The Horrifying Difference between “Dracula” and “The Metamorphosis”
The book Dracula written by Bram Stoker and The Metamorphosis by Kafka are two significant works in literature. These books explore horrifying fantasies though in different styles. This paper will analyze the two books, explore the different styles used, and explain the way in which they affect the readers.
The Metamorphosis talks about Gregor Samsa, the individual who once wakes up and realizes that he has transformed into a monstrous vermin. The story continues as Gregor undergoes rejection and humiliation from his family to the point where he attempts to escape. The title The Metamorphosis does not only refer to the physical transformation of Gregor but also his mental conversion.
The author has used different styles to make the intended influence on his readers. As the story begins, the author uses anacoluthon. It is also known as a syntactic blend, an abrupt change of sentence form and construction into a different sentence that is not grammatically consistent with the previous one. In this case, anacoluthon brought a deliberate rhetorical effect. At the beginning of the story, the author says, “When Gregor Samsa woke up one morning from unsettling dreams, he found himself changed”; the next sentence is “Into a monstrous vermin.” The anacoluthon here is the sentence “Into a monstrous vermin” (Kafka 54). The reader will ask himself rhetorical questions regarding the transformation of Gregor. The use of anacoluthon at the beginning of this story creates suspense in the readers, and the author intends to make the readers more cautious.
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Kafka also uses metaphor focusing on the truth of spirituality and the absurdity of people’s lives. He is keen to dig deep into his characters’ minds and examine the motivation of their deeds as well as their psychology. A clear example is the fact that he notices that Gregor’s family never addresses him by the term cockroach though he is the one. This is because the family refuses to believe that Gregor is a cockroach. For this reason, they hide him and restrict his movements (Kafka 61). The author also shows the readers what is going on in Gregor’s mind. The use of metaphor affects the readers in a number of ways. To begin with, it helps the reader to create a picture of the situation and, secondly, it helps to create the connection with the character in the story. The author’s purpose of using metaphor is to enable the reader to actually feel his expressions in the work of art.
Finally, the author uses irony in his work. It is evident that the physical transformation of Gregor has not affected his psychological transformation in any manner. The irony lies in the fact that although Gregor has become a beast physically, he is more human inside. When he escapes from his room for the third and final time, he is drawn by his sister’s violin, something that a cockroach is incapable to do. It is also ironical that although his family is supposed to be humane and friendly to Gregor, they are more beastlike. They do not take care of Gregor; instead, they confine him into his room and forget about his existence. Irony positively influences the reader, because it makes the book more interesting. The author’s intention of using irony is to convey a deeper idea to the readers without stating the message directly.
The book Dracula also uses different styles to explore horrifying fantasy. As the story begins, Jonathan Harker travels to the Castle Dracula in Transylvania. His aim is to finalize the transfer of his real estate in England to Court Dracula. Although numerous people are fearful of Dracula and the journey to Transylvania, Harker goes ahead with his plans. Things do not go well when he arrives there and realizes that Court Dracula is Dracula who feeds on people’s blood. Court Dracula captures and imprisons him. He uses him as a source of blood until Harker manages to escape from the prison.
To begin with, the author uses symbolism in different aspects. Blood symbolizes power, strength, and youthfulness. According to Reinfield, the consumption of blood enabled Dracula to gain more power from people who obviously died. A clear example is the fact that after feeding on Lucy’s blood in Europe, they become younger. This may mean that according to The Dracula, when vampires consume human blood, they gain some of the vital powers that humans have. Another example of symbolism is the communion and the sacred wafer. According to Catholics, wine and bread always undergo substantiation and become the body and blood of Jesus. This symbolizes the significance of religion and the manner in which different people interpret the Bible. Symbolism makes the book more interesting to the readers. The author’s reason for using symbolism is providing not only descriptions but also meaning to his works of art.
One more style used in the book Dracula is imagery. From the story, we clearly see the manner in which Lucy sleepwalks and sits on the graveyard. Another form of imagery is used where Harker becomes a prisoner in the Castle Dracula. It is easy to create the mental picture of the bride Dracula trying to attack him (Stoker, Bram, & Byron 55). Imagery is very important as it helps the readers create a mental picture of the story. The author’s purpose of using imagery is making the readers visualize the story as they read.
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