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Dracula chapters 21-24
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The group gathers for a planning dinner at the start of chapter 22. It's reported that the attendant dozed off while Renfield was being battered, but heard Renfield cry out to God in the end. Mina says she'll commit suicide if necessary, but Van Helsing warns that if she dies while Dracula is still alive, she'll become a vampire herself. That doesn't bode well for Renfield. (And why did the doctors never give Renfield a crucifix and some garlic?? Was it too late for him?)Van Helsing wants to destroy all of the count's lairs. Seward is anxious about getting caught trespassing, and Van Helsing, with a true criminal mind, suggests that a gentleman hiring a locksmith would attract no unwanted suspicion. I wonder how much the breaking and entering statistics increased after the publication of this book?
Harker notices that Mina's teeth are getting longer, but not yet sharper. Van Helsing attempts to bless her by putting the communion wafer to her forehead but it burns and leaves a mark! That can't be good.
The gentlemen find the first group of coffins and defile them (as far as Dracula's concerned, at least) by placing communion wafers in each one.
Once again, I see where JK Rowling has borrowed heavily from Stoker in writing Harry Potter. Voldemort marks Harry with his lightening bolt scar on his forehead, as Mina's forehead also bears a red scar marking her as being touched by evil.
Arthur and Quincey open chapter 23 by going on a mission to destroy all of Dracula's "earth boxes". They find all but one. They group reunites and waits for Dracula's return. Why do they assume he'll come back? But come back, he does. Dracula is compared to a panther and a lion. Quincey tries to attack him with a knife, but misses. As the gentlemen repel him once again, Dracula drops a bundle of bank notes and a "stream" of gold. He pauses long enough to scoop up some of the currency before leaping from a window and escaping.
They return to Mina and tell her what's transpired. Van Helsing talks about God's forgiveness, which is interesting since awhile back he told everyone they would be forfeiting their place in Heaven by taking on this hunt for Dracula. Which is it? Will God forgive Dracula's victims and those who set about to prevent further evil from occurring? Interestingly, Mina shows pity for Dracula, and thinks he'll be grateful to be "released" by the gentlemen. Will God forgive him?
Sundown comes, and Mina and Harker retire. Mina hears a noise in the hall, and wakes Jonathan. They find Quincey outside their door, saying he's on guard, and they won't be left unprotected again. Mina asks that they call Van Helsing immediately; she wants to be hypnotized before dawn. While under hypnosis, Mina channels (for lack of a better word) Count Dracula and tells the men he's sleeping in a coffin on a boat. Van Helsing theorizes that Dracula used the money to buy passage on a boat and he's escaping. The group is relieved, but Van Helsing says they must pursue him and kill him, or Mina will never be safe.
Sorry to sound like a broken record, but Rowling has borrowed a bit from this chapter, as well. Harry and Voldemort share a mental connection that allows Harry to know where Voldemort is and what he's planning. Spoiler alert! Eventually Voldemort realizes the connection and uses it to manipulate Harry. I can only assume that the same will happen with Dracula and Mina.
Chapter 24 - Van Helsing states that Count Dracula is returning to Transylvania. The Harkers stay together and the others venture out to discover which ship he may be on. In another rare humorous passage, Van Helsing relates the story told to him by a ship's captain who, like a stereotypical sailor, uses some salty language, namely "bloomin'" this and "bloody" that. It doesn't translate well in Van Helsing's broken English, but is amusing once we puzzle it out. But the important thing is that Van Helsing now knows that Dracula is on the Czarina Catherine, which will arrive in Varna, Russia in 3 weeks time.The men plan to go by land which, amazingly, should only take three days. If we took the same trip today with fast cars and paved roads, Google tells me that it would take 29 hours from London, to cross the Channel and then travel across Europe by land. It's hard to imagine the trip only taking three days. What an amazing development rail travel must have been for Victorians! And it reminds me just how big the US is compared to European countries.
The group uses their time advantage to plan. Van Helsing reminds the group that in life, as in un-death, Dracula was a master strategist - patient, relentless, and arrogant. Dracula is compared to another large cat - the tiger.
Despite their current respite, which makes the whole affair seem like a bad dream, the burn scar on Mina's forehead is a constant reminder to everyone that there is still danger awaiting them.
Seward and Van Helsing confide in one another that perhaps Dracula has some mental control over Mina, and that she is starting to transform physically. They agree that she should be kept in the dark about plans, but worry how to broach the subject. Mina, though, has come to the same conclusion and beats them to the punch. The men continue to meet and plan. Quincey proclaims that he wants to take rifles along. Van Helsing suggests they use their time to get their affairs in order, and to research Varna.
Harker records that Mina has demanded a promise that he tells her nothing of their plans, which he agrees to, but he feels as if a door has shut between them. Despite our story beginning with Harker and his heroic escape from Castle Dracula, I fear he may be our group's weakest link. Time will tell. Later, Mina convinces Van Helsing that she should accompany the men to Varna in case they need to hypnotize her again to get information, even though she realizes that Dracula will ultimately come to control her.
The plan is to board the ship during daylight, place a wild rose on the coffin so that Dracula can't leave, then return at a quiet time to do the deed. Now, how do they figure no one will take that rose? Seems like a weak plan. Van Helsing calls for patience, but Quincey is being impetuous. Van Helsing states that despite their careful planning, they can't know how things will play out in the moment, and how they'll react. I have a foreboding feeling that Quincey will do something that causes their well-laid plans to backfire.
This is our penultimate segment, and all will be revealed in the coming week. I can't recall if you've read this before, or are new to it as I am. If this is your first reading, what are your predictions?
I was always familiar with the early chapters of this book, but was mostly hazy about what I would call The Chase. Van Helsing is more of an interesting character that I had ever imagined. He is definitely the glue for the story, so to speak, and I find the Dracula of the later chapters to be a less powerful presence than in the early. I am still spooked the most by Harker’s castle stay than anything else. The proverbial skin crawl, which seemed not so apparent in later chapters.
Mod
Chapter XXI
Hello. It was Thanksgiving here in Canada this weekend so I’ve slipped behind in my reading. Like Dracula, I feasted, but unlike Dracula, feasted on Turkey, stuffing and perhaps a little too much pumpkin pie.
We read that Dracula has had his way with Mina on more than one occasion, which we knew, but this chapter gives us an up close look at how he operates. Apparently, as a mist, Dracula can enter any locked room. Then he materializes into a human form. He not only takes the blood of people such as Mina, but forces them to taste/suck his blood as well. This must be how his victims become his blood thirsty followers.
There is a clear and very evil power in Dracula. He is ruthless in his pursuit of his victims. To oppose him we learn only a few objects will work. The great conflict that has evolved here is how Dracula, his shape shifting ability, his army of wolves and rats and his seemingly perfect ability to escape can be defeated by a group of amateurs and a few trinkets of religious origin.
Stoker has the great ability to build suspense not over a few paragraphs or even pages but over an entire succession of chapters.
As mentioned in the commentary, there is are definite sexual overtones, suggestive phrases and innuendos that are liberally scattered through this chapter and, indeed, the entire novel. Surely some initial readers of the novel must have picked up on the novel’s sexuality.
Mod
Chapter 22
‘The game’s afoot’ as Sherlock would say. In this chapter we see the forces of good earnestly plan how they will counter Dracula. I’m glad Dracula did not appear in this chapter as I think it would have weakened the emphasis and strategy of ‘the good guys (and Mina) Mina has more resolve than I would. She knows what has happened - and what is happening to her. Her willingness to die is a brave act, an act of love to the others. Surely she must know that if she does kill herself the others would be obliged to cut her head off. Shutter the thought. And I would not want to be left alone in the home as the men go off in the search of Dracula’s dirt.
When the wafer was placed on her forehead I thought of it as a stigmata but do appreciate your reference to Harry Potter. I confess I have not read any of the books. Still, to see Rawlings carrying forward the symbols and meanings of earlier literature is great.
As the boxes of dirt are ‘sanitized’ the places of refuge and rest for Dracula are narrowed down. That will make him very angry. The tension and conflict of what is to come intensifies.
Happy Thanksgiving, Peter! I wish the US celebrated Thanksgiving now, too, instead of having it lumped in with Christmas. But either way, we have much to be thankful for. I hope you were able to spend the day with family.
John wrote: "II am still spooked the most by Harker’s castle stay than anything else. "For me, too. I think because, like Harker, we (theoretically) are still ignorant, and the whole thing is creepy and mysterious but still plausible. As we learn more, it becomes more fantastic and we're less able to put ourselves into that situation. But once we have the mystery, it must be resolved, even if in an other-worldly way.
Well, my brain is fried, and I think I may have missed a chapter, or gone too far, or not far enough, or maybe it's fine and I just misnumbered things. I'm a little befuddled. If you've noticed incongruous summaries, please forgive me. I will pick up next week with chapter 25 and hope I'm not repeating things. One of our dogs had a splenectomy and her recovery has been challenging, to the point where I've had to sleep (or attempt to) on the sofa for the last week. Just before her surgery we learned that my brother has a brain tumor and is surgery next week. Between stress and sleep deprivation, I'm not firing on all cylinders, as they say.
Mod
Mary Lou
I was sorry to read of all the stresses that have befallen you recently. Please take care of yourself. Be kind to yourself.
As I read chapter 23 there was a very present energy coming from the pages. It seems we are fast approaching the climax. The forces of good are now strongly aligned. It's a 19C novel so the men are the protectors but Mina is certainly portrayed as a strong and independent character. To suggest the hypnosis and then, in that state, reveal/project the circumstances of Dracula was a striking bit of writing.
I certainly continue to feel the presence of Dracula. He is capable of escape, able to seemingly disappear, and remains a very elusive prey.
Hmmm … prey and the word pray. These two words seem to work together. Dracula hunts and bleeds his prey. The act of prayer is an acknowledgement of a power greater than yourself - a divine good person. Evil against good. While the various elements of this story may be very obvious, the story holds together and offers perplexity and doubt.
Mod
Chapter 24 ends with the phrase ‘she is calling me.’ If that’s not a cliffhanger ending I don’t know what is! If I have read ‘Dracula’ before I can’t recall, so I guess that means a failing memory or a bad reading of it. 😊
Mina’s request to be kept in the dark is both perceptive and frightening. To what extent does she feel the blood of Dracula inside her?
Mina is willing to sacrifice her well-being, perhaps even her life, so she does not compromise the men’s mission.
Mary Lou - I really enjoyed your Google search. A quick trip across Europe indeed. And yes, Canada and the USA are so huge in land mass it is hard for us to comprehend how dense Europe really is.
The ship, the fog/mist, the race to place a rose atop the box where Dracula rests. Stoker has turned up the heat!
They break into the Harkers' room to find Jonathan in a stupor, and Dracula, with a self-inflicted gash on his chest, holding Mina's face to the wound and forcing her to drink. This was just plain creepy, and put me in mind of sexual assaults that I won't name in a PG-rated book club. The men used their crucifixes, communion wafers, etc. to chase Dracula away. Question: Knowing Dracula is stalking Mina, why on Earth didn't the Harkers have these protections?? Is there a method to Stoker's madness, or was it just a gross oversight that this wasn't addressed? I hope it will be explained in time.
During all of this confusion, Quincey slips away again. Seward sees him outside and wonders about it, but is then distracted by Harker, who is coming to. Even with the terrible things that transpired, I found the dialogue between the Harkers melodramatic. Mina tells the men that Dracula came in a mist while she was having ominous dreams, and she sensed his terrible presence. He threatened Jonathan to make Mina comply, and he drank from her, pontificated on his greatness and their insolence, and then scratched open his own chest, forcing Mina to drink.
Arthur reports that Dracula has destroyed Mina's chronology of events, but Van Helsing reports that he put one copy in a safe. We also learn that Renfield has succumbed to his injuries. Is he now one of the undead?