Dracula

Dracula

by

Bram Stoker

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Dracula: Chapter 20 Summary & Analysis

Summary
Analysis
Jonathan Harker's Journal. October 1. Evening. Jonathan speaks to one of the men who moved the boxes from Carfax to another location, to see if he can't find out where exactly this other location is. But the man, a lower class English worker, talks playfully with Jonathan and cannot give him any exact information about the whereabouts of the boxes. Jonathan reiterates that he is glad the group is keeping Mina "out of the loop" on these latest Dracula developments, as he fears she is now overcome with a nervous condition about the Count.
Harker must interact with this "lower-class" worker in order to figure out more information about the missing boxes. Harker seems to understand that this man might be playing with him, in order not to divulge all the information of the boxes' whereabouts, simply because the worker enjoys "yanking the chain" of an upper-class man to whom he must typically speak with reverence.
Themes
Illness, Madness, and Confinement Theme Icon
Christianity, Science, and the Occult Theme Icon
Life, Death, and the Un-Dead Theme Icon
Jonathan Harker's Journal. October 2. Evening. Harker continues seeking out places where Dracula might have stored the other 21 boxes—he does so by talking to various tradesman who have handled the boxes in London. One tradesman points him to a house near Piccadilly, in a central part of London—Harker reports back to the men of the group that he believes some number of the boxes to be stored there. But Arthur and Morris remind Harker that breaking into a house in so busy an area would be difficult—the group agrees they need to figure out a different way of approaching and "neutralizing" these boxes.
It turns out that Dracula has purchased other properties. There might be numerous reasons for this. Perhaps Dracula wanted to be in a more fashionable part of town, as Piccadilly is; perhaps he wished to spread the boxes around, to make it more difficult for people like the group to track down all his separate safe havens.
Themes
Illness, Madness, and Confinement Theme Icon
Christianity, Science, and the Occult Theme Icon
Life, Death, and the Un-Dead Theme Icon
Before sleep that night, Harker writes that Mina's breathing has become even heavier, and her complexion appears withdrawn and pale.
Mina begins her sickness, which mirrors that of Lucy some chapters previous.
Themes
Illness, Madness, and Confinement Theme Icon
Christianity, Science, and the Occult Theme Icon
Romantic Love, Seduction, and Sexual Purity Theme Icon
Life, Death, and the Un-Dead Theme Icon
Seward's Diary. October 1. Seward has another meeting with Renfield, who appears again to lust after "life" and "power"—his madness has returned. But this time, Renfield says he does not want animal souls, nor souls at all—he has found another source, which he strongly hints to be blood. Seward is terrified by this, at a second meeting later that day, and realizes, after this second, afternoon meeting, that Renfield and Dracula are almost certainly in cahoots, and that perhaps Renfield wishes, also, to suck on the blood of innocents.
Renfield's most explicit admission that he is now under the power of Dracula. Before, his interest was in power and life-forces, but now his interest is in blood, which might be considered the ultimate life source, and which is also linked to the kind of sexual intimacy that was made apparent in Dracula's attacks on Lucy.
Themes
Illness, Madness, and Confinement Theme Icon
Christianity, Science, and the Occult Theme Icon
Life, Death, and the Un-Dead Theme Icon
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Once again, that day, in the evening, Seward and Van Helsing go in to speak with Renfield and find him singing—he does not acknowledge their presence, and Van Helsing, like Seward, believes that Renfield might once again be in league with Dracula.
Renfield appears, now, to return to "insane" states when he no longer wishes to share his plans to those he believes are attempting to destroy his "master," the Count.
Themes
Illness, Madness, and Confinement Theme Icon
Christianity, Science, and the Occult Theme Icon
Life, Death, and the Un-Dead Theme Icon
Letter from Mitchell and Sons to Arthur. October 1. In a brief letter, Mitchell and Sons, broker to the house in Piccadilly the group believes to be inhabited by Dracula and his boxes, writes to Arthur, whom Harker has put in touch with the broker, pretending that Arthur wishes to lease this house from Dracula. Mitchell replies that Arthur can see the house soon. Mitchell seems swayed by the idea that Arthur is a lord, and that, therefore, his interest in the house in genuine.
Arthur uses his power as a nobleman to gain a meeting with the real estate agent. This small scene is Stoker's way of pointing out the manner in which wealthy people in England at the time are able to get exactly what they want, simply by virtue of their social status, rather than their actual needs. The poor very rarely have this luxury.
Themes
Writing, Journaling, and Messaging Theme Icon
Seward's Diary. October 2. Seward dispatches an orderly to stand outside Renfield's room, to look after him, as he and Van Helsing sense that Dracula might visit Renfield. Seward remarks that Arthur and Harker are working on an entry into the Piccadilly house, and Morris is working to procure horses in case the group needs them. Seward wonders if they all aren't mad in their preparations to catch Dracula—but only half-seriously.
Again, the money the group possesses is more than sufficient to allow them to gather the resources they need in order to fight Dracula. One notes here, again, that if the members of the group were not so wealthy, it is almost inconceivable that they would have all they required to track down Dracula.
Themes
Illness, Madness, and Confinement Theme Icon
Christianity, Science, and the Occult Theme Icon
Life, Death, and the Un-Dead Theme Icon
Seward reports, in a quick entry, that later that evening Renfield is found in his room, his face smashed, lying face-down in a pool of his own blood. Seward rushes back into the room to investigate the cause of this.
Finally, Renfield has been injured in the way he thought he might be—in his own room. And though Seward is surprised at first, he quickly realizes that Dracula has had it out for Renfield for some time.
Themes
Writing, Journaling, and Messaging Theme Icon
Illness, Madness, and Confinement Theme Icon
Christianity, Science, and the Occult Theme Icon
Life, Death, and the Un-Dead Theme Icon
Quotes