Possible Journal Prompts and Discussion Questions

What are Jonathan's first impressions of Count Dracula?

How does Jonathan describe Count Dracula? How does this differ from your description?

What questions do you have after reading Count Dracula's explanation of Transylvanian history? Does his speech give you any more details on the character of Count Dracula?

Predictions: What do you think lies in store for Jonathan? Mina? Lucy? Van Helsing? Count Dracula?

Describe the castle and the area outside it. Pages 38-39 are full of sensory details

What was your reaction after reading the conclusion of each chapter?

What do you think is the relationship between Count Dracula and the gypsies? the wolves?

What do you think the Count is planning to do with all the boxes?

What is Jonathan's attitude about death? Mina? Lucy? Van Helsing?

What does this tell you about mortality vs. immortality?

How do the characters in this book differ in their view of love?

What is Mr. Swales saying to Mina in Chapter 5? What insights does he provide about the dead?

What is your idea of Renfield? Describe him.

After reading part of Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s “Rhyme of the Ancient Mariner,” what similarities does it have to the storm in Chapter 7? What do you think is meant by the quote?

What insights does the Dailygraph and the Captain’s log give you?

After discussing the concept of “The New Woman,” how are Lucy and Mina different as women? Same? What are their attitudes about men? How about their place in the world?

Why do you think Lucy is drawn to the East Cliff?

What do the solicitors’ letters tell us?

Why is Renfield changing? Why is he changing his habits?

What happens during Renfield’s first escape? What do we learn about his character?

What is Mina’s attitude about marriage? How about Lucy’s?

Why do you think Renfield reacts differently the second time he is captured?

How and why does Lucy imitate Mina?

What is Dr. Seward’s first impression/diagnosis of Lucy? What does this tell us about medicine during that time?

What is the difference between Van Helsing’s and Dr. Seward’s observations of Lucy?

What do you think Van Helsing means by “the good husband”?

What is done to Lucy in Chapter 10?

What does this tell us about medicine during the time?

What does Van Helsing mean by the “room feeling close”?

What does the Pall Mall Gazette article tell us about wolves?

What do you think is the reason for Renfield’s outburst?

What does Lucy’s memorandum tell us? What clues does she give?

What does Patrick Hennessey’s report tell us? Where are the boxes going?

Why did the wounds on Lucy’s throat disappear?

What is the need for the professor’s procedures in leaving the corpse?

What is Van Helsing’s plan for Lucy? Why do you think he isn’t telling Dr. Seward why he is doing it?

How do the different characters in the book view the dead?

How does Mina describe the man that Jonathan sees outside Giuliano’s?

What is Van Helsing’s view of death?

How does our culture view/show death? How is this different than other cultures?

What clues does the Westminister Gazette give us?

What is Van Helsing’s view of science?

What do you think he means by “you do not let your eyes see nor your ears hear?”

How does your perception of Count Dracula change throughout the story?

Explain what you think Van Helsing is trying to say with his questions about corporeal transference, materialization, astral bodies, hypnotism, spiders, and bats?

What is Dr. Seward’s view of madness? Van Helsing’s?

What are Van Helsing’s and Steward’s doubts before entering the tomb?

How does Mina change? Jonathan? Van Helsing? Dr. Seward?Count Dracula?