Dracula 25

Study Guide Questions for Ch. 25 “Dr. Seward’s Diary”

If you are looking for the beginning of the study of Bram Stoker’s Dracula then you can go HERE for a brief introduction. At the bottom of the introduction you will find the links to each section of the study guide as it becomes available. If you would like to see the growing list of available book studies available for free on this site you can go HERE. Enjoy!

Virtues/Vices/Great Ideas: (Find them in the Text)

Hope vs. Despair, Duty, Providence

Grammar Questions: (The Information of the Text)

1. What is presently important about sunrise and sunset as pertains to Mina Harker?

2. What did Mina tell the group was “a way out” for her which she, and they, must nevertheless “not take?”

3. What did Mina make everyone promise to do for her, including Jonathan, if she should indeed become a vampire?

4. What did Mina request, though she said it was “not vital and necessary” like her previous request, that the group should do for her at that very moment?

5. What did Mina see and hear while under hypnosis?

6. What did Professor Van Helsing think would happen to Dracula’s body if they managed to kill him?

7. What happens that causes the group to have to change their plans as far as catching Dracula is concerned?

8. What changed about Mina’s condition and connection with Dracula?

9. What did the group realize the Count would eventually do if he managed to escape their pursuit (because of his criminal mind)?

Logic Questions: (Interpreting, Comparing/Contrasting, Reasoning)

1. Why are sunrise and sunset the times where Mina is able to be more free and herself?

2. Why did Mina think they must not take the option of taking her life now, while she was still herself, to prevent her from ever becoming a vampire?

3. Why did Mina explicitly make Jonathan promise to follow through with destroying her potentially future vampire self when there were other men willing to take up the task?

4. Why did Mina want the Burial Service read over her right then? What should we take away from her desire for that?

5. What was the main advantage that the group of vampire hunters had over Dracula as long as he was still on the ship somewhere?

6. Why did Mina’s condition improve? Explain what exactly led to her being more free of mind.

7. Why did the group become sure about what Dracula would do in the future if they failed to catch and destroy him now? What were they basing this assumption upon?

8. In what way did the group think God’s Providence might be working on their side at this point?

Rhetoric Questions: (The Analysis of Ideas in the Text)

1. Jonathan Harker wrote, “Thank God! This is the country where bribery can do anything, and we are well supplied with money.” In many countries around the world, and throughout history, bribery is commonplace and expected. The use of bribes is about the only way to actually accomplish anything in business and government in such places. What should be the Christian response to this kind of situation? Should Christians be willing to pay bribes to officials to conduct business? What if, for instance, a bribe is given to bring Bibles into a country that normally would keep those out of the hands of the people? Does it make a difference if the bribe is for secular versus Christian purposes? Explain your thoughts carefully.

2. Consider this following statement: “Suicide is a kind of arrogance concerning the future.” Explain what you understand this to mean and then either affirm it or deny it with the use of good reason.

3. The Professor assured the men that if they were successful then Dracula’s body would be nowhere to be found. In popular legal thought we hear the statement, “no body, no crime.” What is meant by this statement? Why is the presence of the body of a murder victim crucially important to convicting a murderer? What minds of things would be necessary to convict a murderer if there is no murdered body to be found? 

Theological Analysis: (Sola Scriptura)

1. Read Exodus 18:13-23 and Exodus 23:8. How do these passages of Scripture address the concept of bribery? What does this tell us about governments where bribery is commonplace? What does this tell us about what God thinks of bribery?

2. Van Helsing refers to Psalm 9:15-16 at the end of this chapter. Read those verses and explain in what way this applies to Dracula.