The first chapter is a basic background of the character introduced at the start of the chapter. This chapter shows how he ended up getting interested in the mysterious city of "Transylvania" to meet a nobleman Count Dracula. The chapter is written in a diary form to make the readers feel as if the stories is truth.The chapter starts with Jonathan Harker in a train giving us precise time of his journey to further emphasis the fact that what the readers are reading is truth.
this chapter also shows us the brief overview of the deadly future that is ahead of the author. this can be proven by the fact that the old lady gives Jonathan a rosary and warns him about the awakening of the evils in the eve of the St.george`s day.the old woman evens falls to his feet and begs him not to go .another hint that the author gives us to make us aware of the dark path ahead are the people making the sign of the cross and pointing two fingers towards him to show their sympathy as it meant guard from an evil spirit.
the landscape also makes us thinks about the beauty of nature and it is described so beautifully that you get and insight image of what the author wanted us to see. the man who came to recieve Jonathan also had the mysterious air around him like he was a much greater and unusual being than a normal human. his whole appereance seems suspicious as he wore long dark coat and had red eyes and lips and sharp ivory teeth. as he appered in the scence a fellow passenger whispered " denn die todten reiten schnell" which literally translates to " for the dead travels fast". this could also be another warning sign for Jonathan which he supposedly igonores.
as he travels in the carriage he comes across a huge ruined castle with large glass windows. this feature of the castle shows that it was perhaps influnced by the gothic arhitecture. at the last page of this chapter the readers can quite imagine what the situation would have been like if they were in place of Jonathan because the author greatly describes the dark and haunting surrounding him. the heavy air around him and the accompany of the hawling wvoles with the moonlight also gives us that chill feeling. this also leads the readers into the darkness and the evil world of a devil.
side note....if i were Jonathan then i would have never gone to that wierd palce at the first place with all those people warning me...............................XD
You raise some interesting points here - and well summarised. As to your side note: remember that Harker is there not just because of an invitation, but because it is his job - therefore he has a duty to fulfil. In Victorian times especially, which is when this is written, duty came above all else. Thus, even in the face of danger he has to pursue his task - a bit like a knight on a dangerous quest.
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