18Nov2015

The attack on Renfield, the scene with Dracula, Harker, and Mina, and Mina's reports of what Dracula has been doing to her during his visits are all quite detailed and gory. The objective of this lesson is to examine the use of gore in the horror genre.

1) Was Chapter 21 overly gory? Why or why not? Cite examples from the text.
Chapter 21 is considered overly gory because the Professor and Dr. Seward are worried about Mina so they decided to break into her room where her and Jonathon were sleeping, only to find Mina had been bitten on the neck by Dracula. Dracula had a wound on his chest and held Mina's head to his chest to give his blood so he could heal. Jonathon Harker is in a daze at the time, but once he wakes up he demands an answer on what Dr. Seward and Van Helsing did to Mina and him. Mina realizes she has drank Dracula's blood and feels unsanitary to even kiss her husband. Harker, Helsing and Seward convince her that she did not drink his blood and that they will protect her. 

2) Flip through Chapter 21 and list as many adjectives as you can find that appear in the chapter.  Are they positive? Negative? Gory? What kind of feeling are you left with after reviewing the lists? How does that feeling contribute to the reader's experience of reading such a gory chapter?
1-calmness-positive
2-lethargic-negative
3-horrible-gory
4-sound-neutral
5-fat-negative
6-strict-gory
7-poor-negative
8-superficial-positive
9-terrible-gory
10-dressing- neutral
After reviewing this list of adjectives from Chapter 21, I am left feeling that this chapter is rough, action-packed and gory. The feeling that contributes to the readers'experiences of reading a gory chapter are that the reader experiences thrill instead of being bored and nothing happening.

3) Gore in the horror genre is nothing new. Did you find this chapter over-the-top gory? Not enough gore? Too much in some scenes (with Dracula and Mina), but not enough in others (Renfield being found by Van Helsing)? Can a horror novel be done without gore? How important is gore? Is it expected from the reader? Would it have been expected from a reader during the early 1900s? Do readers' expectations and tolerance of gore change as society changes?
I did not find this chapter over-the-top gory. There is much blood and gruesome activity in the scene with Dracula and Mina at night; while there is not much gore in the scene with Renfield being found by Van Helsing. A horror novel can not be done without gore because if there is not a type of gore then it may not attract readers as well. Gore is important because is represents an act of violence which is action in a novel which attracts readers' attention. Yes, gore is expected from any readers, even the 1900s. As society changes, the expectancy of gore of readers stays pretty much the same.
4) Create two lists: one for "Dracula", and one for any other novel or movie you have read or seen in the horror genre. List the elements and presence of gore and how gore was presented in "Dracula" and the novel/movie of your choice. What were the similarities? What were the differences? Was one "better" than the other? Why?
As my movie to compare to "Dracula", I chose Jessabelle. I chose this movie because it has a lot of gore in it and it relates to "Dracula" in that aspect. Jessabelle had scary scenes with ghosts and within herself. She bled a lot on time in the bathtub and it had a lot of blood; it was very greusome.

5) On Google Drive write an essay (doc title: LASTNAME_Vlad): Dracula is supposedly based on a real historical figure named Vlad the Impaler. Find three similarities between this historical figure and the literary character and explain how and when they appear in the novel. 

16Nov2015

1) What is your impression of rats? What has informed that opinion? What could change it in the future?

My impression of rats is that they are small, grimy animals that are disgusting in nature. I do not like looking at rats or thinking about them. Rats get the reputation of not being a good animal because it always comes back, they never go away no matter what you do to extinguish them. They hide and they are small so you never see them. Rats can go into almost any space. In the future, rats may lose their disgusting reputation if people figure out how to get rid of them.

2) We know that, so far in the novel, rats and wolves have both made an appearance. When have they been present? What have they represented? What do they foreshadow? Do the wolves that attack Harker's carriage as he is going to meet Dracula for the first time have the same meaning and symbolism as the wolf that crashes through Lucy's window? What other animals could be used to convey the same meaning that the rats and wolves do?

Bats have constantly been present in Dracula. When a bat is present around the house, one person will try to kill it but the bat does not die, because it is Dracula. Dracula is only able to die in the case of garlic around him, crucifixes, and holy water. The wolves have separate meanings when they attacked Harker's carriage and when the wolf crashes into Lucy's window. Deer or foxes could be used to convey the same meaning of rats and wolves in Dracula.

3) Does a vampire count as a creature/animal or as a person in a novel? What factors define it as either? How can a reader decide, when reading something in the horror genre, whether a creature such as a vampire, zombie, or monster, is a human character or an animal character?

In Dracula, a vampire counts as a person because this novel is full of supernatural events. Dracula is a human because he looks like one, he can do everything a human can do, he just has supernatural powers. Count Dracula would be considered a creature in this story because he can change his shape into a bat and also does not come out during the day time as Dracula. Readers can decide whether a creature in a story is a human or not by depicting their intro into the story, the author will usually describe the character and within those lines there are answers of your questions.

4) What do you think has happened to Renfield based on the way Chapter 20 has ended? Why? 

I believe Renfield was killed by Dracula. He did not want Renfield to become a vampire and take away his fame of it. Dracula became jealous and killed Renfield. 

5) Renfield seems to have two personalities: one of calm and reason, and one of wild ravings and violence. Create a drawing of the two "faces" of Renfield. Describe why you chose the features you did and what Renfield's varying states of mental health convey, on the back of your drawing. Turn in.

6) List the of benefits of an author using a "crazy" character in a novel considering the following: what the benefits are, what can be done with a "crazy" character that cannot be done with a "regular" character. Then, list the negatives of an author using a "crazy" character in a novel considering the following: what the limitations are, what cannot be done with a "crazy" character that can be done with a "regular" character. 
There are many benefits and negatives of using a crazy character in a novel. The benefits are being able to have freedom with the character and it not be surprising to the reader if he does something unusual and being able to portray any image of what the character looks like. The negatives of using a crazy character are confusing readers and creating too much positive or negative emotion to the novel.

7) What has Renfield brought to the text so far? How has Stoker used him? Is he a detestable character? Does anyone feel a little sorry for him? Is there any chance he could be saved? How has Stoker used him as a literary device? What does the class think will happen to him by the end of the novel? What do they think has happened to him (given the urgent message Seward receives at the end of Chapter 20)?
Bram Stoker, the author of Dracula, has used Renfield as a crazy patient in Dr. Seward's asylum. Renfield is somewhat considered a repulsive character because he lashes out sometimes, other times he is calm. He could be saved in modern times with medicine or hard work to overcome his handicappedness, but I do not think anyone wanted to put time into his well-being. Renfield was used as a literary device such as mood because he is not an ordinary man of any sort. I think Renfield will be killed by Count Dracula at the end of the story.

8) Is it fair to use "crazy" characters in a work of literature, or does doing so simply count on, and even reinforce, negative stereotypes readers may have of people with mental illness? Write at least one page presenting your position. Write this in Google Drive (LASTNAME_crazy) and share with me. MLA Format.

12Nov2015

1) What motivates you in your life? How does this affect the choices and actions that you make on a daily basis? 
My motivation in life comes from wanting to succeed so badly that I will not stop until I am at the top. When one wants to succeed as bad as they want to breathe, nothing can stop them from achieving their goals.

2) If you were an author, what literary devices would you use to demonstrate that a character in your novel completely lacks any and all motivation? Provide at least five and explain.

If I were an author, I would use anagram because the character may not know what they are talking about or the whole subject matter, but are trying to act smart. I would also use characterization as a literary device because it shows what type of person they are. Mood is another device in literature that would represent the characters' emotion. Conflict and diction are the last two literary devices I would use to describe a character that lacks motivation because they both show they have a distinctive tone and have a dispute with themselves or another person.

3) What did you think of Van Helsing's "class" on vampires? Was it helpful to you as a reader? Why or why not? Answer in a complete paragraph.

Van Helsing's class on vampires was helpful in a way that he instructed everyone what to do in order to kill the vampire. He made sure everyone knew their jobs so this would be a successful job. 

4) Reflect on Van Helsing's apparent Vampires 101 class. Would you have found it helpful? Condescending? Ridiculous? Could you imagine yourself within the scene while you were reading it? What was the experience like for you as a reader? What else did reading the scene do besides provide you with information about vampires and vampire lore?

In Van Helsing's "Vampires 101" class I would have found it helpful but also a type of laughable situation because it is hard to believe that the supernatural is real. I could imagine myself in the scene because the supernatural element interests me. Reading "Dracula", I thought it was somewhat bogus because it is hard to believe such a thing as Dracula could exist.

5) Why does Stoker decide to have a situation where all-things-vampire are explained in one setting? Is it repetitive for the reader? Informative? Ridiculous? How does he expect the reader to react? Does the reader assume the role of "student" in such a scene? How can the reader be sure the author is providing objective and helpful information in a scene? What other ways could an in-novel "class" be used within a text? What are the benefits? What are the negatives?

The one setting where the vampire class was done was informative and helpful. I like it better that way rather than being spread out and the reader maybe forgetting parts. Stoker expects the readers to react in a way that in shocking and hopes for it to blow them out of the water. The reader does not take the 'student' role in this scene. It is more of just understanding your job on how to kill Dracula. It is obvious Bram Stoker is providing helpful information. 

11Nov2015

Chapter 13

1. How does Van Helsing feel about Lucy's death?

Van Helsing feels disturbed about Lucy's death.

2. What does Van Helsing ask from Seward after Lucy's death?

Van Helsing asks Seward if he can help decapitate Lucy and stuff her mouth with garlic the next day.

3. What happens to Holmwood's father?

Holmwood's father dies from a sickness.

4. Who is Lord Godalming?

Lord Godalming is Arthur Holmwood.

5. When Holmwood looks at Lucy after she dies, what does he notice?

When Holmwood looks at Lucy after she dies, he notices that she has two red marks on her neck, which look like dried blood.

6. Who does Harker think he sees on the streets of London?

Jonathon Harker thinks he sees a tall, slim man with a pointed nose and beard, with a black mustache.

Short Answer Questions - Chapter 14

1. When does Mina end up reading Harker's diary?

Mina reads Harker's diary once Lucy dies.

2. Who reads all of Lucy's diary and letters in an attempt to understand her situation?

Van Helsing reads Lucy's diaries to understand her situation what happened and why she died.

3. Why does Van Helsing want Mina to visit after Lucy's death?

He wants to ask Mina questions about the events leading up to Lucy's death. 

4. What kind of information does Harker agree to provide for Van Helsing after Lucy's death?

Harker agrees to give Helsing Lucy's diary after she dies. 

5. How does Mina react to Van Helsing's assessment of Harker's journal?

Mina is horrified as Van Helsing assesses Harker's journal.

6. How does Harker react to Van Helsing's assessment of his journals?

Harker is impressed by Helsing's assessments of his journals.

Short Answer Questions - Chapter 15

1. Why does Seward want to spend the night in Lucy's tomb?

Seward wants to spend the night in Lucy's tomb to prove that the body is not there and to see who 'stole' the body.

2. Where do Van Helsing and Seward stop before heading to Lucy's tomb?

Helsing sees something moving along the trees to find a child victim thrown among the leaves, then go out to wait in the churchyard.

3. How does Van Helsing open Lucy's tomb?

Helsing opens Lucy's tomb with a screwdriver.

4. What do Van Helsing and Seward discover in Lucy's tomb the first time they visit it?

Helsing and Seward discover that Lucy's tomb is empty when they visit it. 

5. Where do Seward and Van Helsing hide on the first night they visit Lucy's tomb?

They hide in the bushes. 

6. How does Seward explain Lucy's lack of decomposition to Van Helsing?

Lucy was killed by a vampire so she is now one of the undead; her body will not decompose.

Short Answer Questions - Chapter 16

1. When Seward, Van Helsing, Holmwood, and Morris go to Lucy's tomb, what do they find inside her coffin?

Helsing, Seward, Holmwood, and Morris found nothing inside her tomb.

2. What does Van Helsing use to make putty while visiting Lucy's tomb?

Van Helsing uses communion wafers to make putty.

3. What does Van Helsing use the putty he makes for?

Helsing uses the putty he makes for Lucy Westenra's vault. 

4. When Van Helsing, Seward, Holmwood, and Morris finally encounter Lucy near her tomb, what does she have with her?
Lucy has with her at the time of the encounter a child. 

5. What does Lucy do with what she has with her when she meets Van Helsing, Seward, Holmwood, and Morris near her tomb?

Lucy has a child with her and throws it in the leaves.

6. What does Stoker say the vampire Lucy look like?

Lucy looked "unclean and full of hell fire" as a vampire.

9Nov2015

1) Who are you most like: Van Helsing or Seward? Why?
Van Helsing is most like I am; he is a professor. Towards the end, Helsing becomes Count Dracula's antagonist, he leads the group that finds and kills Dracula.

2) What do we know about this character (from above)? What does the conversation in Chapter 14 between Seward and Van Helsing highlight about this character's personal beliefs and values? Is this person traditional? Modern?
Van Helsing is a risk taker, he is not afraid to venture out on his own. Helsing believes in most anything. In this era, Van Helsing is very modern.

3) Given what we know about Seward and Van Helsing, what does each represent? One of the novel's themes is the conflict between the traditional and the modern. Where do each of these characters fall within that dichotomy? What does each represent within that context? Whom is the reader supposed to identify with more? Is either one 100% correct in his view on Lucy's situation? Who represents science? Who represents tradition?4) Which character of "Dracula" do you view as the most trustworthy so far? Why? Collect their responses. Seward and Van Helsing represent themes from the book in that they both use journalism and messages to others. Neither Helsing nor Seward are completely correct in their assumptions of Lucy's predicament. Dr. Seward shows science in some of his reasons Lucy is why she is, he represents tradition. Jonathon Halker is the most trustworthy so far in Dracula. He tries to help Lucy and cure her.

5) Who do you trust most in your life right now. How was that trust built? If you imagine yourself in the novel (and remembering the mindset of the time), who would you trust the most right now? What creates trust in a relationship? How would you feel if your most trustworthy friend stopped trusting you? What would you need to hear, do, or see to trust Van Helsing and his seemingly crazy idea about what is happening to Lucy? 
Trusting my best friend most in my life is hard because people tend to take advantage of the friendship I offer them. My best friend is not like that though, she is trusting and I can talk to her about anything. She helps me get through rough times. Becoming trustworthy means we know each other personally, we communicate really well, my best friend and I are not a 'group' we talk to others so no one feels left out. If all of a sudden my best friend stopped trusting me I would feel pain in my stomach and try to figure out what I did wrong. I would be extremely hurt if all of a sudden my best friend stopped trusting me. In order to believe Van Helsing about his idea of what is happening to Lucy, I would need to see and hear it to trust what he is saying.
6) Make a list of five objects that symbolize trust that could also be used in a novel (a promise or wedding ring, for example). Draw one of those objects, in detail, and turn in by the end of class. 
a lock
a dog
a beating heart
deodorant
water

7) Create a list of fifteen words (verbs, nouns, adjectives, and adverbs) that you could use if you were writing a story to indicate and create a feeling of trust between your characters. Then make a list of fifteen words (verbs, nouns, adjectives, and adverbs) that you could use if you were writing a story to indicate and create a feeling of distrust between your characters.
trust-
sureness
reliance
certainty
faith
conviction
dependence
assurance
entrustment
anchor
the sun
birds
credence
trustful
trusting
shoes

distrust-
disbelief
doubt
uncertainty
suspicious
skepticism
disbelief
question
lies
incredulity
dubiousness
disillusion
mistrust
misgiving
unreliable
undependable

2Nov2015

1. Do you think Lucy will be able to be saved before she completely changes into a vampire? Why or why not? Lucy will be able to be saved before she changes into a vampire completely because Dracula has not sucked the blood out of her yet.

2.  For each character: Lucy, Lucy's mom, Holmwood's father, and Renfield, list the physical maladies of their character and what those maladies symbolize (in terms of larger themes and issues in the text). Lucy's illlness is that she has gotten bitten by Dracula and is continuing to get bit. Lucy's mother and Holmwood's father both have the effects of old age. Renfield is a mental patient at Seward's asylum.

3.  What kinds of illnesses/afflictions are in the story right now? What do they symbolize given the context of the novel? Could they symbolize other themes and/or issues in a different novel? Are some physical afflictions universally bad or good? What physical changes could Stoker introduce to symbolize that his characters have taken a turn for the better? How can a reader know what an author's message is behind a character's struggle with physical illness, deformity, etc.? Illnesses in Dracula consist of old age, weakening of the body, and just daily sicknesses that occurred in this period of time. Good physical condition, no more pale Lucy, and medicine could be brought up to help turn the sicknesses around for the better. When reading Dracula, a person will know that the author is conveying illnesses likely because that is all they knew in this period of time. There was no medicine to cure a bunch of stuff.

4. Complete this question on Google Drive and Share with me. [LASTNAME_LETTER] Imagine Lucy's health suddenly improves. Write a letter, as if you were Lucy, to Mina that describes what positive physical changes your body is going through and what you think they symbolize for your future.

5.  Was Lucy's blood transfusion a good idea? Why or why not? Collect their responses. Lucy's blood transfusion was not a good idea because no matter what they do, Count Dracula will still be invited into her house where he has the option to continue harming her.

6. What do you think about the use/presence of blood in a text? Are uses of blood in a novel good? Bad? Both? What can blood symbolize in a positive way (health, etc.)? What can it symbolize in a negative way (injury, etc.)? Are there other examples of blood in a novel that are very different, or even the same, as in "Dracula"? Is there only one symbol behind blood's appearance, or can it be interpreted a number of ways? Blood does not affect me personally except that it creates a more dramatic and intense scene. I am pro-blood use but others may not agree. Novels have a fifty percent chance of having blood in them. Blood is good for any book because it makes a more intense scene to really hook the reader. The negative thing about blood is that it could mean someone has hurt something, not necessarily the 'bad guy' in books either. Blood has a few symbols in that they mean dramatic, something bad just happened, and the story is often interesting at that point.

7.Imagine you are directing a school play of "Dracula". Knowing the audience will be made up of students, parents, and administrators, how would you handle the use of blood on stage? Would you have very little, a lot, or something in between? What would be the reason behind your decision? How might your choice influence the symbolism of the blood and the audience's interpretation of it? Directing the school play "Dracula", I would not use so much blood that it would look like someone is going to die of blood loss. In some scenes I would only have a some blood showing that they did bleed or there was blood involved; other than that I still would not use an abundance of blood because it is a school play and it has to be appropriate for all ages, including young children. With the amount of blood I choose to use, the audience would interpret that it is enough blood to let you know bleeding occurred but not so much that it is scary.

8. Is blood in "Dracula" seen as a good thing, a bad thing, or both? Write at least two paragraphs, using specific examples from the text to support your answer. 
In "Dracula", blood is seeming to have came from Count Dracula's great ancestors. The novel speaks on how blood relates to sexual intercourse. Count Dracula and his minions were feeding on blood and he said that it was the equivalent to the exchange of fluids in the body. The Count "drains" Lucy, Mina and others after penetrating them and making a tiny bitemark on their neck; which is where the Count receives the blood from. 

Christianly, Dracula would be drinking wine that has been made to look like human blood. Dracula has not done that and since then he has drank actual human blood. This would allow you to get eternal life in a spiritual sense, he has done it in a way that is a crime. Dracula is killing innocent women to prolong his life.

21 October 2015

In a paragraph: What do you find most challenging about reading a novel that is structured the way "Dracula" is (through journal entries)? What do you find most enjoyable? What other stories have you read in this format?


What is most challenging about reading a novel structured with journal entries is how it is only one person's point of view and you do not know what it is like in that time period from anyone else. The most enjoyable thing about reading a novel through journal entries is that the book keeps you entertained; one section is never too long or gets off topic to where you do not know what the book or chapter is about. I have read all of The Diary of a Wimpy Kid books and I enjoyed them.
List of five positive features and five challenging features for an author writing a novel in epistolary form (written through letters, dairy, journal entries). Explain each.

Positive features for an author writing a novel in epistolary form are that the text is very real. Every chapter is like a new book, just shortened up. The book is very "in your face" about it because it has to be quick to the point. You have to say what you are going to say and move on. What  is challenging about writing in epistolary form is that you can not take your time talking about one single subject. Also challenging is that you have to have a lot of things to write about rather than in narrative writing you do not have much to talk about but dragging it on. 

In a paragraph: While the novel is about good versus evil, old versus new, and vampires, there are also sexual undercurrents in all of the novel's main themes. How important is sexuality in a novel? If a novel is written with very strong undercurrents of sexuality, what is the effect on the reader? Could a novel's meaning totally change if sexuality is completely removed or added?

In a paragraph: The scene with Harker and the three vampire women proves to be a critical turning point in the novel as well as an introduction of several characters that reappear later in the text. Imagine you are Dracula and you have just witnessed this scene and Harker has just fainted in front of you. While Harker is asleep, you summon back the three female vampires. What would you say to them? What would that conversation look like? You may write your imagined conversation in narrative or dialogue form.

Diorama Timeline

On 26 October 2015, my Diorama for the character: ______Friar_________ is due when class begins.
On the following dates I will take a picture of my progress and post to my blog, before class begins:
Title of Post:                                      Completed:                         Date Due:
Diorama Materials                          All materials acquired           19Oct
Rough Diorama                              Initial Set up                         21Oct
Complete Diorama                         Diorama complete                23Oct