Nosferatu.
Also there are more references to traditional vampire things like driving a stake through the heart and filling the head with garlic, to kill the vampire.
The main points of these chapters are that Mina decides to transcribe the journal which Jonathan kept at Dracula's castle so that Van Helsing can look at them to find clues about Lucy's death. Jonathan is writing in his diary again and he is getting afraid that Dracula is in London. There are more and more cases of people with neck wounds that are pretty much identical to the ones on Lucy's neck. Then the main part of these chapters is the graveyard bit with the Westenra tomb in which it starts off with VanHelsing trying to prove that Lucy is a vampire then there is this whole incident where Lucy is confronted and its gets ugly as Arthur has a feeling of disgust towards her then the next night they carry out the act to kill her. Then they make a pact to set out to kill Dracula.
Its weird how the love which Arthur, Quincey, and Seward had for Lucy has been basely turned into hate at the sight of Lucy.
The tomb part is very Gothic as i can just imagine all this mist covering the outskirts with these people lifting the tops off coffins. This could be made into a very spooky, scary scene if it was in a film. You could almost expect more wolves to appear.
Sunday 8 November 2009
Tuesday 3 November 2009
Chapter 13
This starts with Arthur returning, and trying to explain his despair to Seward. He has lost his fiancee, his father, and, now, his fiance's mother, all in a few days. He looks at Lucy's corpse and doubts that she is really dead. Van Helsing then gets her papers to determine her death. This is very Gothic as Gothic relates to the supernatural and being dead but not is supernatural.
Mina says that she and Jonathan are on the train to Exeter. They arrive soon in London and then take a bus to Hyde Park. Mina is then alarmed when Jonathan suddenly has another "nervous fit." She follows Jonathan's look to discover Jonathan is staring at a "tall, thin man, with a beaky nose and black moustache and pointed beard." Jonathan exclaims "It is the man himself!" Jonathan is convinced that it is Count Dracula. That night, Mina receives a telegram from Van Helsing, who informs her that Mrs. Westenra and Lucy have died.
In this chapter there is a part where Jonathan has a nervous fit which could be seen as him being possessed. As we don't know what happened to him for him to get back home without being killed by Dracula. There is a lot of people having stuff happening to them without their own control in this book so far.
Mina says that she and Jonathan are on the train to Exeter. They arrive soon in London and then take a bus to Hyde Park. Mina is then alarmed when Jonathan suddenly has another "nervous fit." She follows Jonathan's look to discover Jonathan is staring at a "tall, thin man, with a beaky nose and black moustache and pointed beard." Jonathan exclaims "It is the man himself!" Jonathan is convinced that it is Count Dracula. That night, Mina receives a telegram from Van Helsing, who informs her that Mrs. Westenra and Lucy have died.
In this chapter there is a part where Jonathan has a nervous fit which could be seen as him being possessed. As we don't know what happened to him for him to get back home without being killed by Dracula. There is a lot of people having stuff happening to them without their own control in this book so far.
Thursday 22 October 2009
Rest of Chapter 11 and all of 12
There are increasing amounts of strange one liners occurring in this book like "They shan't rob me! I'll fight for my Lord and Master!" In this case this was said by Renfield, who was taking part in some experiments.
Also a lot of people seem to be dying. Lucy's mother dies from a heart attack that came from the shock of the wolf incident. This was also because she was in a fragile state anyway. Also Mr Hawkins, who was staying with Mina and the returned Jonathan, then died suddenly. Finally, Lucy has been seen to have slightly different characteristics like having long sharper teeth which is what we now know to be a major characteristic of a typical vampire. Also the way she dies is very unlike Lucy and shocking. She asks to kiss Van Helsing, which we know would be a bad thing as she would probably want to suck his blood, but he then refuses and she has a crazy anger fit that is very shocking and then she dies which is very unexpected.
There are certain typical references to Gothic ways of describing things like the abandoned house. This fits because an abandoned house will be lonely and have no one home and be dark and mysterious which ticks pretty much all the boxes.
The effective part of the last chapter is that when Van Helsing says that "It is only the beginning" it makes the reader want to read on.
Very exciting!
Also a lot of people seem to be dying. Lucy's mother dies from a heart attack that came from the shock of the wolf incident. This was also because she was in a fragile state anyway. Also Mr Hawkins, who was staying with Mina and the returned Jonathan, then died suddenly. Finally, Lucy has been seen to have slightly different characteristics like having long sharper teeth which is what we now know to be a major characteristic of a typical vampire. Also the way she dies is very unlike Lucy and shocking. She asks to kiss Van Helsing, which we know would be a bad thing as she would probably want to suck his blood, but he then refuses and she has a crazy anger fit that is very shocking and then she dies which is very unexpected.
There are certain typical references to Gothic ways of describing things like the abandoned house. This fits because an abandoned house will be lonely and have no one home and be dark and mysterious which ticks pretty much all the boxes.
The effective part of the last chapter is that when Van Helsing says that "It is only the beginning" it makes the reader want to read on.
Very exciting!
Wednesday 21 October 2009
Chapter 10 and part of 11
This chapter focuses on Lucy and how Van Helsing is assisting helping Lucy get better. It starts off with Lucy being examined through sleeping and resting. She is given blood on 3 occasions. The first sees her get slightly better but defiantly weak. So this left the Dr and Helsing feeling like they have helped her well. They see her cheeks fill up with rosiness but only for a second. After this they examined the two puncture wounds on her neck and are suspicious of the fact that the wound looks so well and there not being lots of blood. Because of her being very well the Dr leaves her one night, by request of Lucy, to spend the night alone.
This then turns out very bad as she gets as bad as ever which leaves the two feeling very ashamed. Lucy then being very weak gets more blood to help with this. After sending a telegram for garlic Van Helsing seems to be getting ideas about these strange wounds and asks Lucy to sleep in the comfort of the garlic which does make her feel better. But then due to Mrs Wesenra taking the garlic away Lucy then seems to have gotten worse. I have read up to the bit where Van Helsing is giving his blood to Lucy.
This then turns out very bad as she gets as bad as ever which leaves the two feeling very ashamed. Lucy then being very weak gets more blood to help with this. After sending a telegram for garlic Van Helsing seems to be getting ideas about these strange wounds and asks Lucy to sleep in the comfort of the garlic which does make her feel better. But then due to Mrs Wesenra taking the garlic away Lucy then seems to have gotten worse. I have read up to the bit where Van Helsing is giving his blood to Lucy.
Sunday 18 October 2009
Up until end of Chapter 9
I like the ping pong effect that is created with the small letters going to and fro between characters.
We learn more about Mina and Lucy. We can obviously see the very strong bond between these two and the stronger bond between Mina and Jonathan because they get married.
One thing that i can highlight from all these matters in these passages is that peoples' personalities are changing. Jonathan, maybe because of his sickness, is getting a more secluded and secretive. This is sort of showed in the notebook part as he is telling Mina to do certain things with the notebook.
Dr Seward is writing more on Renfield and about how he is getting violent during the day also with other strange querky reactions.
We meet a new character, Van Helsing, who is brought in to help Lucy but seems like a strange character. The end of Chapter 9 is good as it is an urgent, important telegram to Van Helsing to come quickly as Lucy has got worse.
We learn more about Mina and Lucy. We can obviously see the very strong bond between these two and the stronger bond between Mina and Jonathan because they get married.
One thing that i can highlight from all these matters in these passages is that peoples' personalities are changing. Jonathan, maybe because of his sickness, is getting a more secluded and secretive. This is sort of showed in the notebook part as he is telling Mina to do certain things with the notebook.
Dr Seward is writing more on Renfield and about how he is getting violent during the day also with other strange querky reactions.
We meet a new character, Van Helsing, who is brought in to help Lucy but seems like a strange character. The end of Chapter 9 is good as it is an urgent, important telegram to Van Helsing to come quickly as Lucy has got worse.
Wednesday 14 October 2009
First Part of Chapter 8
Only First bit of Mina's journal.
Bite marks on the throat?
Bats?
Blood?
This reminds me of something....... Vampires, that was it.
This passage is very effective on the readers imagination, there are lots of spooky parts that releases the mind into a warped world of Gothic literature. The sleep walking business is especially a spooky thing which i mentioned in another one of my posts and it being like a soul-less body.
I love the little hints we get towards there being a vampire around like Lucy's face being paler by the day with no logical explanation apart from the marks on her throat. 'His red eyes again' This i think is a powerful sentence as it can relate to Gothic literature really well.
1. People don't usually have red eyes
2. Red eyes could maybe relate to the devil
3. Red is among the colours that typically feature in Gothic art
4. Red is the colour of blood
5. Red eyes may suggest swollen with blood, maybe a vampire
6. Again, suggests that it just keeps happening.
So the sleep walking with Lucy and the pale faced man and the church and the bats all make this part a very important part as we are learning more about these vampire like creatures.
I like the part with the church as i think they are a very Gothic structure and all in one of my pieces of writing i wrote about a church so it is maybe something i can relate to.
Bite marks on the throat?
Bats?
Blood?
This reminds me of something....... Vampires, that was it.
This passage is very effective on the readers imagination, there are lots of spooky parts that releases the mind into a warped world of Gothic literature. The sleep walking business is especially a spooky thing which i mentioned in another one of my posts and it being like a soul-less body.
I love the little hints we get towards there being a vampire around like Lucy's face being paler by the day with no logical explanation apart from the marks on her throat. 'His red eyes again' This i think is a powerful sentence as it can relate to Gothic literature really well.
1. People don't usually have red eyes
2. Red eyes could maybe relate to the devil
3. Red is among the colours that typically feature in Gothic art
4. Red is the colour of blood
5. Red eyes may suggest swollen with blood, maybe a vampire
6. Again, suggests that it just keeps happening.
So the sleep walking with Lucy and the pale faced man and the church and the bats all make this part a very important part as we are learning more about these vampire like creatures.
I like the part with the church as i think they are a very Gothic structure and all in one of my pieces of writing i wrote about a church so it is maybe something i can relate to.
Friday 9 October 2009
Dracula Book till the end of Chapter 7
I like chapter 7 very much.
I like the different perspectives of the events. But i love the journal that is written whilst on the ship as it is a condensed version of a horror story. Almost a story in its own. I just love the way that it starts and then progresses with the initial incident of a person missing. Then there is a use of pathetic fallacy 'fog' to create the eerie mood. The parts that i do like mostly are the mentions of the vampire like figure which the reader can only assume that it is Dracula.
The break away from the Jonathan Harker business has turnt out to be surprisingly good which i like very much as it still has lots to do with Dracula and has been written about in a journal by a person very close to Jonathan, which is Mina.
In Mina's journal in Chapter 7, the last journal, there is a chilling bit about the Lucy girl sleep walking which is a strange thing that adds to the mood of the story. For someone to sleep walk is a slightly un natural thing. It makes me think that it is sort of a body that's doesn't really have control of itself, or like the soul is possessed.
In Chapter 6 on page 65, i think, there is a few references to nature playing like chilling natural music and acting as one to be in a negative manner which reminded me of one of my pieces of writing. Just thought i would mention that link.
I like the different perspectives of the events. But i love the journal that is written whilst on the ship as it is a condensed version of a horror story. Almost a story in its own. I just love the way that it starts and then progresses with the initial incident of a person missing. Then there is a use of pathetic fallacy 'fog' to create the eerie mood. The parts that i do like mostly are the mentions of the vampire like figure which the reader can only assume that it is Dracula.
The break away from the Jonathan Harker business has turnt out to be surprisingly good which i like very much as it still has lots to do with Dracula and has been written about in a journal by a person very close to Jonathan, which is Mina.
In Mina's journal in Chapter 7, the last journal, there is a chilling bit about the Lucy girl sleep walking which is a strange thing that adds to the mood of the story. For someone to sleep walk is a slightly un natural thing. It makes me think that it is sort of a body that's doesn't really have control of itself, or like the soul is possessed.
In Chapter 6 on page 65, i think, there is a few references to nature playing like chilling natural music and acting as one to be in a negative manner which reminded me of one of my pieces of writing. Just thought i would mention that link.
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