Dracula Term Project by Abigayle Duggins https://padlet.com/abigayleduggins/ig9mtroxu0214mzy en-us 2020-12-15 18:56:09 UTC 2026-01-31 19:26:46 UTC hello@padlet.com Main Characters- Dracula abigayleduggins https://padlet.com/abigayleduggins/ig9mtroxu0214mzy/wish/1021454293 Dracula is the main character in the story and as he is considered the villain. He is a vampire, hundreds of years old, has many supernatural abilities while being physically strong and has several weaknesses. He meets the remaining characters while attempting to purchase land in London to switch the soil to Transylvanian soil so that he can be closer with society. Aside from him being the main character, he is important to the story because he causes the vast majority of issues that occur in the story, and after he leaves, life as the other characters knew it returns to normal. "Oh, why must a man like that be made unhappy when there are lots of girls about who would worship the very ground he trod on?" This quote shows that Dracula can get just about any girl he wants, but, regardless, he is still very unhappy as that is not what he wants the most.

]]> 2020-12-15 18:57:26 UTC https://padlet.com/abigayleduggins/ig9mtroxu0214mzy/wish/1021454293 Main Characters- Mina Murray abigayleduggins https://padlet.com/abigayleduggins/ig9mtroxu0214mzy/wish/1021461090 Mina Murray (Harker) is considered to be one of the heroes in the story. She is a school teacher, and fiancée (and later wife) to Jonathan Harker. Her parents are dead, she is beautiful, and shows little to no sexual desire which allows her to keep her purity throughout the story. “She is one of God’s women, fashioned by his own hand to show us men and other women that there is a heaven where we can enter, and that it’s light can be here on Earth. So true, so sweet, so noble, so little an egoist…” This quote shows that Mina is looked at as Heaven on Earth and has a very kind and loving soul. She is a dedicated wife and mother with those being her top priorities along with serving her husband.]]> 2020-12-15 18:58:51 UTC https://padlet.com/abigayleduggins/ig9mtroxu0214mzy/wish/1021461090 Main Characters- Jonathan Harker abigayleduggins https://padlet.com/abigayleduggins/ig9mtroxu0214mzy/wish/1021466198 Jonathan Harker, also considered a hero, is a hard-working lawyer, and fiancé (and later husband) to Mina Harker. He is working with Dracula in his attempt to purchase land from London. He becomes prisoner to Dracula, witnesses many odd and disturbing things while in Dracula’s castle, and is even exposed to sexual seduction when 3 female vampires come to him (he describes this as a wicked, burning desire). “He is true grit, and he improves under strain that would kill a weaker nature.” This quote shows that Jonathan is a very strong person and that there is nothing to worry about with him being held prisoner of the Count.]]> 2020-12-15 18:59:51 UTC https://padlet.com/abigayleduggins/ig9mtroxu0214mzy/wish/1021466198 Main Characters- Lucy Westerna abigayleduggins https://padlet.com/abigayleduggins/ig9mtroxu0214mzy/wish/1021476095 Lucy Westerna is one of the many heroes. She is friends with Mina, and she and Mina are a lot alike. She is a beautiful woman. Lucy is very interested in finding a husband and because of this, not only are there 3 men who want her, but Dracula bites her on the neck. After she is bitten, she turns into what is best described as “a sexual predator.” “Then, too, Lucy, although she is so well, has lately taken to her old habit of walking in her sleep.” Mina says this about Lucy to show that while her beauty is looking better than usual, she is sleep walking causing her to be vulnerable to Dracula.]]> 2020-12-15 19:01:49 UTC https://padlet.com/abigayleduggins/ig9mtroxu0214mzy/wish/1021476095 Main Characters- Abraham Van Helsing abigayleduggins https://padlet.com/abigayleduggins/ig9mtroxu0214mzy/wish/1021483844 Abraham Van Helsing, one of the heroes,” the only character who is able to figure out and talk about Dracula’s form of evil, he is a doctor that not only knows about regular medicine, but also knows about folk remedies. Because of his knowledge in such things, he is able to identify Lucy’s sickness unlike his former student, John Seward, who only looks towards modern explanations. “Some say you’re a murder, Mr. Van Helsing. Others say you’re a holy man. Which is it?” This shows that while he does a lot of good, there are sides to everyone that is different than expected.

]]> 2020-12-15 19:03:30 UTC https://padlet.com/abigayleduggins/ig9mtroxu0214mzy/wish/1021483844 Film Analysis abigayleduggins https://padlet.com/abigayleduggins/ig9mtroxu0214mzy/wish/1021491836 Between the book and the R-rated movie, there have been many differences but also many similarities. The background, ideas and plot of both are the same. In both, Mina turns into a vampire, and everyone wants to kill Dracula before he harms anyone else which is the main basis of both stories. Both were written in the form of diaries/diary entries (although the book looks more like letters). 
With those similarities, come several differences. One big difference is that in the movie, Mina is Dracula’s reincarnated wife while in the book, Mina is engaged/married to Jonathan. Another difference is that Lucy is portrayed as a seductress in the movie while in the book, she is innocent and pure and only turns to the more sexual side of herself once she is turned into a vampire. I believe the director made these changes in order to make the movie more intriguing and exciting; to keep the person watching the movie not bored.  
]]> 2020-12-15 19:05:04 UTC https://padlet.com/abigayleduggins/ig9mtroxu0214mzy/wish/1021491836 Modern Connections abigayleduggins https://padlet.com/abigayleduggins/ig9mtroxu0214mzy/wish/1021496733 Dracula is the core inspiration to most, if not all, vampire novels, movies, TV shows, etc. At the time Dracula was first written, it was able to show people’s fears and was able to make evil into a character. One of the biggest messages that is portrayed in Dracula, is that no matter how good modern technology is, some things are so evil that they simply can not be destroyed. That message is shown quite frequently today. While it’s not sure of actual “evil,” there are many evil people in the world that do a lot of people harm: physically, emotionally, mentally, etc. People look at Dracula as the first major vampire story and causing inspiration for decades to come when it comes to vampires.]]> 2020-12-15 19:06:08 UTC https://padlet.com/abigayleduggins/ig9mtroxu0214mzy/wish/1021496733 Book Review abigayleduggins https://padlet.com/abigayleduggins/ig9mtroxu0214mzy/wish/1021501471 The best thing about me choosing this book was getting to have something to talk about my mom with and I got the see what fears were back in the time it was written. Something I didn't really like about the book was that it got complicated and confusing to read at times. When I first began to read it, I kept getting very confused as to what was going on, However, the more I read it, the more I began to understand. It was written in a more old way than I was used to and although sometimes I had to use the internet or my mom, I eventually figured out what was going on no matter what. The most interesting part of the book for me was when Abraham kills her after she became a vampire. There were times when the biggest challenge for me was staying engaged and paying attention. I get distracted easily and I would constantly have to re-read several paragraphs because I didn't know what I had just read. This book is an amazing piece of literature. As I briefly described in modern connections, Dracula practically paved the way for modern vampires. The book was a little different than I expected, I wasn't expecting there to be so many humans, all very different. For some reason, I was expecting it to be more of mostly just Dracula and maybe he killed some people. To the next people to read this, make sure you pay attention and if you don't understand, ask for help. Ms. Smith knows a lot about this book and will tell you how much she loves it. Use that to your advantage.]]> 2020-12-15 19:07:11 UTC https://padlet.com/abigayleduggins/ig9mtroxu0214mzy/wish/1021501471 Discussion Questions abigayleduggins https://padlet.com/abigayleduggins/ig9mtroxu0214mzy/wish/1021597217 1.) Why does Dracula bite Lucy on the neck? Why do vampires bite anyone of the neck?

Lucy is innocent and pure but shows more sexual desire than Mina which makes her more attractive to Dracula. Biting someone on the neck is a vampire's metaphor for sex.

2.) Does Dracula show elements of Christianity? Why or why not?

Yes and no. Christians celebrate a communion in which they drink grape juice/wine as a metaphor to drinking Jesus' blood which grants them a spiritual life. However, Dracula drinks real blood of humans to strengthen his physical life.

3.) Why do you think Bram Stoker decided to write to book as diary entries and letters? What effect did this have? 

I believe he use this method of writing for it to seem more real and less like a fantasy. Because of the way this is written, it allows us to know what many other characters don't causing for dramatic irony to be present throughout the story.

4.) Are the weather changes closely related to mood changes? If yes, explain.

Stoker, much like many other Authors and even directors, used weather in order to change the mood of the story. Having stormy or dark weather will create a much different effect that it would with sunny, bright weather.

5.) Why do you think Lucy gets more sick after sleeping?

During this, the "sickness" she is experiencing, is her transformation into a vampire. It almost seems like since the doctor wasn't able to do anything as she slept, the transformation was able to go quickly, Through the night, her gums got pale and her teeth sharpened.

6.) Why do you think Lucy's sickness disappears and then comes back?

I believe it went away after their transfusion because it was Van Helsing that was the donor. I think this because of the typical theme in the human world that if someone you love or vise versa does something for you, it means more than if someone else does. I think it comes back because it wasn't fought hard enough last time, much like a virus.

7.) Who are the three men that are after Lucy? Who does she choose? How do they all eventually come together?

Arthur Holmwood, Quincey Morris, and Dr. John Seward are all after Lucy. She chooses Holmwood. They all come together when Lucy is practically on her death bed to decide what needs to be done.

8.) Why does Van Helsing block Holmwood from kissing Lucy right before she dies?

Van Helsing sees Lucy's teeth and mouth begin to open wide enough to bite Holmwood.

9.) Why does Dracula go after Lucy in the first place?

Because of her beauty. The vampires in Dracula seem to value beauty and sexual desire more than anything in a "partner."

10.) Why does Dracula infect Mina?

While Dracula doesn't care much for her, he infects her to hurt the rest of the characters and to slow them down in their mission to kill him.]]> 2020-12-15 19:27:55 UTC https://padlet.com/abigayleduggins/ig9mtroxu0214mzy/wish/1021597217 Themes abigayleduggins https://padlet.com/abigayleduggins/ig9mtroxu0214mzy/wish/1021896948 1.) Christianity
scene one-  While there isn't a particular scene for this, but the religion of Christianity values purity and saving yourself for marriage. This is shown in Mina. Not only does she not have sex, she shows absolutely no desire for it.

scene two- While Dracula is on his deathbed, he begins to look peaceful making it seem like he was saved.

scene three- Jonathan Harker is given a crucifix in the story. When Dracula is about to drink his blood from the cut he made, Jonathan uses the crucifix to save him. 

2.) Seduction
scene one- Jonathan Harker is met with 3 vampire women whose main purpose of being there, was to seduce him. 

scene two- After Dracula bites Lucy, she becomes a seductress. She becomes very open with her sexual desires.

scene three- Lucy attempts to seduce Arthur and the surrounding people.

3.) Madness
scene one- Jonathan believes he either has gone mad or did for a while as he says that he behaved like a rat does in a trap and almost begs to be able to keep his sanity while he is there with the count.

scene two- Dr. Seward writes about his patient Renfield. For a while he thinks that he is getting better, but then he starts going more crazy causing Seward to refer to him as a life-eating maniac.

scene three- Lucy is described as mad and is put in almost isolation as she begins to sleepwalk and her transformation into a vampire increase.]]> 2020-12-15 20:46:46 UTC https://padlet.com/abigayleduggins/ig9mtroxu0214mzy/wish/1021896948 Symbols abigayleduggins https://padlet.com/abigayleduggins/ig9mtroxu0214mzy/wish/1022570788 Blood- Blood is seen through character’s eyes in different ways in the book. A later instance in the book has the depictions of Dracula and his minions feeding on blood symbolize the exchange of ‘bodily fluids’ associated with sexual intercourse: Lucy is “drained” to the point of nearly passing out after the count ‘penetrates’ her. 
Science and Superstition - 
Because of modern science, people were unable to believe in superstitions such as Count Dracula. Van Helsing has to almost fight with himself between the medicine he is smart in (East and West) which, together, cover modern medicine and folk remedies. People classify him as their only hope to rid the world of the evil that was Dracula.

]]> 2020-12-16 02:02:44 UTC https://padlet.com/abigayleduggins/ig9mtroxu0214mzy/wish/1022570788 Literary Criticism abigayleduggins https://padlet.com/abigayleduggins/ig9mtroxu0214mzy/wish/1022796429 http://web.b.ebscohost.com/lrc/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=19&sid=ffa39a1a-8186-4301-9763-2b43cb550c15%40sessionmgr101

This author uses their criticism to focus on the victimization of women that can be found in Dracula. They frequently pointed out the anti- New Woman and anti feminist portrayals of the story. The author clearly knew what they were talking about and made a very valid argument. I believe they made their point very well and provided a satisfactory amount of evidence. She kept the same argument and never once slipped up. I agree very strongly with her claims. When Lucy and Mina started to become the New Women ideals, the men decided almost immediately to destroy the vampirism that was becoming them. Since they didn't into what the women of the age were supposed to be, they had little to no hesitation when it came to doing so. They couldn't stand a woman to be more independent or more one with her sexual desires.]]> 2020-12-16 04:17:42 UTC https://padlet.com/abigayleduggins/ig9mtroxu0214mzy/wish/1022796429