Dracula's Guest Setting Essay

Setting is used to bring detail and structure to a story, to make it seem more realistic and enjoyable to read, but it can also be used to reflect the overall theme of a narrative to readers through the uses of techniques. From the two short stories “Dracula’s Guest” by Bram Stoker and “ The Fallen House of Usher” by Edgar Allan Poe, the use of setting to depict thematic occurrences is implied. Both fictions demonstrate the use of time awareness, weather changes, feelings characters get from their surroundings, colour choices and visual aspects of the setting specific objects to illustrate the narratives inner theme. At the beginning of each short story, it is evident that the setting is at night. In Dracula’s Guest, night is interpreted through …show more content…
Dracula’s Guest states, “a perfect tornado burst upon” the main character (Stoker). This is equal to the end of the House of Usher when the main character explains, “the storm was still abroad in all its wrath” (Poe). These two storms illustrate theme by displaying chaotic and unpleasant scenery. Since the theme of these two stories is gothic, the scenery, which illustrates dreadful conditions, reflects the theme directly, making it easier for the reader to interpret. Another example of the use of weather changes to depict theme is in Dracula’s Guest when the chronicler described that “the wind grew stronger and blew with ever increasing force… and the snow started falling so thickly and whirling” that they could not see out of their own eyes (Stoker). This corresponds to the character in the House of Usher who explains, “ there were frequent and violent alterations in the direction of the wind” (Poe). The use of weather, such as a fierce storms or climate changes, can mirror theme by weather illustrating moods that correspond exactly to it. As stated, these two stories display a gothic theme so the storms portray gloom, dreariness and misfortune, which are evidently displayed in gothic …show more content…
In Dracula’s Guest, the main character feels that, “there was an icy feeling at the back of their neck”, after they entered the tomb (Stoker). This is parallel to the character from the House of Usher who believes the residence gives off “an iciness, a sinking, a sickening of heart” feeling (Poe). Here one can get an impression of theme by understanding what the character feels from their environment. Under these circumstances, the theme is illustrated as gothic and this is taken from reactions of characters feeling spooked, and unsettled. Both readings also elaborate on a “sorrowful impression” of the setting (Poe). The character from Dracula’s Guest feels a “ sense of weariness that was dreadful” (Stoker), whereas the main character from the House of Usher, encounters “unredeemable dreariness” (Poe). With the use of reactions of characters to their settings, it is evident that theme can be illustrated. In this case, since gothic is the theme for both stories, the reactions of feeling eerie, fearful or shudder some, match the theme since these genres are about gloom and