AP Lit
Dracula by Bram Stoker
Reading Notes Guide for Dracula
The purpose & the assignment: Gather information and a record of your thought to make you an active reader and to utilize for an inclass essay.
As you read the text:
 Keep a complete list of characters, with brief descriptions.
 Write a brief summary of each chapter or section. Most summaries should be 50-100 words. In the novel, there are 27 short
chapters and a one page “Note” at the end. Most chapters are about 10 pages and so keep summary concise by focusing on how the
plot has been furthered in each chapter. It might be useful to apply the terms for plot structure (problem/situation/ exposition, rising
action, subplot, conflict (type of conflict), crisis, climax, falling action, denouement, resolution, etc.). And note the use of plot devices
such as flashback, etc.
 Track literary elements, devices or techniques throughout the text. You can use your own method for tracking them, but be sure to
have a substantial and scholarly appraisal of them by the end of your reading. Be sure you tell how the element add to the novel, don’t
just state where you see the said element or device.
 Historical or Cultural Contexts – choose at least ten unfamiliar or interesting sections from the novel. These can be historical or
cultural references or allusions. It can be a unique use of a word you are familiar with. For example, an insane asylum will be one of
the settings in the novel. You could investigate the history of asylums in Victorian England or you could investigate the various
meanings and histories of the word asylum. Why is it now an offensive term for a place offering shelter to those with mental illness?
 Vocabulary Section: Copy the phrase or sentence in which each word appears, and note the page number(s). Then find the
meanings for each word. Write the definitions in your own words. Note each word’s part of speech for correct usage. Write an original
sentence using the word correctly. You should find at least ten unfamiliar words from the novel.
After reading text:
LITERARY DEVICES AND TECHNIQUES FOR DRACULA
Write a set of notes (¾ page minimum) about MOTIFS:
o What motifs are utilized by Stoker? You should identify three or more.
o How does each of these motifs function? Is the motif used as a reoccurring image, as a metaphor or as a symbol?
o Comment on the use of each motif relative to Stoker’s overall purpose? How does the motif help Stoker build a convincing
narrative or how does the motif help the reader understand his theme(s).
Write a set of notes (¾ page minimum) about the EXPISTOLARY NARRATIVE TECHNIQUE:
o Which approaches (letters, journals, etc.) are used when?
o Why do you think Stoker chose certain techniques for certain scenes?
o Compare two of the characters’ narrative voices. How does the novel benefit from switching narrators? (or is this a
weakness of the novel?)
o Comment on how this narrative technique functions. How does the telling of the story in this way fit with the overall
purpose(s) of the novel?
Write a set of notes (one page or more) about the THEME(S):
o Consider the potential meanings of the text.
o What might be the author’s intent in creating the narrative?
o What are readers meant to learn from the events and/or characters in the text.
Other Concepts (often asked on the Open Essay of exam)
Take notes on all that apply by transcribing relevant quotes, writing ideas, and citing page numbers. Taking notes for these concepts
can be done during or completed after the reading. Chose 2 to complete!
 function of a character who does not appear or appears only briefly and ye is a significant presence in the work
 function of a character who serves as the main character’s sympathetic listener or confidante
 scene or character that provokes “thoughtful laughter”
 work of literature in which the action occurs internally, within the consciousness of a character or characters in a work
 use of contrasting settings in a work of literature
 parent-child conflict in a work of literature
Be sure to support all of your observations with evidence from the text; quotations are best!