Use these questions or activities to help gauge students’ familiarity with and spark their interest in the context of the work, giving them an entry point into the text itself.

Short Answer

1. How many characteristics of the gothic novel can you list? 

Teaching Suggestion: This question will allow you to gauge how much additional information students need before continuing this discussion and before reading Stoker’s novel. Should students reveal only partial understanding of the gothic novel, you can share information from one or both of the following sites:

• this 12-minute Lit Crit video defining key characteristics of the genre
• this 9-minute British Library video discussing gothic motifs

2. What are some examples of gothic stories, and what makes them gothic?

Teaching Suggestion: This question is an excellent opportunity to refine students’ understanding of the term “gothic” and to generate interest in reading Dracula. As students discuss various examples of gothic stories, help them see which are truly gothic in the literary sense, and how the term “gothic” is sometimes used more broadly in casual speech. Encourage them to share what is exciting, moving, or thought-provoking about gothic stories they have encountered. As students debate what is and is not gothic and how the elements of this genre impact audiences, these resources may be of use: