In Dracula the story is written in a form of diaries and letters. This form of writing helps the reader to understand what the characters are feeling and going through. It sort of puts the reader into the story. In Bram stoker’s story Jonathan Harker says “I felt a paralysis of fear”, this shows that he is feeling so scared he can’t move. It helps the reader to understand this feeling more clearly because Jonathan is referring to himself and not to someone else. It makes the reader share the sense of fear. This involvement makes the reader feel like it is happening to them.
A quote showing how diaries and letters make the reader feel closer to the action is, “All at once the wolves began to howl as thought the moonlight had some peculiar effect on them”. This again helps the reader feel what Jonathan is feeling. It puts them closer to the action and helps them to understand what is going on and for what reason. It creates a sense of fear as the phrase “all at once” suggests that something’s happened unexpectedly.
In Dracula Jonathan writes personal things in his diary which make him seem innocent and he quickly becomes liked by the reader, so when something bad happens to him it makes the reader feel upset and angry as a link or a bond has been created between the character and the reader. A quote showing this is “I had for dinner or rather supper, a chicken done up some way with red pepper, which was very good but thirsty. (Memo, get recipe for Mina).
In Bram Stoker’s Dracula the main sinister building is count Dracula’s castle. His castle is set high up on some mountain top. It is a big building with many towers and turrets. The building itself is dark and separate from everything. It seems almost timeless. Like there is no day and night there, and it is always dark. The castle is like a prison; it can keep people out and is good at keeping people in. It also stops prisoners from escaping. This is why Jonathan finds it so hard to escape.
When Jonathan arrives at the castle he fells very nervous and also a little frightened. The place is uninviting and dark. A quote showing why Dracula’s castle is sinister is, “Of bell or knocker there was no sign; through these frowning walls and dark window openings it was not likely that my voice could penetrate”. This quote shows that the castle is a grim place and not welcoming. As soon as you look at it you feel dread and uneasiness. The phrase “frowning walls” suggests that the place is separated from everything else and enclosed. It makes the castle seem unfriendly and it makes the character feel like the castle will close in on them and engulf them. The phrase “frowning walls” is an example of personification. The description makes the reader experience the fear and tension along with Jonathan as he is telling the story.
Being inside the castle Jonathan feels as though he is in prison. A quote showing this is “There was some sense of freedom in the vast expanse, inaccessible though it was to me, as compared with the narrow darkness of the courtyard. Looking out in this I felt that I was indeed in prison, and I seemed to want a breath of fresh air”. This shows that Jonathan is feeling like a captive inside the castle. He feels as though he can’t get out and is stuck in there. All he is able to do is look out and he can’t do anything else.
Blood in Stoker’s novel is used as a convention very cleverly. Blood usually represents life in Dracula. “The blood is the life”. Lucy becomes lifeless as Dracula feeds on her and Mina suffers the exact same. Just as when Lucy grows healthier and more alive as she is given blood transfusions from Quincy, Arthur, Seward and Van Helsing.
Weather is one of the main ingredients present in gothic literature. Certain elements of weather is typically used to mirror and magnify the feelings of the characters to establish moods or just to set the scene for an event about to take place. In Dracula the use of bad weather is used to set the scene for when Jonathan arrives at the castle. This allows the reader to feel more intense and this is perfect for the reader to be introduced to Dracula.
In Bram Stoker’s Dracula there are a few different journeys and quests that the characters in Dracula undertake. The first journey is Jonathan Harker’s journey to count Dracula’s home in Transylvania. It is a strange and unfamiliar experience for Jonathan.
A quote showing this is “the impression I had was that we were leaving the west and entering the east”. This creates an atmosphere of fear and suspense because it suggests that Jonathan is leaving the west (an area which he knows well and is familiar with) and entering the west (an area which he doesn’t know anything about and is unfamiliar with). This makes it much more frightening as he has come to a place where he doesn’t know anyone or where anything is. This means that if he ever needs help Jonathan won’t know where to turn to; putting his life at risk should the situation arise. The differences between the east and the west make Jonathan feel out of place and curious. There is an uncertainty or a mystery about the east and Transylvania. This creates an impact on the audience as they feel curious and out of place along with Jonathan.
In Dracula, Bram Stoker uses the main gothic conventions to a great extent. He uses them effectively and that creates the atmosphere of suspense and fear which makes a good piece of gothic writing. For the convention strange creatures Bram stoker has got Count Dracula who fits the part fantastically and is a great strange creature to be used in gothic writing. For the diaries and letters convention Bram Stoker uses diary entries from Mina and Jonathan Harker very effectively. They make the readers fell like they are in the story alongside the characters. For the sinister buildings convention Stoker uses a tall, dark and grim castle to great effect. For the final convention, journeys and quests, Stoker makes Jonathan go from a known area to an unknown area. This makes the reader feel curious and out of place.