Theme: vulnerability
Dracula / Desperation for Life
Check to the King!” We took Lucy into another room, which had by now been prepared, and laid her in bed and forced a few drops of brandy down her thro...
The War of the Worlds / Survival Under Siege
A man, knee-deep near the towing path, shouted inaudibly to me and pointed. Looking back, I saw the other Martians advancing with gigantic strides dow...
Twenty Thousand Leagues under the Sea / Nature vs Humanity
But we cannot prevent equilibrium from producing its effects. We may brave human laws, but we cannot resist natural ones.” Captain Nemo had chosen a s...
The War of the Worlds / Urban Isolation
I was weary after eating, and went into the parlour behind the bar, and slept on a black horsehair sofa I found there. I awoke to find that dismal how...
A Journey to the Centre of the Earth / Man vs Nature
As we are totally incapable of steering our frail craft, we shall become the mere plaything of the storm, and it is acting the part of madmen if we, a...
Gulliver's Travels / Struggle at Sea
The seamen threw me the end of the cord, which I fastened to a hole in the fore-part of the boat, and the other end to a man of war; but I found all m...
Twenty Thousand Leagues under the Sea / Unseen Threats
As we advanced, I heard a kind of pattering above my head.
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes / Class and Deceit
James Ryder, upper-attendant at the hotel, gave his evidence to the effect that he had shown Horner up to the dressing-room of the Countess of Morcar ...
The War of the Worlds / Urban Panic
There is no safety from the Black Smoke but in instant flight.” That was all, but it was enough. The whole population of the great six-million city wa...
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes / Domestic Turmoil
Or should you rather that I sent James off to bed?” “Oh, no, no! I am so frightened about him!” It was not the first time that she had spoken to us of...
Dracula / Loss and Mourning
The wind rushed in through the broken window, and the door slammed to. They lifted off the body of my dear mother, and laid her, covered up with a she...
Gulliver's Travels / Resourcefulness and Dependency
Her mother and she contrived to fit up the baby’s cradle for me against night: the cradle was put into a small drawer of a cabinet, and the drawer pla...
Dracula / Dawns Awakening
* * * * * _4 October, morning._--Once again during the night I was wakened by Mina. This time we had all had a good sleep, for the grey of the coming ...
The War of the Worlds / Visceral Recognition
Nearer, I distinguished the green slime of ditches mixing with the pale drab of dried clay and shiny, coaly patches. His black hair fell over his eyes...
Dracula / Conflict of Interest
Finally she went down on her knees and implored me not to go; at least to wait a day or two before starting. It was all very ridiculous but I did not ...
Dracula / Tension and Touch
The nails were long and fine, and cut to a sharp point. As the Count leaned over me and his hands touched me, I could not repress a shudder.
A Journey to the Centre of the Earth / Intimacy and Vulnerability
To my surprise, or rather to my stupefaction, he placed it to my lips. I looked at him, with, I am sure, quite an idiotic expression.
Dracula / Harvest of Flies
I thought it well to humour him: so he is back in his room with the window open. He has the sugar of his tea spread out on the window-sill, and is rea...
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes / Descent into Chaos
At first I thought that she had not recognised me, but as I bent over her she suddenly shrieked out in a voice which I shall never forget, ‘Oh, my God...
Gulliver's Travels / Surrender and Awe
The astonishment here was much greater than at the sight of my scimitar. Hundreds fell down as if they had been struck dead; and even the emperor, alt...
Gulliver's Travels / Curiosity and Conflict
I soon fell asleep, and all I can conjecture is, while I slept, the page, thinking no danger could happen, went among the rocks to look for birds’ egg...
Gulliver's Travels / Power and Fragility
said, of one entire adamant, two hundred yards thick, might happen to crack by too great a shock, or burst by approaching too near the fires from the ...
Gulliver's Travels / Curiosity and Fear
The weather being very warm, the closet-window was left open, as well as the windows and the door of my bigger box, in which I usually lived, because ...
Around the World in Eighty Days / Cultural Breach
Happily the temple walls were built of brick and wood, which could be penetrated with little difficulty; after one brick had been taken out, the rest ...
A Journey to the Centre of the Earth / Navigating Perilous Terrain
It is necessary, however, to take great precaution, in order to avoid the weight of falling waters, which would cause the raft to founder in an instan...
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes / Awakening Justice
The sleeper half turned, and then settled down once more into a deep slumber. Holmes stooped to the water-jug, moistened his sponge, and then rubbed i...
Gulliver's Travels / Courtly Chaos
One day, at dinner, this malicious little cub was so nettled with something I had said to him, that, raising himself upon the frame of her majesty’s c...
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes / Love and Loss
My family itself is so small that it will not take me long to describe it. When my dear wife died I felt that he was all I had to love. I could not be...
Dracula / Hypnotic Intrigues
Mina woke me early, about the same time as yesterday, and asked me to bring Dr. I thought that it was another occasion for hypnotism, and without ques...
Dracula / Vulnerability and Anxiety
She seems not too well herself, and doubtless she fears to worry me. I tried to keep awake, and succeeded for a while; but when the clock struck twelv...
The War of the Worlds / Survival in Darkness
Here we happened on no dead, though the night was too dark for us to see into the side roads of the place. In Sheen my companion suddenly complained o...
A Journey to the Centre of the Earth / Descent into Darkness
The descent then commenced in the following order: Hans went first, my uncle followed, and I went last. Our progress was made in profound silence--a s...
The War of the Worlds / Survival and Threat
I stopped to look at them, drawing a lesson from their stout resolve to live. And presently, turning suddenly, with an odd feeling of being watched, I...
Gulliver's Travels / Supernatural Encounters
He desired me to give him some account of my travels; and, to let me see that I should be treated without ceremony, he dismissed all his attendants wi...
The War of the Worlds / Confronting Death
When it came, I saw that he was a sturdy man, cheaply but not shabbily dressed; his head was bent under his body, and he lay crumpled up close to the ...
Pride and Prejudice / Social Games
“You cannot be more than twenty, I am sure,--therefore you need not conceal your age.” “I am not one-and-twenty.” When the gentlemen had joined them, ...
The War of the Worlds / Unexpected Encounters
In another moment a bend in the road hid the three men from my brother’s eyes. So, quite unexpectedly, my brother found himself, panting, with a cut m...
Dracula / Protective Circumference
Then, with the fear on me of what might be, I drew a ring so big for her comfort, round where Madam Mina sat; and over the ring I passed some of the w...
Pride and Prejudice / Emotional Conflict
In spite of her deeply-rooted dislike, she could not be insensible to the compliment of such a man’s affection, and though her intentions did not vary...
Dracula / Strength in Vulnerability
You are weakened already.” As he spoke he took off his coat and rolled up his shirt-sleeve. Again the operation; again the narcotic; again some return...
Dracula / Secrets and Acknowledgments
I have copied out the words on my typewriter, and none other need now hear your heart beat, as I did.” “No one need ever know, shall ever know,” I sai...
Pride and Prejudice / Social Dynamics Revealed
Mary’s powers were by no means fitted for such a display; her voice was weak, and her manner affected. She looked at Jane to see how she bore it; but ...
Dracula / Breaking Boundaries
Suddenly the door was burst open, and in rushed my patient, with his face distorted with passion. I was thunderstruck, for such a thing as a patient g...
A Journey to the Centre of the Earth / Volcanic Exploration
Nevertheless, it appeared quite clear to me, that we were not in the principal chimney of the volcano, but in an accessory conduit, where we felt the ...
The War of the Worlds / Concealment and Urgency
My brother pushed the pony and chaise back into the hedge, and the man drove by and stopped at the turn of the way. It was a carriage, with a pole for...
The War of the Worlds / Chaos and Indifference
It was this howling and firing of the guns at Ripley and St. George’s Hill that we had heard at Upper Halliford. The Ripley gunners, unseasoned artill...
Gulliver's Travels / Identity and Contempt
I expressed my uneasiness at his giving me so often the appellation of _Yahoo_, an odious animal, for which I had so utter a hatred and contempt: I be...
Dracula / Depths of Expression
I am speaking from the depths of my heart--of my very soul. You don’t know whom you wrong, or how; and I may not tell.