BELLEVILLE — Kalyn Reid, a senior at Belleville East High School and treasurer of the school’s Literary Lancers, was recently featured in the National English Honor Society’s international publication, the NEHS Museletter.
Reid’s essay, titled “Immortal Words: Bram Stoker’s Eternal Influence on Gothic Horror,” appeared in the Dec. 9, 2025, edition.
The essay highlights Reid’s exploration of Bram Stoker’s lasting impact on the gothic horror genre.
Bram Stoker was raised Protestant in the Church of Ireland, not Catholic, though his novel “Dracula” is rich with Catholic symbolism, featuring protagonists using crucifixes, holy wafers, and indulgences to fight the vampire, presenting a conflict between Protestant and Catholic imagery. He also wrote other notable gothic thrillers like “The Jewel of Seven Stars” 1903), “The Lair of the White Worm” (1911), and “The Mystery of the Sea” (1902).
The recognition in the NEHS Museletter marks a notable achievement for Reid and the Belleville East English Honor Society Literary Lancers.
