Dracula Foreignness and "The Other" Quotes

How we cite our quotes: Citations follow this format: (Chapter.Paragraph)

Quote #1

The impression I had was that we were leaving the West and entering the East. (1.1)

Harker considers Budapest, the capital of Hungary, to be the last outpost of "the West" as he enters "the East." It's a total cultural change after crossing the river—in the "East," everyone is superstitious and caught up in traditions. Also, there are vampires.

Quote #2

In the library I found, to my great delight, a vast number of English books, whole shelves full of them, and bound volumes of magazines and newspapers. (2.28)

Dracula learns about Englishness by reading English literature. Just another thing that Dracula and non-English Shmoopers have in common?

Quote #3

"I long to go through the crowded streets of your mighty London, to be in the midst of the whirl and rush of humanity, to share its life, its change, its death, and all that makes it what it is." (2.30)

Of course Dracula wants to be "in the midst of the whirl and rush of humanity." He'd be like a kid in a candy store! So many people to feed on, so little time. That's the trouble with Transylvania—there just aren't enough people.