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A Comparison Of Dracula By Jonathan Harker And Van Helsing

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Jonathan Harker and Van Helsing are arguably the most interesting characters in the story. Jonathan is the first character in the story to encounter Dracula, and Van Helsing is the professional who assembles the band of vampire hunters. Both men are important to Dracula’s inevitable downfall, although Jonathan has more to lose since his wife is also involved in this nasty work. Jonathan Harker starts off the book with his journal of his travels to meet count Dracula, and begins to regret ever leaving home soon after. Jonathan is very observant, noting details throughout his journey; he remembers foreign words to look up, many details of the journey to the castle, and sees “a faint flickering blue flame” many times off in the distance …show more content…

Van Helsing takes great care and delicacy in proving that the vampire threat is real to his companions, taking a group of men to see for themselves that Lucy had turned into evil undead. To prove to the men that vampires are real, Van Helsing forces the men to see Lucy, whose eyes are “unclean and full of hell-fire” causing Dr. Seward to feel “the remnant of [his] love [pass] into pure hate and loathing” (Stoker 181). Van Helsing is truly brilliant, because after seeing Lucy in her state of ‘un-death’, the men are all ready to listen to him and act against the vampire threat. Van Helsing himself even admits that “at the first [he] was the sceptic” but learned to accept and deal with vampires “through long years [of training himself] to keep an open mind” (Stoker 203). Van Helsing is explaining how he is not insane, but rather more experienced and open minded. Both Jonathan Harker and Dr. Van Helsing are intriguing characters who add flavor and common sense to the story. Jonathan is naïve at first but later becomes a brave caring protector when he joins the band of vampire hunters. Van Helsing is the wise veteran that everyone looks to for help. In the end, the two emerge victorious over the evil that had plagued them for so long. Conclusion Abraham Stoker was an interesting writer who stayed loyal to his friends even after achieving

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