The vampire is a creature which sucks blood out of beings while they are quietly sleeping at night in order to reach eternal life. Blood is reminiscent in vampire stories in general, and in Dracula in particular: blood is life. Vampirism is also closely linked to sexuality. Both involve desire, penetration and exchange of blood or sperm. Blood transfusions are transformed into sexual acts. The stabbing of Lucy symbolically means that she is deflowered by her husband-to-be. Mina is forced to drink blood from Dracula's chest which represents a reversal of the mother-like figure. Religion is also very present in Dracula. Everything that has been made by Jesus Christ is inverted or perverted by Dracula, even the process of transubstantiation itself. Both Renfield and Dracula question the truth and virtue of Jesus Christ's actions. Bram Stoker constantly turns things around. He has broken the taboos of Victorian society. The vampire is a representation of everything that Victorian society rejected.