Dracula: Post 3: Discussion Director: Brandon Greer
Okay, this post should be covering chapters 15-21 (you should read chapter 21!!!). This is a pretty interesting part of the book. Below, as usual, are some questions 
1. In chapter 18, Van Helsing and every major character in the book meet and they are told of the legend of the Nosferatu (un-dead). What do you make of this scene? Could you tell it was coming? Explain.
Here’s a hint: what is the purpose of this scene?
2. It is revealed that Dracula has been feeding on Mina. How does he get it? Dracula can’t get into a house without being invited. Lucy was bitten outside when she was sleepwalking. What are your opinions on this?
3. In your opinion, who do you think fits the character of damsel in distress better: Lucy or Mina? Explain your thinking.
4. You might need to look up this question: How does the scene where Mina drinks Dracula’s blood mock Christianity? I know this is probably a difficult question, but it seemed to just come to me when I read this scene.
And a Happy Easter to you!!! (sorry if you don’t celebrate Easter)
Category: Per 3 TBT DD 18 comments »
April 11th, 2009 at 11:33 am
Van Helsing and Seward go and investigate the deaths of the children. They see that they have the same markings on their necks as Lucy. The two visit Lucy’s grave and her corpse is gone. Seward says it was a grave robber, but Helsing says to keep watch. He obviously suspects Dracula. Seward sees this white streak go by in the morning and then they see a child laying there, but Seward still thinks that Lucy is not responsible for anything. He changes his mind when they see Lucy returned to her coffin, beautiful and restored. They believe that she is ‘un-dead’ and needs to be killed, again; a stake through her heart. They meet with Holmwood, who is first opposed, but then agrees to the task.
In the next chapter, the group goes to the tomb. They find it empty, and they hide and wait. They see a figure come and it is carrying a child and has fresh blood. It is Lucy and she runs back into her coffin when the wafers are removed. Holmwood, after seeing this, decides that they need to do the ritual. Helsing thinks to himself that he will reunite with the men to discuss the terrible things they need to do.
In chapter 16, Helsing says that he wants Mina and Jonathan to stay with him. Renfield has been calm and he thinks it is relavent to Dracula’s location. Seward and Mina switch journals and read them. Jonathan looks at the earth that was shipped from Transylvania. He is curious where they all went. Mina says that Jonathan has recovered from his visit from Dracula’s castle. Holmwood is also very shaken still about Lucy’s death.
Next, Mina visits Renfield and has everything in order when Helsing arrives. He sits everyone down and tells the story of the ‘un-dead.’ He describes them very badly, but also describes their many weaknesses. He then describes how to kill Dracula. Renfield askes to leave when the whole company comes to see him, and Seward denies his request.
In chapter 19, Seward and some men go to look for the 50 boxes of earth. They find 29, and there are rats so they have to call in dogs to kill them. He then asks to Renfield after he returns to the asylum. Helsing wants an interview, but Renfield refuses to cooperate. Mina writes in her diary about seeing strange things in her room, and waking up to an open window, when she knows she closed it. She describes the white cloud and figure. She also rationalizes it as part of her dream.
In the next chapter, Harker finds the locations of the missing boxes. They are wondering how they are going to break into the houses in a high populated area. They talk to Renfield, and some of his opoinions change, but he says he wants life. The next night they hear a scream, and they find Renfield covered in blood in his cell.
In chapter 21, Renfiled admits that Dracula visited him a lot. He says that he got angry and then Dracula bit him. He then ran off into the asylum. Dracula is found with Jonathan unconscious and drinking blood from Mina’s chest. They show him a wafer, and he runs away. The count has torn apart their study, but they did keep copies in a safe of their paperwork. At night Mina says that Dracula threatened to kill her husband if she made a sound, and he drank her blood. He said it was not the first time.
Finally, in chapter 22, Harker writes in his journal. They are about to go to Dracula’s house and Haker puts wafers in Mina’s room. He touches her head and she calls herself ‘unclean’ when she bleeds.
April 11th, 2009 at 11:34 am
Everyone looks at this and Adam did not get my message so I thought I would post my blog on here. It says we have to log in now? I do not know how the password worked to post the comment? I hate computers in general.
April 11th, 2009 at 11:34 am
The last two were Dan…
April 11th, 2009 at 11:40 am
Ohh the words will come tomorrow, I have been very busy. I appologize.
April 13th, 2009 at 8:36 am
I think the scene where they learn about the ‘un-dead’ is very interesting. I learned a lot myself, and what I got out of it was that people were very skiddish. Like Brandon said earlier in one of our blogs, the story of vampires and unrealistic ideas like this were not well-known at the time. The author put this scene in to enlighten its readers about the ‘un-dead.’ Everyone knows that it is all untrue, but the scene is very important to the characters as well. They all learn about the dangers and how to kill the ‘un-dead’ by their weaknesses. I think that the reader could tell it was coming. It is important to the story and most likely needed to be said. I thought that this was a very interesting scene and needed to tell the story, and worth mentioning in the blog.
I am not sure I understand your next question…how does he get it?? What does that mean, the blood? Your next question, I do know what you’re talking about. I think that this is very irresponsible. How can someone let their friend sleep walk outside? Does anyone lock the doors? I think that they should have kept a better eye on her. I do not understand how someone can sleepwalk outside, and get bitten by a vampire, and not stop doing it.
I looked up what damsel in distress means and it says any female in distress. This would accurately describe both Lucy and Mina, in the fact that they are both in distress. I think that Mina is in more distress at one point where she is being told that if she speaks, her husband will die. I think this is not a good question though. It is kind of bland.
I am sorry Bradon, I am not quite sure about your last question either. Maybe if I look it up or see what other people say it will jog my memory. I have to leave for baseball at 10:00 and will not get home until 7 o’clock tonight.
When I get back on here I will respond to everyone. It is very difficult to do this over a holiday break when everyone has something going on. We should be more worried about our families than getting this done.
-Dan
April 13th, 2009 at 9:08 am
Dan I agree. Mr. Shank, you should too!!!
April 13th, 2009 at 9:12 am
This is a response to Dan’s blog that is posted as a comment:
Dan, your summaries are really good. They’re really useful when you are commenting on someone else’s blog and you need to look something up.
Where are your words?
-Brandon
April 13th, 2009 at 11:18 am
Uh, Brandon, stop complaining. It is Mr. Shank’s job to get us ready for collage. BE GRATEFUL!!!
Okay. First I want to tell Dan: Great blog, it was short, quick and to the point. Thank you!
Now Brandon, for your questions:
1. Well, we (the readers) needed to know more about vampires, so this would be the best way for us to see it. You knew it had to be coming, or else the book would be a lot longer and so many more unanswered questions.
2. Dan, I think that Brandon meant how does Dracula get in the house and accidentally typed “it” instead of “in”. Dracula can bespell people. Could it be possible that he bespelled Mina into opening the window or doors and inviting him in. The dream she had could have very well been the bespellment (if there is such a word!)
3. I completely agree with Dan on both accounts. The question is a bit bland and not really requires thought. The question could be answered to with both girls. They are both in distress and are both helpless. Though, again agreeing with Dan, Mina has more characteristics for distress because of Dracula’s threat.
4. Brandon, I cannot really answer your question. I am not the most religious person about my only religion. Asking me something like learning another is quite impossible. Maybe if you gave a situation that I would have heard of from both my bible and yours, I could answer this. Thank you.
There is my response.
-Jenni Kantor
April 13th, 2009 at 1:25 pm
Jenni, you spelled college wrong.
-Brandon
April 13th, 2009 at 2:11 pm
Here we go again……. I’m giving it one more try
I looked up Nosferatu when I watched SpongeBob “The Graveyard Shift” recently; they mentioned him at the end so yea I was expecting it. SpongeBob does help you learn Mr. Shank! I thought that the scene with the Nosferatu was very enthralling. I think that the purpose of this scene was to inform us of the kind of vampires that the characters were facing and to show us what Mina and Jonathan will have to fear and what to protect Mina from.
I agree with Jenni, I think that Dracula place a spell upon Mina to get her blood. The dream she talked about most likely wasn’t a dream and she ended up near the window so Dracula could get her blood by controlling her rather than entering her house. As for Lucy, since she used to go outside by herself it would’ve been easier for Dracula to drink her blood, but as for the sleepwalking Dracula could’ve taken advantage of the fact that Lucy sleepwalks and found the perfect way to get to her. Or he could’ve just been controlling her as well….
I agree with both Dan and Jenni, that both Lucy and Mina are damsels’ in distress though in different situations. Lucy had no idea what was going on when Dracula drank her blood and was therefore helpless. On the other hand, Mina knows what is going on and that Dracula is drinking her blood but is being blackmailed by Dracula for her husband’s life. So they are both not in control of what is happening.
For the fourth question, no idea what you’re talking about, please explain.
-Kianat Zamir
April 13th, 2009 at 2:12 pm
Dan great summary, it’s candid and consecutive. Imformative and straight to the point.
*By the way i agree with you on the family and blogging!
-Kianat Zamir
April 13th, 2009 at 2:31 pm
I didn’t expect you to get the last question, but I liked it so I put it there.
Anyway for my first question, this type of scene as you all said is important because it reveals to the characters as to what they’re up against. You all said that you could tell it was coming because there had to be a place where all their questions were answered. I was actually trying to see if any of you figured out how common this type of scene is! In almost every story, film, etc., the main cast is gathered together in the middle of the story where they learn everything about their enemy. I just wanted to see if you thought this type of scene was pretty predictable.
Question 2. Dracula cannot enter a home without being invited in first. As Dracula was never invited in (as far as we know), I wanted to see your theories. I am guessing, as you guys did, that Dracula put a spell on Mina to make her let him in. But as I said, we don’t know for sure.
Question 3. I thought that if you look at Lucy and Mina, Lucy seems more like the damsel in distress. Mina attempts to help Lucy when Lucy is sleepwalking and is sick. Mina seems more responsible and mature than Lucy.
Question 4. As I said above, I didn’t expect you to get it. In Christianity, drinking wine (which symbolically represents the blood of Jesus) in Mass is a repetition of the Last Supper, when Jesus said that the wine was his blood. He gave his blood so that people would be given eternal life (in Heaven, not on Earth). In the same sense, Dracula and his servants drink blood to sustain immortality, on Earth, not in Heaven. Likewise, Dracula is a symbol of the Devil, not God. Basically, Bram Stoker is using ideas in Christianity and twisting them.
There’s my thoughts. One more blog and then we’re done!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
-Brandon
April 13th, 2009 at 7:30 pm
I thought that the Christianity question was too hard for me. I went to church on Easter, but I have to admit, I’m not the most religious person. Thank you for clearing that first question up Jenny; I understand it, and agree with you. And your college spelling?? That made me laugh.
April 13th, 2009 at 7:31 pm
I think that the next blog will be on Brandon’s blog. I am sorry, it will not work for me and Adam can’t always be counted on. He has a life too. ha
-Dan
April 13th, 2009 at 7:37 pm
White streak- This is important to the story because of the vampires. It was described in the scene that Mina was sleeping, and I thought it was important.
lunatic- This word describes Renfield, and is not used in our society enough.
corpse- Lucy’s dead body. It is very strange; how many corpse’s could you describe as beautiful??
plea- Renfield had a ‘plea’ to leave the castle. It is ironic that he was not granted this and admitted later that Dracula had visited him. He was killed.
weaknesses- Everyone has weaknesses. I find this word important to the story because a major part of this sectino was informing everyone about vampire’s soft spots; areas where they are weak and can be killed/avoided.
-Dan…I’m sorry this is so late Mr. Shank
April 13th, 2009 at 7:37 pm
I think our group did very good this week with responding to a lot of posts.
April 21st, 2009 at 11:10 am
Stop patting yourselves on the back. It’s annoying…
And stop the whining. You had plenty of time to do this and be with your family. What happens when one day you get a job and actually have to work on a holiday? I think you’ll all fall apart!
April 21st, 2009 at 11:12 am
As for the damsel in distress question: I think another reason Lucy might fit the bill more than Mina is that she comes across as more innocent than Mina. Mina has a sexuality and mischievousness about her that makes her seem stronger and perhaps more deserving of Dracula’s attention that poor little Lucy…