” Suddenly with a single bound he leaped into the room, winning a way past us before any of us could raise a hand to stay him. There was something so panther like in the movement- something so inhuman” This describes to us how quick Dracula moved. As we already know. Dracula can take many forms and as it says, “there was something so panther like in the movement” this suggests that he had taken another form which had enabled him to move so fast without anyone having a chance to get him.
This brings suspense into the story as the readers now begin to realise just how supernatural and amazing Dracula is. ” A horrible sort of snarl passed over his face, showing his eye- teeth long and pointed” This particular quote brings in the element of fear to the reader’s mind. It seems as though Bram Stoker uses the facial expressions that Dracula creates to bring in this fear factor into the story. He describes the way that Dracula looks and this instantly brings in the fear element as Dracula’s look is so mean and horror like.
This is typical as this story is focused around the Gothic element, which consists of the fear convention. “The diabolical quickness if the counts leap back saved him. A second less and the trenchant blade had shorn through his heart” This suggests that the Dracula was very quick in his movement, which once again backs up the suggestion that Dracula is regarded as a supernatural. Further along with the encounter… Dracula jumps out the window, which creates a massive amount of fear and suspense for the reader as the reader wonders about what may have happened to Dracula.
Dashed across the room and threw himself at the window” Only someone stupid or someone very confident in their own abilities would try something as dangerous as that. This could be the work of someone who “has the power of 20 men” as Dracula was once described in the story. As we move on we get the other side of Dracula. The unusual/inhuman side. “took my luggage and carried it in before I could forestall him. I protested but he insisted: – “Nay sir you are my guest. It is late and my people are unavailable. Let me see to your comfort myself”
This gets the readers thinking about why Dracula is doing this. It all seems as though he is trying to play the nice guy so he can take his time and pounce at the right moment which suits him. Count Dracula also makes him supper and provides him with very good accommodation, which seems as though it is coming out of Dracula’s good will but the reader will always have that suspicion which gets you thinking whether or not Dracula is always going to try and get some pleasure (the consuming/sucking of blood) out of the pain (being nice to the guest which isn’t normal).
So finally. The book itself. Bram Stoker has found a unique way of using the gothic conventions to excite the reader with the suspense and fear which is created within the story. The conventions that are used are put to good effect as the reader’s minds are tested as images are created due to the graphic content which is written about in some areas of the story. The writer himself highlights the way Dracula is brought across to the readers which he does effectively using the conventions.
The way he describes some of the parts and the buildings he makes it feel as though you are actually part of the story. Bringing everything that I have wrote about together Bram Stoker has come up with a very interesting and gripping tale of Dracula. The Gothic conventions have worked fantastically for him to create this very good book and overall it was very interesting and he certainly knew how to bring the elements of suspense and fear into the story as well as telling a fabulous story at the same time.
