#Dracula daily may 4th

[skeletonsloverockcandy]

One thing I’m seeing on this re-read of Dracula Daily that I’m already really enjoying, it’s all the little details we didn’t catch before

When we first started we didn’t know who Jonathan Harker was and to us he was just a silly little British man who was ignoring the obvious warning signs, so there was a comedic element to the dramatic irony of him going to Castle Dracula

But now that we know who Jonathan is and we care about him, it hits much harder all the subtle horror elements we missed while focusing on this good friend telling us about his travels

From the first entry, people picking up on the dog barking under his window and being like “is that Dracula? Does it start this early?” Being skeeved out by Dracula’s overly familiar letter to Jonathan, which at first seemed perfectly reasonable except for the name attached at the end, and picking up on all the terrible foreshadowing for what will be Jonathan’s living hell over the next month in his Castle.

And people this time picking up on the bravery of the wife of the innkeeper who gave him a crucifix, begging him to stay or wait, to not go to the castle, of the terror of knowing that Dracula was in correspondence with her husband to get the letter to Jonathan and the sort of subtle threat they must be under at all times, of the significance of “for your mother’s sake” knowing what Dracula does to children. She is no longer perceived as a random background character, but an active player forced to be a bystander who is trying desperately to help this ignorant soul in any way she can even if she knows it might be useless.

I love people realizing Jonathan is skeptical and off-put, but not enough to deter his mission. He’s not oblivious, just making an effort to remain open-minded to the culture and superstitions and beliefs he is not familiar with, since he’s aware it will be wildly different from his own (to the best of his ability for being an Englishman from the 1890s) and pointedly dismissing the things that might be red flags as an attempt to rationalize because nothing truly concerning has happened yet to provoke him to leave, and he doesn’t want to be deterred by something he’s getting worked up for for no reason yet, he couldn’t do his job otherwise and people are depending on him

Idk, I just like this deeper analysis and thought now that people are already familiar and attached to his character, and now know what happens, so they can properly point out when something is foreshadowing later events or themes in the novel, and they can pick up on it quicker

Even something as simple as people noticing the other meals mentioned in the first entry because of all the focus on Paprika Hendl last year makes me happy :)

I like that they are giving our protagonist more credit now, knowing the character he turns into later in the novel (a badass)

It is satisfying :)))

[kitcatia]

I was thinking about today's entry of Dracula daily, and something fascinating got my attention: this format of consuming a novel really does enhance how much we appreciate the details of a story. Think, if this was a project of "read Dracula starting at may 3rd and ending before November 7th", I don't think people would arrive at the book club talking about the innkeeper's wife. Would people be getting so emotionally invested in "for your mother's sake"? I don't know, I think that getting to spent a whole day slowly ruminating this bit of the story helps me to appreciate how kind and sweet this lady was. This lady that worried so much about the well-being of a young man she met the day before, giving him a holy devotional object while he follows his damned journey. An old lady I wouldn't even be thinking this much about if it wasn't for the pace at which we are consuming this book. Thank you, Romanian Lady, for looking after my good friend Jonathan Harker.

[lady-dulcinea]

Everybody is applauding Ben Galpin for his impeccable performance as Jonathan (as they should), but I would like to call attention to Ioana Adăscăliței as the Romanian Woman. That "For your mother's sake" was genuinely so gut wrenching I had to pause for a minute before continuing.

[memento-morieris-carpe-noctem]

May 4th

[gleamingsilence]

[unabridgedisbetter]

Other people have commented on all the funny jokes last year about Jonathan not realizing that he was in the novel Dracula whereas this year we’re very aware of him being uneasy and already saying goodbye to Mina in the second email. Well, personally, I think it was me, the reader, taking everything as a delightful joke. It wasn’t Jonathan ‘not realizing he was in Dracula’ it was me, not realizing that I was reading Dracula. I only had a vague idea of pop culture and a Sesame Street Count to go off of. It was me, a modern thinker, thinking how bad can vampires really be? Aren’t they rather funny? Or sexy? Or weird guys with the personality of mayonnaise and the skin of a disco ball? Not sure what my point is exactly but I feel very confident that Jonathan is taking this situation Much More Seriously than I would if I was on a business trip. And reading it the second time is more nerve wracking then the first, because I know now what to expect, and can’t do anything about it.

[aucoba]

"for your mother's sake"

For your mother's sake for your mother's sake for your mother's sake for your mother's sake for your mother's sake for your mother's sake

[greypistacchio]

thy Britishness will be thy damnation my good friend Jonathan Harker

[somethingusefulfromflorida]

"Herr Harker, need you leave so soon? There are many dangers lurking in this place! Do you know what day it is?"

"May the 4th."

"Yes, and do you know that means?!?"

"Oona koota, Harker?"

[lostamber]

May 4th

[macmanx]

To paraphrase what the landlord’s wife implored to Jonathan Harker:

“May the 4th be with you!”

[ibenology]

Jonathan Harker is just like me fr. I also spend my free time writing extremely dramatic journal entries nitpicking every social interaction I have, wonder if I am in fact going crazy and questioning if this will be my last day on this earth, only for my ramblings to be cut short by real life events making me sign off the page with “nvm my ride is here”

[disgruntledpoptart]

4 May-- I'm starting to think this business trip might not be as peaceful as we hoped. I hope my new friend Jonathan stays safe.

[lady-dulcinea]

"For your mother's sake."

Jonathan receives a crucifix before departing for the castle.

from the Milwaukee Ballet's production of Michael Pink's Dracula Randy Crespo as Jonathan Harker

[misssophiespice]

“It was all very ridiculous but I did not feel comfortable.” + “Whether it is the old lady's fear, or the many ghostly traditions of this place, or the crucifix itself, I do not know, but I am not feeling nearly as easy in my mind as usual.”

- Our friend, Jonathan Harker, today

[atafrd]

This week is for the nerds.

May 3d: DRACULA SEASON BEGINS

May 4th: STAR WARS DAY

Happy nerd week, you nerds. This is to all who celebrate.