#Jonathan Harker my beloved

[serial-serializednovelreader]

Another adorable Jonmina thing I noticed (and I’m going to keep noticing them) is that Jonathan was definitely being put into some kind of trance by Count Dracula when they’re on the way to the castle. The endless stops, the circling back, the wolves, etc. I don’t know exactly how, but I think it was to lull Jonathan into a state of exhaustion or panic he couldn’t get out of so he’s more susceptible to suggestion and doesn’t notice anything off about his surroundings at all. Or he does, but he’s too scared to fight back against it, it’s unclear to me which (I’m sure y’all have a better idea!).

For the most part it works except…that’s right, folks!!! He remembers Mina again.

“Was this a customary incident in the life of a solicitor's clerk sent out to explain the purchase of a London estate to a foreigner? Solicitor's clerk! Mina would not like that. Solicitor—for just before leaving London I got word that my examination was successful; and I am now a full-blown solicitor! I began to rub my eyes and pinch myself to see if I were awake.”

Remembering Mina, while it doesn’t take away his fears entirely, does make him pinch himself to wake up and remind him why he needs to get out of there. Plus, it keeps him observant enough to notice that the Count and the driver almost seem like the same person…hmm. He might’ve noticed it regardless, but who’s to say?

Also, I find it cute that he remembers her in a sense of her hyping him up like “no Jonathan!!! You’re a solicitor now! Give yourself the right title.”

Just…THEM!!!!!

[ace-succo]

My contribution to dracula daily (I can't draw, bare with me)

[tainted--sorrow]

I apologize in advance for the person I will become once draculadaily starts

[serial-serializednovelreader]

Ok but this is super sweet!! I love this concept so much!! Here’s a snippet:

“Just one more time, dada!”

Jonathan rubbed his sleep-deprived eyes, smiling. It was 2 a.m. and Quincey still hadn’t drifted off to the land of dreams yet. From his extensive research, he knew toddlers had strange sleeping patterns. Some days, he would go to sleep at 10 p.m. on the dot.

Today was not one of those days.

“Very well then, but I’m only telling you up until I get to the castle. Then it’s off to sleep with you. Deal?”

Quincey’s eyes brightened in the moonlight, “Ya dada!” He giggled and it melted any annoyance Jonathan had at being kept awake away completely (which, to be fair, was very little to begin it with). After all, how could he resist his son’s adorable face?

He stood up from where he was sitting on Quincey’s bed to pull out the journal from the harrowing journey to Transylvania all those years ago. They kept it on his son’s bedroom bookshelf — along with the other records from their journey (including a phonograph with Seward’s recordings) — after Quincey had asked why his father’s hair was so white. Jonathan had tried to keep it short, but with Seward and Van Helsing there as well, they had ended up telling him the entire story. Ever since that day, he had asked to hear it almost nonstop.

Jonathan sometimes wished he would grow out of this phase, mostly for his own peace of mind. If it was up to him, they would never talk about that experience again. Remember it, sure (how could he forget it, after all?). But tell it to his son as if it were a fairytale? He couldn’t see why Quincey saw it as such an interesting story. His friends had died in front of him because of a blood-sucking parasite and he almost couldn’t stop it from happening to the one he loved most. If that had happened—

He shook those thoughts off. However he felt about it personally, he couldn’t deny Quincey anything. If he wanted to hear the story, he would tell it as many times as he wished. Besides, it was fun to see him punch an imaginary Dracula for hurting his mama and whenever they were able to have Seward and Van Helsing retell the story with them, it was full of funny voices and silly songs just to make Quincey laugh.

“Dada, pleeeeeeeaaassseee!!!!” Quincey’s lower lip wobbled and his doe brown eyes glistened.

“I’m sorry, dear, I got lost in thought.” Jonathan sat back down on the bed and opened the journal, which made more of a cracking sound than usual. He looked down at it and winced a little. It was worn with the amount of retellings. He might have to ask Mina if it was time to start rewriting it in a new journal before this one feel apart entirely.

As if he summoned her, warm arms wrapped around his chest and he felt a kiss get pressed to the top of his head. Even after all these years, butterflies were released in his stomach as if they were newlyweds.

“Didn’t I order you to go to sleep two hours ago, my love?” He hummed, holding the hands that pressed into his chest.

She kept her face pressed into his hair, stifling a laugh, “Jonathan, dear, the day you ‘order’ me to do anything is the day I’m crowned the Queen of England. You did strongly suggest it, but I missed you too much.”

He blushed a little at this and reached back to cup her cheek while staring into her eyes, “I’ll be in soon, I promise, Mina. I’m just trying to help Quincey sleep.”

She smiled, “The story again?”

“Yes.”

“Mama! Stay!” Quincey, now seeing his mother, grew more excited thinking that would entitle him to more of the story.

“Quincey, your mother needs her rest. She can help tell the story tomorrow morning.”

Mina sat next to him on the bed and kissed his cheek, “Oh, Jonathan, don’t be that way. I’m fine.” She reached over to ruffle her son’s hair, “Just for a little while, alright?”

The toddler clapped his hands in agreement. Jonathan shook his head with a rueful smile, “You’re spoiling him, you know?”

Mina grinned, “So do you. I saw you give him that extra cookie after I said he could only have one.”

“Well according to my research, a growing child needs a certain amount of food in a day and—“

“No, Jonathan, he looked at you with a sad face and you love him more than anything.”

His face flushed red and he looked to the side with a small smile, “There are two people I love more than anything, Mina. But yes, I suppose it is rather hard to resist his sad face.” Jonathan turned his head down to the journal. “Alright, Quincey, let’s begin. ‘Left Munich at 8:35 P.M., on 1st May…”

Jonathan is NOT trapped in a time loop Jonathan is trapped with a toddler who keeps asking him to tell about the time mama and dada killed a vampire with his uncles (and aunt).

[whydoihurtsomuch]

[queeniegalore]

“I sat down and simply cried.”

This is one of the saddest and most hopeless lines in this entire book, but I love that Jonathan is ALLOWED to do this, I love the subversive nature of one of the male leads being allowed to show this kind of weakness, and I love that it doesn’t diminish his character or make the audience adore him less. Oh, Jonathan 💔

[isbergillustration]

The Holiest Love

[panthermouthh]

“It is more dangerous than you think in this country.”

[paris-in-space]

Jonathan and Mina huddle when Jonathan was telling Mina that being unclean is nonesense and holding her closer

I am hoping this is the moment you meant because damn it hurts

I’m slowly collecting Jonathan’s various states of hair like Pokemon

[serial-serializednovelreader]

“If this book should ever find Mina before I do, let it bring my good-bye.” Sir, stop it. No, nothing is going to happen on your business trip it’s totally normal and everything is fine!!!!

On a more serious note, Y’ALL!!! The *second* he feels uneasy he literally turns to writing a goodbye to Mina. He has a feeling of anxiety and what does he do to feel safe? He writes to Mina. My good friend Jonathan Harker is even more in love with his fiancée and I am HERE FOR IT!!!

[serial-serializednovelreader]

I love this analysis!!! Also, that passage was interpreted as him worrying about being “emasculated” instead of *checks notes*…worrying about what his fiancée will think of him wanting to kiss other women?!!?!??!?!!?

Once again I am trying not to be surprised by the ways people misinterpret this book (and by “people”, I mean scholars and/or film producers) and I am still flabbergasted every time.

Often Jonathan's "It will cause Mina sadness to read this, but it's the truth" isn't given much thought/or gets interpreted as him thinking she will find him "emasculated" for being passive to women (which I see no real evidence for), but I think it's pretty good!

It continues the oft-unexplored theme of Communication in relationships, as well as informing Jonathan's reactions to the lips as more complicated than just repression. He also puts truth over concealing.

Yep, I think so too. I actually wrote a big post about it last year which gets into a bunch of reasons I like it at more length. But you're hitting the nail on the head for several of them. Communication is a huge theme in this book, so it works really well here. His diary containing the truth is also a huge plot point and a major concern for him personally both now and later, so his decision to do so here is very fitting.

The reaction to the lips specifically is also interesting actually because Jonathan describes/lingers on Dracula's own red lips and sharp teeth several times. And it's never so far been in the context of him being mesmerized and about to be preyed upon, but perhaps that's all it would take to make the switch there as well. The fascination/fear seems to an extent built in, and heightened when they are hunting in this particular way (as opposed to Dracula's violent lunge for Jonathan's throat with no warning when he saw his blood). I don't know, it adds a kind of cool detail that goes along with some kind of instinctive draw to/repulsion from vampires throughout the entire book. So I like it for that too.

I also find it, in a way, kind of a cute moment where even in the context of all this horror for his blood, life, possibly his soul - as he writes he's still thinking of Mina. Getting the true situation down is important to him in multiple ways, but he still feels bad about the idea of her seeing this and being sad. And it's like, Jonathan buddy this is far from the thing that will make her most upset about this account (and indeed, it's not anything that she lingers on when she reads it later), but it's sweet that you worried.

Also, at no point do I see any evidence for Jonathan worrying about being/being seen as emasculated either, LOL. If anything he's much more comfortable in a passive/follower role to Mina's active leadership and direction.

[ace-succo]

Jonathan Harker, in his latest entry: Dear diary.. today I couldn't find my diary, so I'm writing this on both of my Kung Fu Panda 2 DVDs

[dashedwithromance]

lying in bed kicking my feet twirling my hair like hiiiiiii jonathan hiiiiiiiii can’t wait to hear about your trip king drink water eat holy crackers have fun king <3

[corvys-clover]

"I need to get out of a toxic relationship."

Thinking about my favorite guy again <3

(this one's from back in July after I first saw the film)

Commissions open!

@corvys.clover on Instagram

[can-of-w0rmz]

The bisexual experience, I don’t know whether I want a Mina to my Jonathan or a Jonathan to my Mina, but either way I want what the Harkers have.

[bluecatwriter]

Just finished listening to today's Re: Dracula episode and it was SO GOOD for so many reasons, but something in particular stuck out:

During his final ride to Castle Dracula, Jonathan keeps comparing himself to and sympathizing with the horses, noting that they are reacting in similar ways to the dogs and then the wolves howling. The horses are a physical manifestation of Jonathan's growing terror, showing outwardly what he feels inwardly.

And then the driver stops to whisper in the horse's ears, and Jonathan says: "under his caresses they became quite manageable again, though they still trembled. "

The use of physical touch and (possibly hypnotic) words to calm the creature that has every right to be afraid— the use of the word "caresses" (the way Jonathan will be under those hands and that voice very soon and will be "quite manageable" as he desperately tries to stay alive).

I think I need to go lie in a bog for a while, I am NOT okay.