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
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