How Does Stoker Unnerve the Reader in Chapter 1 of Dracula?
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Chapter 1 is not the start of the book due to the preface; the preface is the only part of the book not written as a journal or a diary. This gives it a sense that it is a high powerful voice over all these documents that have been pieced together so there is automatically a feeling of trust to the person who has written this. Therefore when he announces that all documents are completely true, this can emphasise whatever is in these documents. Therefore by its self it may not create unnerve however if chapter 1 is made to scare it can strike fear in the reader as it can be believed to be real.
“Mem: get the recipe for Mina” there are continuous reminders like this in chapter 1 that this is a journal of someone from England who is just an ordinary person like themselves which creates more unnerve for the reader as it is not some hero who should have no fear over a situation.
The youth and innocence of Jonathan is made evident by the fact that he writes so excitedly and is very descriptive. He uses very descriptive sentences to make sure he remembers every minute of it; writing down the exact time he does things “the other side of twilight.” This clearly demonstrates immediately that this is Jonathans first time abroad in a place such as this which creates more fear as he has no experience and he has no idea what to expect; much the same as the reader.
There is a simile that as the reader delves further into the book that they are going through the same travel as Jonathan as he journeys from west to east. The fearful unknown of the book is like the unknown territory that Jonathan is travelling, “uncharted territory.” This fear of West to East is very unnerving to all readers. In the 1800s this area of the East is “uncharted territory” and is feared because of its unknown, and to the reader the unknown is one of the greatest fears that they have however for the 21st century reader the fear of the East is ever present as our fears are usually based around the fear of the power of Afghanistan and their apparent intent to cause destruction to us.
The structure of the sentences become longer and drawn out as Jonathan boards two consecutive horse and carts. This long drawn out syntax is a metaphor for how Jonathan feels like he has “seen this place before” and how he feels he is going around in circles and not getting anywhere. The fear of being out in the open makes the reader want Jonathan to reach safety as soon as possible however the syntax combats this and drags on this section of the chapter.
In the time in which this was written technology was just coming to the forefront of belief. Science was becoming relevant and in some cases banishing the belief for religion. Education and knowledge were the most important things to British society at this time and even more so for a 21st century reader. Therefore there is juxtaposition between Jonathan and all the people he was meeting in the final