Dracula, until chapter XXI

As we may have tohught before, Lucy has been a vampire, but is now actually dead thanks to Van Helsing's knowlegde of vampires and their weaknesses. This part wasn't the most interesting because Van Helsing spent a large part of the time trying to persuade his companions about vampires' existence.
However, after this passage, the novel began to be quite pleasant again. Dracula is finally in action in London, confronting all characters in the asylum. The climax has been reached i think, everyone is involved, having problems or trying to help. Plus, Renfield's role in the novel and his link with Dracula have been been discovered. (i try not to tell too much about the sotry itself because you may want to read it too).
Finally, the four men are now chasing the vampires and the earth boxes, through london and its country, which brings a nie touch to the story -i mean, some actual actions this time-.
What are Mina and Jonathan going to do after Van Helsing saw them together in their room being bitten by Dracula? Is it too late for them?


Also, i'd like to add something about one theme in this novel, I think there are many sexual meanings in this novel. I hadn't noticed them that much until this point, but all the stuff about Lucy's death and body, and the attraction of the female vampires to men made me think about it. Would Dracula have another purpose? like denoncing some people's behavior at this time? And since vampires are weak against holy objects, i think there is a hidden morale behind that, insinuating that we have to respect the religious rules.

Dracula, the story.

I've read until chapter XVII now (out of XXVII) and i shall admit that the story kind of slowed down. For us, modern readers, who knows a lot about vampires, this part of the novel isn't the best one. It mainly tries to make Lucy's illness a mysterious event that nobody can understand except the famous doctor Van Helsing (but he keeps it for him and don't tell the reader). This part doesn't manage to increase the suspense. Indeed, we already know that this is a vampire's work, and therefore, aren't surprised.

However, it's pleaseant to see how the three connected stories link to to each other.
Fortunately, the story is likely going to be really interesting again, now that Dracula has made his first vampire (Lucy).

Dracula?

I think that the junior class has to choose a choice novel pretty soon too. So I'm gonna explain my choice first, which may give you the desire to read this book too, and then I'm gonna give my point of view abou what i read (until chapter IX).

I went to the Frankenstein Lecture at UMW, and the doctor talking about it said that Frankenstein had been written at the same time "the Vampire" was written. I mean, this two books, came from two different authors but in a special group of friends. She also said that, "the Vampire" was the first novel involving a vampire but that soon after, "Dracula" took the place of "the Vampire" as a symbol for this kind of creature. It interested me to know why it had been so popular that fast. Probably because it was a wonderful book?! Besides, as for Frankestein, I noticed that I kinda knew the character by its legend, but I didn't know much about the story, whereas it's supposed to be a classic, and everyone should be able to argue about a classic. That's why I chose "Dracula".

Concerning the story, it sort of reminds of Frankenstein by the changes in narration. Sometimes a letter, or a diary, and some other times, actual narration. Actually, i was surprised that the narrator wasn't Dracula himself, but a journalist called Jonathan Harker. Some other narrators are involved, but they mainly have a link with him (like Mina, his girlfriend). It seems to have some smaller plots in the big one, which will likely join at one moment in the book.
The beginning of the novel may seem a little slow, especially because we know about which subject the story is. But once it begins, i think it's very easily to get into the book, with its Halloween landscapes and weird events. However, I don't think that we feel surprise reading this book, like it happened when it was written, but we are more spectator of puzzle in which pieces are coming together. I mean that we know what a vampire do and how he is supposed to look but it's interesting to see each characteristic being added by the author. I'm looking forward to know how the story will be like. Because it seems that everything is ready to begin the actual story, that i really don't know. Bram Stocker, surprise me please.

What responsabilities do we have to each other?

As shown by the monster's distress and his need for company, one of our responsabilities is to take care of things/persons we created. If Victor hadn't run away, maybe the monster wouldn't have killed. The monster's actions were a consequence of Victor's lack of responsability. We also have the responsability not to make problems that involve other people that weren't concerned in the problem's creation. I don't think that William, Justine, Henry and Elizabeth wanted to die in this way, and probably for something they even not understood. Maybe it links us to the responsability of telling the truth. If the monster had been publicly "showed", he could have had some people to speak with (at least people would know he exists and isn't bad in his heart).

What does it mean to be animal?

I think that being human means having feelings and thoughts and beyond that, it’s consciousness. We’re considered as superior for our consciousness, other species don’t have it. Also, speaking and communication are a big part of human beings. Finally, humans are linked to a body, with two legs, two arms, a head… and are all destined to die soon or later.

Pride and Prejudices, the End

As known before to have read the book, the ending is really happy. Jane is married with Bingley, Elizabeth with Darcy and both have an excellent quality of life in their new house. Except for Lydia and Wickham who are still begging for money, we couldn't imagine better end. I was interested to know if these happy endings were kind of characteristical of Jane Austen, the author, and found several sources supporting this argument. Some could claim that it's bad and unrealistic but i personnaly oppose this thesis. In fact, as i said before, i really enjoyed how Jane Austen described the society of this time and i think it was enough to display the society's changes since this time. As a reader, we are supposed to use our brain and it should likely conduct us to think that the happy events at the end of Pride and Prejudices were very unlikely to occur. However, we can't blame her to make love triumph as much as comforting readers. I've thought about it and in spite of my certitude of the happy ending, i'm pretty sure i wouldn't have enjoyed any other kind of end.

Pride and Prejudices 2

Now we have read pretty much of the book, i can appreciate Austen's style easilier as much as the themes she brought up. Actually, the adorable ending is famous, but it's interesting to see how the autor manages to put characters together and to make readers' mind change. The first impressions we had about Darcy and Wickham are now totally reversed, Darcy being a gentleman and Wickham a seflish person thinking only of money. Even Mr Benett, who seemed very nice at first, now seems not to take care of his family, his brother Mr Gardiner occupying this role. However, Jane and Elizabeth keep the same way of acting, and remain nice to readers' point of view. I like the fact we can't really expect what is going to happen, particularly because the reactions characters have to events is characteristic of a time period we don't know well and can't totally imagine. I think this novel really accomplish the work of making characters interacting together, as a social network. At first, it was hard to understand well who were the main characters and what they were supposed to do, but now the action is etablished, this book is really easy and pleasant to read.

Pride and Prejudices

The beginning of this book was pretty hard to understand, especially because of the numerous characters. However, once the story is settled, it is easy to enjoy it. I really liked the different traits for each character. It's sometimes funny with Mr Bennet, annoying (but reflecting the truth of this period) with Mrs Bennet, feelingful with Jane and Mr Bingley or even tense between Lizzy and Mr Darcy... All these characters together, the novel earns an very interesting dimension. I don't really know if it could have actually happened but i feel it real, but i can imagine myself there, which is an very important point. I also appreciate to feel the atmosphere of this close past. It must have been really hard to be a woman at this time.

Is Robinson happier in England?

Robinson had dreamt many times of coming back to England, especially at the end, when he saw an opportunity during a discussion with Friday's father (some spaniard would be willing to help Crusoe). He finally managed to go back to England thanks to his stratagems against the mutineers, having helped the captain of the ship.
We would think that Robinson would have begun a social contact with many persons there (he was missing it a lot several years before) but unfortunately, he almost doesn't have any family anymore, and particularly stays with Friday. In spite of Robinson is really wealthy, he doesn't feel so good yet. He thought of traveling a few times but doesn't do it because of religious purposes. We may also think Robinson is regretting his island. Europe should have been safer than his island for him, but in fact, he was attacked by 300 wolves, a bear and couldn't stand the cold in Spain. On his island at least, it was a continuous adventure, but daily, it didn't seem so hard for him. Besides, last chapter of the book reinforces this feeling and shows that Robinson is still interested in his island, he couldn't resist to come back there. He visited the prisoners he had left and gave them women and supplies. We can just imagine what he is going to do after. Becoming the governor of this island like he had imagined?

What does Robinson want???

In class, we discussed several times if Robinson really wanted to leave his island or not. It seemed to be for some people more likely that Robinson wanted to stay there, having a pretty good life. I was disagreeing with it, remember that when he heard the sounds of a battle near of his position, he fired with his gun to be discovered and rescued. However, now that he saved Friday, it seems that Robinson has everything he can want. Indeed he was just missing the human communication. Later, my thoughts were reinforced by the fact that he delivered his father and another man. Robinson was beginning to create his "kingdom" on the island, like he had done in Brazil. Yet, once he learned there were some other persons not far and they would be willing to help him, he began to dream about his return to the mainland again... What is Robinson going to do? The island, considered as his kingdom or a return to Europe?

Robinson's thoughts and changes during his stay.

I think that Robinsons thoughts changed since he first arrived on the island. At the beginning, he was really sad and did everything he could just for survival. He was blaming himself for his misery. But after his illness and his hallucination, he began to think about his relationship with God, and finally admitted that his punishment on the island was a consequence of all his bad precedent behaviors. Fortunately, after the several years he spent there, he began to enjoy his situation, looking at the island like his kingdom. He now had his bower, his plantations, his cattle... At this time, he was just missing the human communication, but his periods of bad mood occured more rarely compared to when he arrived. From a divine punishment, he noticed that his situation was good, having almost everything he needs, thanks to many improvements. [With the experience of staying on the island, he learned a lot and was finally able to create/produce whatever he needed (even if it was after some failures), becoming self sufficient.]

Robinson Crusoe

I chose to talk about the beginning of Robinson Crusoe. I've particularly liked the philosophical discussion between Robinson and his father, or rather his father's advices about the sense of the life. For Robinson father, people shouldn't try to search for adventures but they should stay in the middle state of the life. Something quiet. Indeep, Robinson and his curiosity couldn't resist the temptation of outpassing these advices, but once he was in trouble, he was strongly agreeing with his father's ideas.
To my mind, i think that a too adventurous life may be dangerous, and that in some cases, it's necessary to learn about the life worth. Moreover, people learn from their mistakes. They need to experience some wrong choices to go finally into the right path (However, Robinson lied to himself and repeated several times the same mistake, which is going on a ship, and finished isolated on a wild island).