. The gothic imagery used in this part of the chapter includes the phrase "frowning walls", and there is even satanic imagery used much later on in the chapter, e.g. "demonic fury".
As the chapter goes on, it digs deeper into being a mystery. Everything seems very odd to Mr Harker, and he starts to ask a lot of questions because simply nothing makes sense. Elements of the supernatural also come into this when he notices that the Count is not seen in any of the mirrors. Harker also feels more and more unsettled as the chapter goes on when the Count appears to lock more and more of the doors, so much so that Harker begins to feel like a prisoner; if you add these strange happenings (especially when the Count is not seen in the mirror) to the picture it makes it even more unsettling for Harker, and the reader aswell.
The Count himself is also hugely significant in the chapter. In theory he is a frail old man, however the manner in which his apprearance is described makes him fearful to the reader. The clause "clad in black from head to foot, without a single speck of colour about him anywhere" makes his skin appear pale to the imagination of the reader; the use of pale skin is used commonly in the gothic genre. Shadow is also used to describe his appearance, with "quivering shadows as it flickered" to convey a cold and chilling atmosphere at this point.
A surreality is also portrayed on the castle itself. Everything appears to be of perfection in the old castle, which is very unusual and strange. This is conveyed in clauses such as "The table service is of gold, and so beautifully wrought", "the hangings of my bed are of the costliest and most beautiful fabrics", and "they are centuries old, though in excellent order".
The ending of the chapter is left on a cliffhanger when Harker finds almost all of the doors in the castle locked, meaning that he is inclosed within a small part of the castle. This is effective as it makes the reader want to go on and read the next chapter to find out what happens next , and the manner in which it ends with "The castle is a veritable prison, and I am the prisoner" makes it more dramatic, and shows Harkers fearful emotion at this point. Also, the fact that the whole chapter is written in first person makes the lexis used more personal, which makes the emphasis with the reader more effective.
As the chapter goes on, it digs deeper into being a mystery. Everything seems very odd to Mr Harker, and he starts to ask a lot of questions because simply nothing makes sense. Elements of the supernatural also come into this when he notices that the Count is not seen in any of the mirrors. Harker also feels more and more unsettled as the chapter goes on when the Count appears to lock more and more of the doors, so much so that Harker begins to feel like a prisoner; if you add these strange happenings (especially when the Count is not seen in the mirror) to the picture it makes it even more unsettling for Harker, and the reader aswell.
The Count himself is also hugely significant in the chapter. In theory he is a frail old man, however the manner in which his apprearance is described makes him fearful to the reader. The clause "clad in black from head to foot, without a single speck of colour about him anywhere" makes his skin appear pale to the imagination of the reader; the use of pale skin is used commonly in the gothic genre. Shadow is also used to describe his appearance, with "quivering shadows as it flickered" to convey a cold and chilling atmosphere at this point.
A surreality is also portrayed on the castle itself. Everything appears to be of perfection in the old castle, which is very unusual and strange. This is conveyed in clauses such as "The table service is of gold, and so beautifully wrought", "the hangings of my bed are of the costliest and most beautiful fabrics", and "they are centuries old, though in excellent order".
The ending of the chapter is left on a cliffhanger when Harker finds almost all of the doors in the castle locked, meaning that he is inclosed within a small part of the castle. This is effective as it makes the reader want to go on and read the next chapter to find out what happens next , and the manner in which it ends with "The castle is a veritable prison, and I am the prisoner" makes it more dramatic, and shows Harkers fearful emotion at this point. Also, the fact that the whole chapter is written in first person makes the lexis used more personal, which makes the emphasis with the reader more effective.
Thursday, 1 October 2009
Dracula: Chapter 1
The beginning of Dracula doesn't exactly jump straight into the trademark gothic/ horror genre, however it is still very effective. Chapters 1-4 all follow a young gentleman named Jonathan Harker who travels to Transilvania to discuss business terms with the Count, who is k een on moving to London.
Throughout the chapter there is a very chilling atmosphere. This atmosphere escelates when Harker meets some of the locals around the hotel he stayed in, before a carriage arrives which takes him to the Count's castle. This escelates when the locals all seem fearful for his fate, which is conveyed especially from the words they use when fearing for him. These words are all satanic, and related to death. It is also significant when a woman at the hotel puts a crucifix round his neck, which implies at the time that he is going to a rather unholy place.
The most significant part of the chapter is the journey from the hotel, to the counts castle. Along the way very stange things happen, such as blue flames being seen randomly and howling wolves. All of these strange happenings are gothicly iconic, e.g. "All at once the wolves began to howl as though moonlight had an effect on them.", and pathetic fallacy is also used, e.g. "Soon we were hemmed with trees, which in places arched right over the road way till we passed as through a tunnel.". The chilling atmosphere at this point is still ever present, with "It grew colder and colder, and fine, powdery snow began to fall."
The simple fact that the journey through the woodland is so long, is significant because it implies that Harker is lonely and isolated at this point, and that a possible escape is nearly impossible. This adds to the uneasy feeling that Harker is feeling at this point in time, when all these strange things that cannot be explained, and are making Harker extremely frightened, are happening. All of these things happening during the journey are placed to build up to the point when he arrives at the castle so that there is a dark and fearful atmosphere when he arrives.
The caleche rider is also significant in this chapter, because the way that he is described makes him sound ghostly rather than human, e.g. "I could only see the gleam of a pair of very bright eyes, which seemed red in the lamplight" and "a hard looking mouth, with red lips and sharp teeth". This adds to the intense and fearful atmosphere that Stoker is portraying at this point.
The chapter ends just as the carriage arrives at the castle, and at this point Harker is strongly thinking about the level of fear that the locals at Bistritz had for him before he left for the castle. This is a good place to end the chapter as it ends at the point where you have the urge to read more.
Throughout the chapter there is a very chilling atmosphere. This atmosphere escelates when Harker meets some of the locals around the hotel he stayed in, before a carriage arrives which takes him to the Count's castle. This escelates when the locals all seem fearful for his fate, which is conveyed especially from the words they use when fearing for him. These words are all satanic, and related to death. It is also significant when a woman at the hotel puts a crucifix round his neck, which implies at the time that he is going to a rather unholy place.
The most significant part of the chapter is the journey from the hotel, to the counts castle. Along the way very stange things happen, such as blue flames being seen randomly and howling wolves. All of these strange happenings are gothicly iconic, e.g. "All at once the wolves began to howl as though moonlight had an effect on them.", and pathetic fallacy is also used, e.g. "Soon we were hemmed with trees, which in places arched right over the road way till we passed as through a tunnel.". The chilling atmosphere at this point is still ever present, with "It grew colder and colder, and fine, powdery snow began to fall."
The simple fact that the journey through the woodland is so long, is significant because it implies that Harker is lonely and isolated at this point, and that a possible escape is nearly impossible. This adds to the uneasy feeling that Harker is feeling at this point in time, when all these strange things that cannot be explained, and are making Harker extremely frightened, are happening. All of these things happening during the journey are placed to build up to the point when he arrives at the castle so that there is a dark and fearful atmosphere when he arrives.
The caleche rider is also significant in this chapter, because the way that he is described makes him sound ghostly rather than human, e.g. "I could only see the gleam of a pair of very bright eyes, which seemed red in the lamplight" and "a hard looking mouth, with red lips and sharp teeth". This adds to the intense and fearful atmosphere that Stoker is portraying at this point.
The chapter ends just as the carriage arrives at the castle, and at this point Harker is strongly thinking about the level of fear that the locals at Bistritz had for him before he left for the castle. This is a good place to end the chapter as it ends at the point where you have the urge to read more.
Tuesday, 22 September 2009
Hello everybody. My name is Tom Dowling and I have specifically set up this blog as part of my AS Level English language/ literiture course. I am also studying for AS levels in Chemistry, Geography, and Film Studies. I am a lifelong Chelsea supporter, and my best passion is playing in a band as a singer, guitarist and songwriter.
The task I have been set, is to read the book "Dracula" by Bram Stoker and post a new entry into the blog for each chapter that I read, so there will be regular updates every week until I finish the book. Stay tuned!!
The task I have been set, is to read the book "Dracula" by Bram Stoker and post a new entry into the blog for each chapter that I read, so there will be regular updates every week until I finish the book. Stay tuned!!
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