Frankenstein

= **Section One** = **1. Why did you select this novel? ** I selected this novel because it was a classic novel that I wanted to read some day. When I was looking to choose a book my father looked through the selection, he said that Frankenstein was a must. He had read many of the books on the list but said that Frankenstein held a big question to humanity, can man play god? Frankenstein has been so deformed by the media that many think it is just some simple story of a man making a monster, the town getting mad, then killing them both. It is far from just that. I thought if I actually read the book, I could tell others the true story of Frankenstein.

Frankenstein is a harder read, using old English and complicated language along with many descriptive words. I found that I sometimes had to reread a paragraph to really understand it, especially at the beginning when it is less action and more thoughts. Once it started to get into more interesting happenings I found that I got into the book more and got used to the word styles. The first part that I read were from the point of view of Captain Walton in letters home to his sister. It provided interesting insight to how people in the 1800’s were very open about their love to others, or at least Mary Shelly was.
 * 11. Comment on the style of the novel. Is it easy or hard to follow the events? **

The first problem faced by Captain Walton is that he is in need of a friend. On his trip to the the north pole he starts to feel lonely due to the lack companionship. He writes that “These complaints are useless for I will find no friend on the open ocean.” Despite his doubt however, he finds a man on the ice sheets traveling by dogsled chasing a man of gigantic stature the crew had seen in the distance earlier (who I believe may be the monster). Walton feels a connection between him and this man (who I believe may be Dr. Frankenstein) and writes so in his letters. This problem is not confirmed solved yet for Walton is still unsure of what the man has gone through and if he may leave soon on pursuit of the gigantic man. Section two **5. Who is telling the story? How does this person’s perspective effect the way the story is told? ** At the beginning, the story is told from the perspective of Captain Walton in letters home to his sister. After these letters it gets into chapters and at this point the story is being told by Frankenstein (Frankenstein is the Doctor, not the monster as many think). I presume it is a sort of journal log of what was happening, as he does say some things sort of directed towards the journal. I found that when Frankenstein was telling the story, it was more descriptive and I connected to it more. He was talking about how if a man thinks as his small town as the world to him, he will be happy. But once a man is aware of the world, aware of himself, his pain of knowledge becomes immanent. I really connected to this statement. I was happier when all I thought about was my direct world, but I would not give up my worldly knowledge for anything. It is better that way, somehow. His emotions that he describes, and the thoughts he thinks seemed to be directly out of my mind. I got excited about this fact and started to intently read.
 * 7. What is the initial or first problem faced by the main character? **

Shelly uses a lot of suspense in her book, such as when Dr. Frankenstein was talking about how he figured out how to create life. Some may give up on reading the book, however, because many books are only about what is currently happening. Frankenstein’s beginning is not all too much action and happenings, but thoughts and emotions. Some may get bored before they get into the ‘good part’ and have truly missed out. I had been told that the book started slow and I shouldn’t give up on it. At first I was worried I would get bored and not be so motivated to keep reading. I was not bored at all. I always felt a thirst for more information, for more knowledge of this mysterious man, choosing to sail out to the North Pole. I wanted to know who the man’s journal belonged to, why he was reading these old natural philosophy books instead of current studies of the time. I soon enough learned both of these mysteries and gained new question which I yearned the answer for. At one point, Dr. Frankenstein was talking about how if a man thinks as his small town as the world to him, he will be happy. But once a man is aware of the world, aware of himself, his pain of knowledge becomes immanent. I really connected to this statement. I was happier when all I thought about was my direct surroundings, but I would not give up my worldly knowledge for anything. It is better that way, somehow. The emotions that he described, and the thoughts he told, seemed to be directly out of my mind. I got excited about this fact and started to intently read. I felt a want to read more than I ever had before.
 * 8. How does the author get you to read on or hold your interest? **

I do not believe that Mary Shelly aimed the novel to anybody while writing it, but instead wrote to the best of her ability and refrained from toning it down. However, this is not an easy read. I myself even had to search up the meaning for a few words that where in this book. A 7 year old would not enjoy or understand this book even if it was read out to them. I think that could be the reason why the Frankenstein franchise has been mutated from it’s original plot and meaning. So I would guess that if I had to give an applicable age for reading this, it would be 13 or 14 plus. If I had to give an intelligence need for this book, it would have to be someone who thinks of the world more, and someone who you could call ‘smart’. Section three **10. What plot twists or unexpected events happen as the novel goes on? ** There are a few major plot twist that have happened in only the first half of the novel. The first was when Frankenstein created the daemon, and it escaped. This really gave the novel more action and it started to feel like nothing was concrete. If a man really could create life from death, then the world had lost the only thing that kept it alive and in order. If man could play god, then what power does god have? The second major plot twist was after Frankenstein had recovered from his sickness, and got a letter from his father. This letter said that William, Victor Frankenstein’s brother, had been murdered. At first Victor did not think that the modern Prometheus he had created had any relation to this event. While traveling to Geneva, where his family lived, he saw in the dark, in the flashes of lightning, the monster he had made. At this point he realised that the monster did this. This showed that that monster was not mistaken for good. This monster was evil, and a murderer. Frankenstein had created his own doom, his own grief, and he thought of the death of William as his own fault. The last major plot twist up until page 100 was when Frankenstein was taking an adventure through the Alps. While going up a large mountain, he saw a man of gigantic stature moving at super human speeds over the glacier, leaping over crevices and ravines. It was the monster he had made. Once the monster had reached Frankenstein, Frankenstein yelled and threatened the monster with all the hate in the world. The monster said that he too was miserable and alone. The while world feared and hated him. He asked Frankenstein to hear his story before he continued to hate him. This point in the story made the monster more dynamic and you could not help but feel sympathy for the creature. This surpirsed me while I read the story. Not only could it move, but it had complex emotion and was smart also.
 * 13. To what age group is the novel aimed? Support your answer with evidence. **

The main theme emerging from the book is the question, “should man play god?” Throughout the story Victor Frankenstein questions if he should be doing the work of god. After he had created this daemon, he regretted doing something only nature should do. This is shown in multiple lines of the book through regrets from the Doctor. So far, it seems that man should not play god, yet the monster said while talking to Victor, “You wait, I will be an asset to humanity.” A large amount of suspense was built up at this point, and I still do not know how this monster will fulfil his promise.
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">14. Is there a message or main theme emerging in the book? How is it shown? **

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The first, most important information you needed to know before even attempting this to read this novel, was how to read. The second was to know a small amount of knowledge on some principal founding fathers of chemistry. Frankenstein himself becomes obsessed in reading there books as a child. It fills up a large amount of his knowledge in science. Another thing you must know about is the life in the 1800’s. This novel takes place in this time and you must know that they do not have IPods and Internet in that time. Science was not so easily spread around, and this plays a big role in the novel. Section four **<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">9. What new things are added to the original problem as the novel progresses? ** <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">As the novel goes on, Frankenstein’s problem aren’t just the fact that he has studied chemistry philosophy and not direct concepts and studies accepted by science. However this philosophy of science helped him create the monster, the monster that causes his problems to come. All problems have been linked and have grown. First creating the monster, then getting sick of the worry and fear that came with it. Afterwards, his creation kills his brother, causing Frankenstein immense depression and guilt. While Frankenstein takes a trip to the Swiss Alps, he finds the daemon. This creature tell Frankenstein his story of the problems he went through, of his born exile and hate from humanity. This monster grew emotions of humans, learned their language, and their society through listening and watching them. He learned their hate and fear of the different by experience. He tried to kindly confront and make friend with them, but only got beat and shot. After realizing that no man would ever love him, he asks of Frankenstein to make a female companion for him. This is another problem for Frankenstein for he does not know if the monster will keep to his promise of staying away from all humans with his new companion. All of these problems do no solve themselves, but mutate into a larger problem with more consequences.
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">2. What information did you need to know before reading the novel? **

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">I would recommend this novel to a friend because it truly is one of, if not, the best book I have ever read. It’s writing is not simply, “Bob thought that Joe was dumb. Bob then walked over to Joe and told him ‘You are stupid.’” If you were to write the same scene in the style Frankenstein is written in, it would read, “Bob’s thoughts about Bob were of a negative perspective. His actions were of a fool; his mind small! of that which man throws pitiless shame towards.” ( the ‘...small! his...’ was on purpose for it is in the novel quite a bit) Instead of just simple actions, movement, and speech, Frankenstein’s words explain his feelings, his thoughts, his mind, and his being. His depression is shown like no other, his excitement could only be felt more if you too were there. The novel is not just a story, but a flashlight shining through the shadows of humanity to show our un-lightable darkness. I myself have looked at myself differently. While walking down the street I saw a man walking down towards me. I thought to myself, “If this man was of gigantic stature, his face horrid, but his nature the same now, would I not feel fear?” I knew I would think of his personality as horrible as his face. My bias is there, as for everyone. If my friend should read this with as much understand as I, he too would see himself for what he is.
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">21. Why would you (or why wouldn't you) recommend this novel to a friend? **

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The new character introduced is the true monster. Until this point you thought of him as a brain dead idiot who was a horrible creature. In this section Frankenstein’s creation is explained to what he really is. This monster is a lonely, depressed, and misunderstood creature. He feels emotions, thinks, and reasons. He watches as 3 humans living in a cabin go through their lives. He helps them by gathering wood, an unseen extra hand. He grows emotions towards these people. His only intent is to help others and not destroy them but his character is changed by humanity. When he finally tries to introduce himself to the old and blind gentleman, he tells him that he is a traveler looking for rest. Since the man cannot see, his bias is gone. The monster tells that when the others come home, they will hate and fear him. He tells him that he is the lonliest being in the entire world and the man says that there is love within him for those who have a good heart. As soon as the others get back they take the old man away from the monster and start hitting the monster. This makes him feel even more unloved, and realizes that he will never be accepted by the hating eyes of man. Section Five **<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">16. What is the climax of the novel? ** <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The climax of the novel is at the very end when the monster is standing over Frankenstein’s body. The monster talks about what happened after he last talked to Frankenstein. He tells about how he was not a wretched daemon who smiled at the sight of dead men, but felt guilty and miserable about doing so. He said that revenge was what drove him to do these things, and that he felt Frankenstein should suffer the same as him. He killed Clerval out of rage when Frankenstein refused to make him a companion and destroyed the work he had towards doing so. When he saw that Frankenstein was to get married and have a chance of happiness, he killed Elizabeth, Frankenstein’s wife. He lead Frankenstein towards the most north point of the world, making sure he would be there to see what he were to do. Once Frankenstein had died of exhaustion and sickness, he felt that his purpose was over. The whole plan was to lead him up here to die, and once Frankenstein did, he too were to die by lighting his boat on fire while he lay on its torn up limber. At the very point that the monster finished what he felt was his only purpose, and told of his plans, the climax was over.
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">15. Describe any new characters that are introduced? What is their purpose? **

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">As the novel goes on many expectations and thoughts of foreshadowing are rendered false. When you think that Frankenstein was really going to create this companion for the monster, he changes mind almost instantly when he sees the monster and destroys his work. When Frankenstein is walking through the inn, waiting and watching for the monster who said he would be with him at his marriage (inferring he were to kill him or his wife) you think that Frankenstein might actually get him. Frankenstein has many pistols and guns with him and it was previously said that the monster was not strong enough to resist bullets. But then he hears a scream and sees that the monster has murdered his wife. Many moments throughout this book seem unstable and worrisome. The only thing that seems definant in this novel is death, the same as of life.
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">10. What plot twists or unexpected events happen as the novel goes on? **

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Despite the fact that making a creature out of dead parts seem a little impossible, the actions of the characters is believable. If one were to make such being, we would hate and despise it just because of its looks. We are shallow beings that judge for what we see, so are the characters in this story. We mold others to how we treat them, and so do the people in the story. We may never create a being from nothing, but we will treat other with bias and hate.
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">20. Is the novel believable? **

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; display: block; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Focus Assignment: Man is a horrible thing. Man does not understand nor care; man does not love. Man loves another, but affection is not shown to the other. We like what we see, and go along with what we hear. The only bias man will not show, is to being bias itself. We discriminate another and the other, ourselves and our own. This was what I got out of Frankenstein. Man’s hate for the different is not a one way force. The shallow visions of man turned Frankenstein’s creation to their own. The monster wanted to become like man from what he saw, the kindness and loving. In the end he did become like man, in it’s hate and ignorance. Mary Shelley directed this book towards the world at that time. A new world had been found and the people who inhabited it were different than the British. She was telling not to hate and despise for what you look like, but for what you are like. But as men are, we stood ignorant to this message and warning. Today we remember the horrible history that came afterwards. Genocide, murder, invasion, and man’s most dominant emotion, hate. At the end, when Frankenstein’s family, friends, and loved ones are all murdered by this monster, Frankenstein becomes the most miserable man humanity has known. What he experienced was humanity being reflected back to him. He knew that it was man’s fault for this despair, for he created the being while humanity moulded it’s soul. One is not to know love, if he is only to know hate.

Another message that was told in this story was that man should not play god. Just because you can, does not mean you should. Since Frankenstein could, he did, and suffered because of it. Nature has a balance of energy that is far beyond human’s knowledge, and for us to play with that balance is something we must restrict ourselves from. media type="custom" key="12108615"