Writing About Dracula

Stoker employs foreshadowing to highlight, for the responder, the increasing levels of darkness in the text. The darkness is symbolic of the increasing levels of evil, although Harker seems oblivious despite the presence of 'queer dreams' and the 'dog' (wolf) which howled 'all night under my window' to the doom that awaits him. This malevolence that builds in chapter one is connected to the idea good versus evil. Harker's character is presented with a crucifix by an old lady who questions him 'Must you go?'.

TOPIC SENTENCE

Stoker's novel encompasses the broad symbolic meaning of religion to explore the impact of good and evil on the central character.

Expanding on the topic sentence:

The character of Johnathan Harker is the first victim in Dracula's web of deceit. A reoccurring motif in the novel is both the Rosary and the Cross; these symbols of Christ are the emodiment of 'good' in the fight against 'evil', namely Dracula. Christian salvation, as central to the idea of 'good versus evil' is the prominent from chapter one as Stoker methodically incorporates gothic imagery in Harker's journey from London to Transylvania.

I've chosen my topic sentence.

Why?

I have plenty of scope to discuss my main point and prove I'm correct.

Writing About Dracula

Exam Preparation

Sample:

Stoker relies upon the issue of good versus evil to create the divide between the central antagonist and protagonist in the film.

Stoker employs the central idea of good versus evil to explore religion and symbolism as experienced by the central character Johnathon Harker.

Stoker's novel encompasses the broad symbolic meaning of religion to explore the impact of good and evil on the central characters.

Which of these 3 samples more effectively conveys the central idea of this paragraph?

The idea

Topic Sentence

One of the more central ideas in terms of the Gothic Genre is 'good versus evil'

The topic sentence is like introducing yourself to someone you don't know- so the person knows who they're talking to, you will start with your name.

So- the central purpose of the topic sentence is to introduce the idea you're going to discuss to the reader in such a way that you can expand further in the next block of sentences.

The Gothic

We examine Dracula through the eyes of the Gothic composer

Therefore it is important to demonstrate your knowledge of text in the CONTEXT of the Gothic Genre and the time period in which the text is set.

The paragraph

The Thesis Statement

Sophisticated paragraphs:

1) Controlled by the thesis (or main argument)

2) Address the question

4) Are supported by well-chosen examples of VISUAL or LITERARY techniques

5) Those TECHNIQUES are linked to the IDEA and are used to reinforce the MAIN argument