Jonathon Harker

Question 1

Jonathan’s Naivety

Answer 1

• Key Quote: “I read that every known superstition in the world is gathered into the horseshoe of the Carpathians.”
• Analysis: Jonathan’s initial dismissal of the locals’ superstitions reflects his rational, Western mindset. His reliance on logic and reason marks him as an Enlightenment figure, trusting in science and order rather than superstition.
• Language Technique: The phrase “every known superstition” is an example of hyperbole, which reflects Jonathan’s patronizing attitude toward the “primitive” beliefs of the Eastern Europeans. The ironic tone here foreshadows his encounter with the supernatural, where his rationality will be undermined.
• Symbolism: Harker’s early reliance on logic symbolizes the Victorian belief in progress, science, and the ability to rationally explain the world. His journey to Dracula’s castle, and eventual exposure to the supernatural, serves as a metaphor for the breakdown of these beliefs in the face of inexplicable, Gothic forces.

Question 2

Rationality and Professionalism

Answer 2

• Key Quote: “It seems to me that the further East you go, the more unpunctual are the trains. What ought they to be in China?”
• Analysis: Jonathan’s focus on punctuality and order reflects his methodical, professional nature. His view of Eastern Europe as disordered and irrational is a reflection of Victorian imperial attitudes, seeing the East as a “backward” place in need of Western control.
• Language Technique: Foreshadowing is used here, as Jonathan’s focus on the orderly world of schedules will be disrupted by Dracula’s chaotic, supernatural realm. His reliance on stereotypes about the East (linking the further east one goes to less progress) shows his naïveté and ethnocentrism.
• Symbolism: His journey “further East” symbolically takes him away from the safety and logic of the West, plunging him into a world governed by irrational forces, represented by Dracula and the supernatural elements of the Gothic.

Question 3

Jonathan’s Psychological Deterioration

Answer 3

• Key Quote: “The castle is a veritable prison, and I am a prisoner!”
• Analysis: Jonathan’s initial confidence and rationality quickly unravel as he realizes he is trapped in Dracula’s castle. His repeated use of “prison” suggests a breakdown in his ability to logically process his situation, marking the beginning of his psychological collapse.
• Language Technique: The repetition of the word “prison” emphasizes Jonathan’s growing sense of entrapment. The internal monologue gives readers direct access to his unraveling mental state, showing his shift from rationality to fear.
• Symbolism: Dracula’s castle symbolizes the collapse of Jonathan’s rational worldview. As the castle traps him physically, it also represents the entrapment of his mind in a world where logic no longer applies, mirroring Victorian fears about the fragility of reason in the face of the unknown.

Question 4

Jonathan’s Madness and the Power of the Supernatural

Answer 4

• Key Quote: “God preserve my sanity, for to this I am reduced.”
• Analysis: Jonathan’s plea to “God” suggests his turn from rationality to faith in the face of overwhelming supernatural terror. His loss of sanity symbolizes the Gothic theme of psychological collapse and the inadequacy of reason when confronted with the irrational.
• Language Technique: The use of apostrophe (directly addressing God) emphasizes Jonathan’s desperation and loss of control. The phrase “I am reduced” reflects his sense of powerlessness and diminishing identity as his rational mind disintegrates.
• Critical Perspective: From a Freudian psychoanalytic view, Jonathan’s experiences in Dracula’s castle represent the collapse of the conscious mind (ego) under the weight of unconscious fears (id). The vampire can be seen as a manifestation of repressed desires, destabilizing Jonathan’s orderly worldview.

Question 5

Jonathan’s Strength and Return to Agency

Answer 5

• Key Quote: “When we are married I shall be able to be useful to Jonathan.”
• Analysis: After his escape from Dracula’s castle, Jonathan initially falls into a passive, weakened state, symbolizing his complete emasculation by the Count. However, his eventual recovery, aided by Mina’s strength, allows him to regain agency and confront Dracula, symbolizing the restoration of male authority.
• Language Technique: The shift in narrative voice (from Jonathan’s journal to Mina’s letters) during his recovery mirrors the shift in Jonathan’s role—from active protagonist to passive, dependent figure. His return to strength at the end of the novel reflects a cyclical structure, where order is restored.
• Symbolism: Jonathan’s recovery and subsequent pursuit of Dracula in Transylvania symbolize the victory of Western rationality and order over Eastern chaos and superstition. However, the fact that he needed the help of Mina (and Van Helsing) to defeat Dracula shows that rationality alone is insufficient in the Gothic world—collaboration and faith are required.

Question 6

Jonathan as the Everyman Hero

Answer 6

• Key Quote: “I thought I saw the Count’s eyes in the moonlight, but I blinked and they were gone.”
• Analysis: Jonathan’s role as an everyman character allows the reader to experience the supernatural terror firsthand. His initial disbelief, followed by slow realization, mirrors the reader’s own journey from skepticism to understanding as the Gothic horror unfolds.
• Language Technique: The use of visual imagery (moonlight, eyes) creates a sense of ambiguity, reflecting Jonathan’s own uncertain grasp of reality. His blink and subsequent loss of vision symbolize the limits of rational perception in understanding the supernatural.
• Symbolism: Jonathan’s struggles and eventual victory over Dracula can be seen as an allegory for the struggle between rationality and irrationality, where Western values (embodied by Jonathan) ultimately triumph over the chaotic, Gothic forces of Dracula.

Question 7

Jonathan as a Masculine Figure

Answer 7

• Key Quote: “We men were all in a fever of excitement, except Harker, who is calm; his hands are like steel.”
• Analysis: At the end of the novel, Jonathan transforms into a figure of calm, rational authority, leading the group’s efforts to defeat Dracula. His “hands are like steel” suggests both his physical and emotional resilience, embodying Victorian ideals of masculinity—strength, control, and determination.
• Language Technique: The use of simile (“like steel”) emphasizes Jonathan’s transformation from a passive, fearful character into an active, hardened leader. His calm contrasts with the feverish excitement of the other men, reflecting his return to a state of rationality and self-control.
• Symbolism: Jonathan’s journey from naïve solicitor to Gothic hero reflects Victorian gender ideals—his eventual triumph is not just over Dracula, but also over his own fears and inadequacies, allowing him to reclaim his role as a dominant, rational, masculine figure.

Question 8

Jonathan and Mina’s Partnership

Answer 8

• Key Quote: “Jonathan is not asleep, but is quietly working away… it is his mind that is alive.”
• Analysis: Jonathan and Mina’s partnership reflects Victorian ideals of marriage as a union of minds, not just bodies. Mina’s description of Jonathan’s mental activity during the group’s pursuit of Dracula emphasizes the importance of intellect, rationality, and collaboration in overcoming Gothic threats.
• Language Technique: The use of parallel structure (not asleep, quietly working) reinforces the theme of resilience—Jonathan’s body may be tired, but his mind remains active and determined. This contrasts with his earlier state of physical and mental breakdown, showing his full transformation.
• Thematic Analysis: The strong partnership between Jonathan and Mina suggests that the battle against Dracula is not just a physical one, but also intellectual and spiritual. Their union symbolizes the strength of rationality combined with emotional support, presenting a model of Victorian domestic harmony as a solution to the chaos of the Gothic.