So many texts...

One of the most striking parallels to Frankenstein that I found while reading Dracula was the amount of letters and journal entries that appear throughout just the first four chapters. In the continuation of the discussion we had in Frankenstein concerning unreliable information and voicelessness, I would like to address specifically the idea of unreliable information. First, it is very important to notice that Jonathan's diary was kept in shorthand, a symbolic writing system designed for completeness and quickness. Thus our first distortion comes to play: the journal is not written in English but through the use of symbols of the English language. It is already translated and to be translated back into English for the reader to understand implies that there could already be some distortion to the truth.

Another important spot to see this unreliable nature of journals, letters, et cetera is when Dracula urges Jonathan to write three letters to assure those in England that he is well and on his way home. Obviously, these are lies and Dracula has more sinister schemes in wait for Jonathan. This is also shown early on when Dracula also limits what Jonathan can or cannot send back home: he intercepts Jonathan's letters that were given to the gypsies, he burns the letter which he cannot understand (which is written in shorthand), and he dictates what Jonathan may write in his letters home.

Even on the introduction page there is a disclaimer that "all needless matters have been eliminated [from the novel]" (vi). This also shows that there was information lost in editing. There are many instances throughout just this introduction of this novel on the unreliable nature of texts and the use of control through writing. This topic will be of more interest as the novel continues, especially in the end when all the texts are compiled and edited by the main characters. What information is real? What has been left out? What has been skewed?

Also, a picture of shorthand for those of you who were wondering like I was. :)