Lucy’s death bed condition in Seward’s diary dated September 7.
“I was shocked when I saw her yesterday, I was horrified when I saw her to-day. She was ghastly, chalkily pale; the red seemed to have gone even from her lips and gums, and the bones of her face stood out prominently; her breathing was painful to see or hear,”
I think this is a good definition of Lucy’s condition in a decaying state, wherein Seward uses a variety of descriptive words to tell Lucy’s condition. “chalkily pale, and spiritual pathology” seems she resemble a ghost(corpse) or a vampire; because vampire are of pale color and are soul seekers of blood.
The blood seemed to have gone from her lips and gums is a clear definition of what Felluga Kristevan, defines the word “abject” as a breakdown caused by the loss of the distinction between subject and object or between self and other..
Seward described It is something like the way Dame Nature gathers round a foreign body an envelope of some insensitive tissue which can protect from evil that which it would otherwise harm by contact. this is a form of communicable disease.
I like the first person narration as it gives a meaningful descriptive words that are sad and depressing and also terrifying., which is anticipating the outcome.
Earlier Dates before September 7th, Lucy was getting better but then a sudden change for the worse days later. Lucy was at her mother’s house instead of a hospital or hospice. But instead Seward who is in love with her decides to consult Van Helsing whom he thinks is “The Great Specialist.”
Hello,
The line where Lucy loses the color of her lips and gums is a perfect example of abjection. At the very moment, Lucy become less distinguishable and begins to lose distinction between living self and death itself. Lucy dying on her death bed was a saddening portionin the text but that section in particularly clearly depicts Felluga’s “abjection”.
I agree, the descriptions of Lucy resemble those of a vampire. She is dying without a doubt, very unfortunate. The mention of her lips and gums defines very well, the breakdown caused by the loss of the distinction between subject and object or between self and other.