explain the christian themes in the book

In
the Christian theme is first shown in the symbols which, apparently in ,
are thought necessary in combating vampires. When Jonathan Harker is on his way to the Castle
one of the local women gives him a crucifix for protection. What is interesting is that Harker
tells us that as an "English Churchman" he has been taught to regard crucifixes as
"idolatrous."

One does not know if Stoker is alluding to this
difference within Christian denominations (that some are opposed to iconographic portrayals of
Jesus, while others are not) simply incidentally, or if it has some relevance to his overall
theme of good versus evil. The setting of Dracula's home embodies a , in that the surrounding
population are devout, while right in their midst a gigantic source of evil exists in Dracula. A
passenger in the carriage, overwhelmed by the beauty of the mountains, utters the words
"Isten szek!" which Stoker (and Harker) correctly translate from
Hungarian as "God's seat."

The paradox of religion alongside evil
is extended and developed when Dracula begins narrating his and the region's history to Harker.
The Ottoman conquest of the previous centuries pitted Islam against Christianity. Dracula
proudly and emotionally describes his (or his people's) defense of the region--in which they
were upholding their Christian faith--by alluding to the one who pursued and "beat the Turk
on his own ground." But Dracula has essentially set himself up as a kind of alternative god
among those local people who are loyal to him. "The Szgany have given me these,"
Dracula tells Harker about the letters Harker had thrown to the man in the courtyard in hope of
getting word to the outside about his imprisonment. It forms a contrast with the way others in
the region have regarded Dracula with fear and loathing, almost as a kind of
Antichrist.

The use of Christian symbols later extends to Van Helsing's using
the Eucharist (the Communion wafer symbolic of Christ) as the team prevent Lucy, now a vampire,
from returning to her tomb and continuing her existence as one of the undead. Van Helsing thus
approaches the problem of vampirism both as a scientist, and as a religious man. Killing Lucy is
an act of mercy because it is the only way her soul will find Christian salvation. Even Dracula
himself, when the band track him down and kill him, seems to be granted this salvation when his
face finally shows a look of peace at the end. And the story overall is a kind of pre-enactment
of the apocalyptic defeat of evil prophesied in Christian thought.