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While Dracula, the most popular novel of the Irish writer Bram Stoker, and Purity and Danger, a well known book of English writer Mary Douglas were written in different centuries there are parallels that can be drawn between the two works. Bram Stoker’s Dracula contains many concepts presented in Mary Douglas’s work Purity and Danger. One prominent concept found in Dracula that was presented in Purity and Danger is that of the five responses to anomaly.
Before one can clearly discuss the several responses to anomaly one must first establish a clearer definition of anomaly. An anomaly is something that deviates from the pattern or order dictated by the norm, in other words, an irregularity.
According to Mary Douglas’s work Purity and Danger the five responses to anomaly are: avoidance of the anomalous, anomalous events or individuals may be labeled dangerous, anomaly can be redefined, anomalies can be elevated through ritual, and the elimination of the anomaly through physical control. ... 9, 2003)
The initial response to an anomaly is to try to avoid it, since once the anomaly has been recognized it causes anxiety. ... 5) Obviously, the towns people believe in an evil presence or anomaly and fear it so greatly that they could not even consider embarking on the journey that Jonathan is and are in fact shocked at his naivety of this anomaly that is so commonplace to them. ...
If an anomaly is very obvious one can not help but to notice it, this makes it very hard to avoid the anomaly. Since the anomaly is being noticed opinions will be formed around it, thus making the anomaly labeled. The anomaly will most likely be labeled as dangerous because it makes it less debatable. ... 44) Obviously Dracula has been labeled a dangerous individual because he’s exceeded the point of simply being a harmless anomaly, his anomalous character is so different now that not only is his character anomalous but his goals and motivations are so divergent from the standard that they are potentially harmful to others and in this case they are most definitely harmful because of his unique eating habits.
Approximate Word count = 1711
Approximate Pages = 6.8
(250 words per page double spaced)
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