Character in the Supernatural
Key words
Doppelganger
Reincarnation
Unease
Villain
Victim
Contrast
Antithesis
Entrapment
Terror
Fear
Tableau vivant
Transgression
Unheimlich
Learning Objective: To purposefully
compare the characters of Dracula
and Beloved in terms of the
supernatural, focusing on two key
scenes.
The Big Question: What is the purpose/effect of
“doubling” the main characters in Beloved and
Dracula?
Think about
• Context
• Language
• Gothic tropes
2 minutes: First reaction to these
comments: how are they relevant to
Beloved and Dracula?
Learning Objective: To purposefully compare the characters of
Dracula and Beloved in terms of the supernatural, focusing on
two key scenes.
Beloved
Dracula
Learning Objective: To purposefully compare the characters of Dracula and Beloved in terms of
the supernatural, focusing on two key scenes.
Sethe/Beloved
• Beloved comes out of the
water/is born on the water
• Sucks the liquid out of
Sethe (she passes urine on
seeing her)
• Beloved is constantly
thirsty
• After Paul D leaves D and S
start to “merge” and
alienate Denver
• Beloved becomes
”pregnant” with Sethe
Harker/Dracula
• Dracula sucks the information out
of Jonathan
• He steals the clothes he wore on
the journey
• Carries the bag that contains the
child (therefore people believe
that Harker is responsible for the
murder)
• The Count climbs down the wall,
as does Harker when he escapes
• Count’s assiduous letter writing is
matched by Harker’s
• Imitation of Count when Harker
comforts Dracula
Learning Objective: To purposefully compare the characters of Dracula and Beloved in terms of
the supernatural, focusing on two key scenes.
Key words: Doppelganger; tableau vivant
The scene in the
Woodshed
• Pg 175
• Pg 185
• Pg 192-193
Dracula bites Mina
• Pg 262-268:
Beloved “eats” Sethe
• Pg 284-286: At first
they played together
to
• Ask somebody for help
Learning Objective: To purposefully compare the characters of Dracula and Beloved in terms of
the supernatural, focusing on two key scenes.
Baby Suggs
• Read pp103-105
• What do you notice about the language Baby
Suggs uses?
• What do you learn here about her
role/purpose in the novel?
Learning Objective: To purposefully compare the characters of Dracula and Beloved in terms of
the supernatural, focusing on two key scenes.
What I notice about . . .
Dracula
Whose narrative voice?
Imagery used
Tension
Creation of horror/terror
Syntax
Repetition
Use of synonyms
Relevant context
Thoughts on the use of the
doppleganger
Don’t forget: Use quotes, page numbers; write about the effect
Beloved
Home Learning
• Read and annotate the Dracula section and
the critical extracts.
• Fill in the key scene worksheet
• Plan this essay question:
– Compare the ways in which the writers of your
two chosen texts create an atmosphere of horror
and terror in their works
• Writer’s methods
• Links between the texts
• Relevance of contextual matters
Dracula
Beloved: Belief in Reincarnation
Women
Slavery
Sethe
Language in Beloved
Doubling in Beloved
• The above is a good resource for looking at
Beloved and the Supernatural
Definitions of Gothic tropes