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Horror And Suspense In Bram Stoker's Dracula

626 Words3 Pages

The book Dracula, by Bram Stoker, is a classic story of man versus monster. The story, viewed through the eyes of the character John Harker, centers around him and his inevitable meeting with a creature of the night. Led into the creature’s home, the story’s plot continues to grow as Harker becomes drawn into the castle where the creature, named Dracula, resides. Yet, to understand this legend, one must observe its theme of horror, and power through suspense.
In the introduction to Harker’s adventure, we see that he is a businessman on a trip to Transylvania. In the town where he stays we see that the people treat him well, but they react to his journey as though he will encounter the devil himself. As irony would have it, he will. Yet, this puts on a show of suspense, as the reader is unknowing to where these …show more content…

The Count’s words help creates the suspense for the finale of the story, and provides more horror as the realization of the plan is that of the transformation of those they care for. As stated by the Count, “Your girls that you all love are mine already; and through them you and other shall yet be mine” (Stoker 312). This quote tells about the Count’s possession of those they love through his powers, and how he will soon take over them and many others. With these words, the Count creates the tensest part of the story, as the characters attempt to hunt and kill the count, while hurrying to save Mina before she turns into a vampire. Every second heightens in suspense until the Count is dead and Mina saved. Overall, the book uses suspense to its advantage, and brings the reader into the story and engages them with its tense events. Though at moments dull, the story still brings action, adventure, and horror to a genre ruled by gigantic man made creations who talk about philosophy more than focusing on engaging the

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Throughout the excerpt from Bram Stoker’s Dracula, Stoker utilizes diction to convey the central idea that peoples’ worst fears lie in the unknown. In this section, the narrator is being held captive by an unknown entity. He begins to feel that his only hope is to understand the captor and starts to question the manner of the individual. In an effort to express the central idea, Stoker employs diction.

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