Dracula: A Classic for a Reason!
Everybody knows the usual tales of vampires and the supernatural. Or, at least, they thought they did. Dracula, by Bram Stoker, is a collection of many accounts of the presence of vampires, and specifically, the infamous Count Dracula. The story starts out with Jonathan Harker, a solicitor journeying to sell Dracula a bit of property. An innocent representative of all that is good in the world, Jonathan soon finds out that he is in great danger. He says, "The castle is a veritable prison, and I am a veritable prisoner! (37). The Count Dracula, who seemed so polite, is truly quite frightening and is planning out Harker's death as he stays in the castle. Jonathan realizes he must escape or die trying.
The story switches from Harker's diary to the journal of Dr. Steward, who works at an asylum near Carfax, the estate that Dracula bought. He tells of his patient Renfield, who is almost certainly insane. Steward also becomes involved with the illness of his former love, Lucy, who is a good friend of Mina Murray (Harker's fiancée). Steward calls upon Van Helsing, his former teacher to assist in the healing of Lucy. After leaving Lucy unattended for a night, she is found to have a turn for the worse, and was thought by Van Helsing to have lost immense quantities of blood via two red marks on the throat. With Lucy's health quickly waning, Mina's fears about her husband's queer manner increasing, and the constant escape of Renfield to Carfax, there is no doubt that all these paradoxes can be related to the one and only Count Dracula.
The strength in personality of every one of the characters is what makes this book a vital read. From Dracula to Mina, each character has a unique personality that shows itself thought their writings and actions. Dracula, who is described by Harker as being unusually and reassuringly polite, is doing so to hide his evil. Mina is an independent woman who is intelligent and can think for herself. Another strong character is Van Helsing. He is a very stern and mysterious man, though he will at times show his emotions. Dr. Seward notes, "Then when his face grew grave and stern, again I asked him why his mirth, and why at such a time. His reply was in a way characteristic of him, for it was logical and forceful and...