Dracula

What do you think about when you hear the word “vampire”? Work in small groups and make a mind map with key words.

Remember! You don’t have to understand all the words in a story to enjoy it.

Bram Stoker (1847–1912) was an Irish writer best known for his horror novel Dracula.

BRAM STOKER

Dracula

The vampire Dracula comes from Transylvania to England searching for new blood. No one knows he is there. Soon, strange things are happening around Mina and her friend Lucy. Mina writes about the events in her diary. Mina’s Diary August 1897

VAMPIREVurderingseksemplar

11 August, 3 a.m. No sleep now. I am too upset. Lucy and I have had a terrible adventure. We went to bed early as usual. A few hours later, I woke up suddenly. I had a horrible feeling. I lit a match. Lucy was not in her bed. Was she sleepwalking again? The bedroom door was open. I went to look for her. I ran downstairs to the sitting room. Not there! Then I looked in the other rooms. No Lucy! Fear filled my heart. The front door of the house was open. I took a shawl and ran out. No one was about. The clock struck one. I ran toward the harbour. No sign of Lucy. I looked across the harbour to the cliff.

diary dagbok upset urolig, engstelig adventure her: opplevelse lit a match tente en fyrstikk sleepwalking gå i søvne sitting room stue shawl sjal struck one slo ett harbour havn cliff klippe

abbey kloster beast udyr gasps gisp collar krage throat hals trembled skalv pinned festet med nål moaned stønnet gently forsiktig begged ba, tigget pierced gjennomboret The moon was bright and full. Black clouds moved across its light. For a moment, I could see nothing. Then the clouds passed. In the silver light, I could see the abbey ruins on top of the cliff. And there, on our favourite seat was Lucy. She was snowy white in her nightdress. Behind her stood something dark. It bent over her. What was it? Man or beast? I ran down to the bridge. Soon I was climbing the endless steps to the abbey. Close to the top, I could see my friend in white. Something long and black was bending over her. I called out, “Lucy! Lucy!” The dark figure raised its head. I saw a white face with red, burning eyes. Lucy did not answer. I ran up the last steps. For a moment, I could not see her. When I got to her, she was alone. Lucy was asleep. She breathed with long, heavy gasps. In her sleep, she pulled the collar of her nightdress close around her throat. Then she trembled. I feared to wake her. I pinned the warm shawl around her. She put her hand to her throat again and moaned. Then I woke her gently. I wished to get Vurderingseksemplar her home. At first, she did not know where she was. Then she held me tightly. She followed me home like a child. I am filled with worry. Lucy begged me not to tell about her sleepwalking adventure. I promised not to. I hope I did right.

Same day, noon All is well. Lucy slept late and looks happy this morning. I was sorry when I saw her. There are two little red marks on her throat and drops of blood on her nightdress. I must have pierced her skin when I pinned the shawl around her. She laughed and said it was nothing.

Same day, night Lucy and I passed a happy day. We took a picnic lunch to the woods. Later we walked to the harbour and listened to some lovely music. After dinner, we went to bed early. Lucy fell asleep at once. I do not expect trouble tonight. Just in case, I locked our bedroom door.

12 August Twice this night Lucy tried to get out. Finding the door locked, she went back to bed. I woke early. The birds sang outside the window. Lucy must have opened it during the night. She woke in good spirits. Another quiet day. d,

13 August I woke in the night. Lucy was sitting up in bed. She pointed to the window. I got up to look. It was brilliant moonlight. The soft light on sea and sky created one great, silent mystery. It was beautiful. In the moonlight, a large bat came and went. It flew close to the window. When it saw me, it disappeared across the harbour to the abbey. Lucy was sleeping when I turned around. 14 August We spent the day on top of the cliff, reading and writing. Lucy loves this spot. She does not like to leave. On our way home for dinner, we stopped to look at the view from the top of the steps. The sun was just setting. It threw red light on the cliff and the old abbey. Everything was in a beautiful rosy glow. Then Lucy whispered, “His red eyes again!” Lucy had a strange look on her face. I followed her eyes. She was looking over to our favorite seat. On it sat a dark figure. The sunset made the stranger’s eyes burn like fire. Lucy looked sad. Then we went home to dinner. Lucy had a headache and went to bed early. I went out for a walk in the bright moonlight. When I got home, I saw Lucy at our bedroom window. It was open. I thought she was looking for me. I waved, but she did not see me. Moonlight fell on the window. Then I saw that Lucy was asleep. But there was something sitting by her. It looked like a large dark bat. I ran upstairs. The bat was gone and Lucy in bed asleep. She breathed heavily and held her hand to her throat. I did not wake her. I locked the door and gently closed the window.

Vurderingseksemplar expect forvente twice to ganger pointed to pekte mot moaned stønnet rosy glow rosaglød headache hodepine

15 August Lucy slept late this morning. She is tired and weak.

dread følelse at noe forferdelig skal skje pale blek in a faint bevisstløs came to kom til seg selv struggled for breath strevde med å puste garlic hvitløk it would not be long hun hadde ikke lenge igjen spasm spasme, ukontrollert bevegelse rage raseri alas akk!, dessverre! 17 August

No diary for two whole days. I am filled with worry and dread.

There is a dark shadow over our happiness. Lucy grows weaker and weaker. She is pale and tired. At night, she walks about the room. Often, she sits at the open window. Last night I found her at the window in a faint. When she came to, she cried quietly and struggled for breath. I hope her illness is not from the marks at her throat. I saw them again just now. The tiny wounds have not yet healed.

They are still open and seem larger than before. I shall call for the doctor tomorrow. 18 August Lucy is worse this morning. She is fading away. She gasps for air. The doctor was here. He said she has lost a lot of blood. When he saw the marks on her throat, he cried “My God!” Later he brought garlic. He said to keep it in her room. But Lucy will not have it there. 19 August I am heartbroken. This morning I could not wake Lucy. The doctor said she was dying. She had lost too much blood. It would not be long. Later Lucy opened her eyes. But they were not hers. Her eyes burned hard and red. Her mouth opened. Her teeth looked long and sharp. A spasm shook her body. Rage passed over her face like a dark shadow. Then her eyes closed and Vurderingseksemplar she breathed heavily. A few hours later Lucy’s eyes opened again. Now they were soft. She looked at me and whispered, “My true friend!”

Then her breathing stopped. My dear friend was dead. I said, “Dear Lucy, there is peace for you at last.” The doctor turned to me and said, “Not so, alas! Not so.

It is only the beginning.”

Adapted from Dracula by Bram Stoker

UNDERSTANDING

1 Answer the questions. a Where does Mina find Lucy on the first night? b What does Mina see on Lucy’s throat? c Why does Mina lock the bedroom door? d What does Mina see next to Lucy at the open window?

VIEWPOINTS

2 Discuss the questions. a What do you think the doctor means when he says

“It is only the beginning”? b What do you think will happen next? c Have you seen films, series or read other books about vampires? Which ones? Did you like them? d Why do you think people enjoy stories about vampires? e What do you think is making Lucy ill? f What do you think has made the marks on Lucy’s throat? g Why do you think Lucy’s eyes are burning hard and red at the end?

TEXT ANALYSIS

3 Answer the questions for analysis. Narrator: Who tells the story? Setting: Where and when does the story take place? Characters: Who is the story about? Plot: What happens in the story? Conflict: What is the problem? Theme: What is the story really about? 4 Narrator Does the writer use a first person or third person narrator? Find word clues.

e place? Vurderingseksemplar

CREATIVE CORNER

5 Find details about the setting in the text. Make a list. Use these details to draw a map of the setting.

VOCABULARY

6 Get a handout from your teacher. Finish the Dracula crossword with key words from the text. Use the clues to find the words.

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LANGUAGE LAB

7 Prepositions Find the missing prepositions. Choose from the list below.

with on of into after as in at

impale spidde Vampires roam the world at night looking for human blood to feed ___. They drain their victim’s blood ___ their sharp fangs and turn them ___ vampires. Some can take the form ___ bats or wolves. They have super strength and an overpowering effect ___ their victims. Most people associate vampires ___ Bram Stoker’s novel, Dracula. Stoker may have named his character ___ Vlad Dracula, also known ___ Vlad the Impaler. Vlad Dracula was a cruel ruler who lived ___ Romania ___ the 1400s. He earned his nickname “the Impaler” because his favorite way to kill his enemies was to impale them ___ a wooden stake. 8 Adverbs Find the adverb in each sentence from the text. a I woke her gently. gently b Later, we walked to the harbor. c It flew close to the window. 113 Vurderingseksemplar d I ran upstairs. e She breathed heavily. f Lucy slept late. g Often she sits at the open window. h She cried quietly and struggled for breath. i I saw them again. j I shall call for the doctor tomorrow.

DIGITAL DIVE

9 Find information about vampire bats. Write 4–6 sentences. Share what you find in small groups.