The next morning Harker sees “The strangest figures” who were the “Slovaks” as Harker describes them as “barbarian than the rest, with their big cow-boy hats, great baggy dirty-white trousers, white linen shirts, and enormous heavy leather belts, nearly a foot wide, all studded over with brass nails. They wore hight boots, with their trousers tucked into them, and had long black hair and heavy black moustaches.” which indicates strange, unusual and outstanding characters who put in an odd feel in the environment and people of Transylvania. Harker also describes them as “very picturesque” which also indicate that they aren't hideous to look at.
When Harker gets to the “Golden Krone Hotel” the old lady is very persistent that he does not leave to go and meet the Count because of the day, St. Georges' Day. Stoker uses this to leave an impression that if he goes that day, then any other day he will get cursed or hurt even more than he would if he goes any other day.
Stoker uses the conventions of strange and frightening characters to create an element of danger and gloomy atmosphere. In the description in Chapter Two, Dracula is being described as being “clad in black from head to foot” and not having “a single speck of colour”. Stoker describes Dracula's clothes as being black, giving the reader an impression of dark with unusual suspicion, and evil. The fact that there is not even a “single speck of colour” suggests that the Count is “unreal” to normal mortals and that could he cannot be trusted. A dark and disturbing atmosphere is created.
The Count introduces himself to Harker but mentions one important point about “entering freely on your own free will” which points out that if anything happens to Harker it is own fault by choosing to enter. Stoker uses this effect of Gothic writing to show that something devastating will happen to Harker.
After Harker is lead to his room, which is his sanctuary the only place in the castle that Dracula cannot hurt him if there was any misfortunes with the count should ever happen. When Dracula tells Harker about “the children of night” which are the wolves of the forest next to the castle, nervousness and suspicion manifested upon Dracula.
Stoker now reveals more about the Count with the chapter, “A Close Shave”, when Harker has an encounters with Dracula. “Eyes blazed with a sort of demoniac fury” and “grabbed Harker's neck”. Stoker creates an uncomfortable environment for Harker and a odd, dramatic twist to the readers. Then the Count quotes “take care how you cut yourself” when Harker is shaving. During the encounter in the lavatory Harker notices that “there was no reflection of the count” in the mirror. Again Stoker uses the uncomfortable environment for both Harker and us, the reader.
During the chapter, “The Vampire Women”, Stoker creates a new convention of infection, that there are not just one of these “creatures” that murk around, but “the kiss” which Stoker cleverly engineers to transfer this virus, of being a vampire. When Harker awakens with three women who appear and try to seduce Harker but not for amusement but for “the kiss at the neck” a phrase used instead of bitten to give a more romantic side of the Gothic conventions used.
“Desperate Thoughts” is the chapter where Harker begins to believe that he will not live any more. He is now determined to fight the evil “Count Dracula”. Stoker's Gothic Conventions pulls Harker into believing that if he kills the Count that he will be saved and be can go home and be safe from any more evil. Harker attempts to kill the count, but when the Counts “Burning eyes” awaken, Stoker creates both enemies. Harkers Journal is competed.
At the beginning of Harker's journal, in which he records his adventures in the Carpathians. This is important, because his journal is an important clue in finally determining what exactly is happening. His fiancée, and later wife, after coming out of shock to have a “Hasty Marriage”, Mina transcribes the journal, and then shows it to Dr. Van Helsing, a noted physician, attorney, philosopher, and metaphysicist.
Through the journal, Van Helsing is able to determine what exactly happened to Lucy, Minas' best friend and an attractive, young woman. She is loved by Arthur, Quincey, and John and becomes engaged to Arthur. Lucy, who sleep-walked to the local church, and into the church yard. Here Stoker describes a “long and black, bending over the half-reclining” and a “white figure" who is Lucy.
Then a sensitive atmosphere in which new creatures and figures are emerged to which evil is over powering the weak, in this case the damsel in distress, Lucy, Who was “kissed”.
During the second to last chapter “The UnDead” Mina, Van Helsing, Quincy, Dr Seward and Morris are on the merge of finding the “Vampire”, a word used, by Dr Ven Helsing, in the Tomb of Lucy's Family. Stoker uses the darkness of the night and the bright moonlight to create a mystic frightening atmosphere used to portray evil and the presents of evil. When “the coffin” was found “empty” readers where dazzled by either the strangeness or fearful gist that that fears that Lucy is awoken.
Stoker creates the 'final Showdown' against good and evil. After the return of Harker and Count Dracula, who has been forced to transported back to Transylvania by Gypsy's he has hired and the earth of his land to keep him at bay. Stoker uses the earth as Dracula's way of keeping alive, with out it, he is even less powerful, as is, without being in his own land, he is vulnerable. Stoker makes all the characters come together and fight there way to get to Dracula before he is reunited with his land. An adventure and heroic scene has been contrived, for an obvious 'save of the day'. Mina is well when the Count is annihilate.
Stokers use of Gothic conventions have created frightening, heroic, dramatic and above all strange and new characters in his novel to creates exciting atmospheres of life defying situations where all of the world, friends and family are at stake.
Gothic settings, Church yards, far away Castles, Family Tombs, also create suitable atmospheres in which new dramatic and exploited characters are designed to thrill the reader into carrying on to read of Bram Stokers Novel. Gothic Literature has been used to create a spooky, mystifying settings, atmospheres and suspense in the literature to enhance interest in Gothic books.
