Use these essay questions as writing and critical thinking exercises for all levels of writers, and to build their literary analysis skills by requiring textual references throughout the essay. 

Scaffolded/Short-Answer Essay Questions

Student Prompt: Write a short (1-3 paragraph) response using one of the below bulleted outlines. Cite details from the text over the course of your response that serve as examples and support.

1. Throughout the novel, objects that are sacred in the Christian religion are used to ward off vampires. What does the use of these symbolic objects imply about Christianity itself?

• Write a topic sentence that makes a claim about how sacred Christian objects are a source of protection in Dracula.
• Give at least three examples of specific objects that are used to protect people from vampires, and explain what these items symbolize; also explain what the vampires symbolize.
• Write a concluding sentence (or sentences) that ties your observations to the idea of Christianity as Salvation.

2. What is the significance of Lucy’s sleepwalking? How might this stand in for a larger idea than a simple medical condition? In what way is sleepwalking “in-between” two more common states of consciousness? What does this have to do with Lucy’s ability to understand reality, her choices, and her fate?