Dracula 27

Study Guide Questions for Ch. 27 "Mina Harker's Journal" and "Note"

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

Faith, Fear, Fortitude, Death, Grief, Salvation, Euchatastrophe

Grammar Questions: (The Information of the Text)

1. How did the local people react when they saw the scar on Mina’s forehead?

2. At this point in the story, what had become the case concerning hypnotising Mina in order to learn more about Dracula’s situation? 

3. What did Van Helsing observe about Mina’s condition which was giving him a growing concern?

4. What did Van Helsing do in order to keep Mina safe from Vampires while they were near Castle Dracula?

5. Whom did Van Helsing and Mina encounter outside of Castle Dracula and what occurred in that interaction?

6. What was the dilemma which had Van Helsing “between his horns?”

7. What were all the things Van Helsing accomplished within Castle Dracula?

8. What did Mina and Van Helsing witness from afar through “field-glasses?”

9. What did gypsies do in an attempt to thwart the men from getting to Dracula?

10. Who actually delivered the killing blows to Dracula?

11. What price did the group pay for their triumph over Dracula?

12. What do we learn about the group of vampire slayers seven years after Dracula?

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

1. Why did the people put extra garlic in Mina and Van Helsing’s food?

2. Why do you think the attempts to hypnotise Mina no longer worked at all? What might this suggest?

3. Why could Mina not cross the circle Van Helsing had made? Why was that both a good and a bad thing?

4. What did Mina mean by saying, “Fear for me! Why fear for me? None safer in all the world from them than I am?”

5. Why had no one before this time ever destroyed the Vampires during the daytime just as Van Helsing did? 

6. Why do you think the Gypsies worked so hard on behalf of Dracula? What benefit is there for them in so doing?

7. Why was the snow so thickly falling, and why were so many wolves gathering, around the men trying to kill Dracula even though the sun was shining beyond where they were?

8. What should be inferred from the fact that Dracula’s face had “a look of peace” before he dissolved to ash?

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

1. Mina said the people of Transylvania were “very, very, superstitious.” How should we define the term “superstition?” What causes someone to believe in superstitions? How do we go about evaluating our own beliefs to see if we are holding on to any superstitions ourselves? Given your definition, do you think it was a fair evaluation for Mina to have called the people of Transylvania superstitious? Why or why not?

2. Quincey Morris gave it all for the good of Mina, for the memory of Lucy, and for the good of the world. What kinds of things would you be willing to die for? What do you so value that you would gladly lay down your own life to defend it? What does one’s willingness to die for something indicate about his belief concerning the ultimate value of his life? How might belief, or non-belief, in the existence of heaven and hell affect someone’s willingness to sacrifice his life?

Theological Analysis: (Sola Scriptura)

1. Mina said in her journal, “As for me, I am not worthy in His [God’s] sight. Alas! I am unclean to His eyes, and shall be until He may deign to let me stand forth in His sight as one of those who have not incurred His wrath.” Read 1 John 5:1-10 and evaluate Mina’s statement in light of this Scripture.

2. Read Genesis 50:15-21. How might we thematically relate this passage of Scripture to the story of Dracula?