Frankenstein

The opening letters:

1. Describe Robert Walton – personality, desires, narrative voice

Robert Walton is an affectionate man. His strong desire to explore the North Pole reflects throughout is letters. He stays positive despite any downturns and continues to reassure his beloved sister, Margaret, about his safety. His letters are very formal but still loving. Walton seems like a very lonely man by reading the first few letters and his urge to find a friend becomes stronger throughout the book. When he meets his “stranger”, Victor Frankenstein, his prayers for companionship eventually are met. Walton is not a reliable narrator as the letters are only told from his point of view, allowing the readers to only know half of the reality.

2. Record your initial impressions of Victor Frankenstein

Victor Frankenstein seemed like a small irrelevant man who Walton happened to stumble across. Having a different perspective of the story, other than Walton’s perspective, giving the readers a furthermore understanding of the book and it was easy to develop the differences between these two characters. Frankenstein seemed quiet and kept to himself, however not so put together and slightly unreliable.

• What parallels have you noticed between the two characters this far?

Introducing Victor Frankenstein to the letters gave two different opinions of the story, however, they both share a strong passion for discovery. They are both determined to find something new and develop the power and glory from it. Frankenstein and Walton want to contribute to the greater good and be some significance to their loved ones. They both crave being honored and recognised.

Notable quotes:

These quotes all reveal the increasing strength of Waltons obsession but they also set up one key theme of the novel: the selective nature of power and knowledge.

• ”There is something at work in my soul which I do not understand.” -Walton
• “… Success shall crown my endeavors.” -Walton 
• “What can stop the determined heart and resolved will of man?” -Walton
• “Have you drunk also of the intoxicating draff? Hear me.. And you will dash the cup from your lips!” -Victor Frankenstein
• “One man’s life or death were but a small price to pay for the acquirement of the knowledge which I sought…” -Walton

Chapter one:

These chapters cover the background to the incident that the story actually covers. They serve as an introduction to Victor Frankenstein and offer us the opportunity to get to know him and therefore judge him for ourselves. The bond created in these opening chapters is always shadowed by his continual reference to this dark destiny or the fate that has been determined for him. The fact that this section of the novel is told from his own point of view allows us a unique and intimate insight into our main character.

1. Consider Victor Frankenstein’s childhood and relationship with his parents. Reflect on what kind of father you would expect him to become because of the early experiences that he has.

Victor Frankenstein seems to think of his childhood as a peaceful one. It was a civilized family with everyone getting along

Notable quotes:

• “…their child, the innocent and helpless creature bestowed on them by Heaven, whom to bring up to good, and whose future lot was in their hands to direct happiness or misery, according as they fulfilled their duties towards me. With this deep consciousness of what they owed towards the being to which they had given life…”
• “…with all my ardour, I was capable of a more intense application and was more deeply smitten with the thirst for knowledge.”
• “It was the secrets of heaven and earth that I desired to learn.”
• “…I also record those events which led, by insensible steps to my tale of misery: for when I would account to myself for the birth of that passion, which afterwards ruled my destiny, I find it arise, like a mountain river, from ignoble and almost forgotten sources: but swelling as it proceeded, it became the torrent which, in its course, has swept away all my hopes and joys.”
• “…but what glory would attend the discovery, if I could banish disease from the human frame and render man invulnerable to any but a violent death.”
• “Learn from me…how dangerous is the acquirement of knowledge and how much happier that man is who believes his native town to be the world, than he who aspires to be greater than his nature will allow.”

Chapters 6-8:

1. What impact does the final line of chapter six have on the story thus far?
2. What sort of man is Victor’s father? Why is he important in the novel?
3. How does Shelley make the re-appearance of the creature so dramatic?
4. Why does the landscape and weather reflect Victor’s state of mind?
5. Why doesn’t Victor tell anyone about the creature?
6. Justine could be seen as an ironic name for a character who suffers such injustice.
   Consider the significance of other names in the novel; how are they important?
7. Is Victor “the true murderer”?
8. Do you sympathise with Victor in this chapter? Why / why not?

Notable Quotes

“…the fangs of remorse tore my bosom and would not forego their hold.”

‘God raises my weakness and gives me courage to endure the worst.”- Justine

“torn by remorse, horror and despair, I beheld those I loved spend vain sorrow upon the graves of William and Justine, the first hapless victims to my unhallowed arts.”

VOLUME TWO

1. Describe the reunion- summarize the action.

It was a night full of tension. Victor was mad at the creature for killing Wiliam whilst the creature was begging for Victor’s talents for another companionship.

2. Reflect on how you currently view Frankenstein and The Creature. Who is ‘in the right’

Because readers are introduced to the creature through Victor’s eyes, we only see his perspective and how he thinks his creation is disgusted. Despite the creature doing terrible things such as killing William, he had been treated even worse. Not saying this is an excuse but how is he supposed to be raised right if he has no one to raise him. For example, when he saved that girls live from drowning then get shot, this is what society repays him due to his books. Everyone is judging the book by its cover. If Frankenstein didn’t leave him then maybe the creature would grow up to be different.

3. Explain what Frankenstein means when he says, “If our impulses were confined to hunger, thirst and desire, we might nearly be free; but now we are moved by every wind that blows and a chance  word or scene that that word may convey to us.”

This is just meaning how we get affected over so many things. If life was simpler and our “impulses were confined to hunger, thirst, and desire” then maybe we wouldn’t get worked up over everything that happens and we can focus on things that actually important. Things always get blown out of proportion despite how little relevance it actually has.

Remaining of Volume Two:

1. Summarize the beginning of the Creature’s life, as told from his point of view. Explain what else might experience this and consider the purpose behind the inclusion of this part of the story (what is Shelley trying to achieve).

All that Victor could’ve missed out on if he didn’t gets raised by his loving parents. He had a very fortunate childhood, setting him up for a very successful perfect future. However, the beginning of the creature’s life is tough. He saves someones life then society repays him by shooting him. Shelly is trying to show us that the creature does have feelings and emotions too just like everyone else. He is sensitive and caring and it is unfair that he gets treated differently just for his looks.

2. Before he is very old, the Creature has two negative encounters with humans. Describe each of these encounters and find one quote that highlights the reactions of the Creature experiences. Reflect on how these early experiences appear to position the Creature in relation to future encounters with humans. 

The monster encounters persistent rejection and loneliness whenever he has human encounters. He finds it hard to have a sense of family and community, whilst being rejected by everyone he comes in contact with. The rejection he experiences explain his violent behavior but does not justify it. This helps the readers to consider a sympathetic figure in the novel. Whenever he faces a human, they faint or run away from him, he can’t even convince his own creator to listen to him. He is utterly alone. In the village he got stoned and at the river, he got shot for saving someone’s life. “This was then the reward of my benevolence! I had saved a human being from destruction and as a recompense, I now writhed under the miserable pain of a wound which shattered the flesh and bone.”

3. Do you agree with the idea that we, as humans, form many of our perceptions based on appearance? What are the pros and cons of this tendency?

NO, I do not agree, this is just judging a book purely by its cover. The cons of this are that we get so caught up on what we look like and how our appearances portray us when this shouldn’t be a factor when we are judging a person. People’s appearances don’t prove anything. A pro of basing our perceptions on appearances is that our gut instinct kicks in. It shows our first thoughts of someone which is purely based on how the person looks.

4.Comment on your response to the De Lacey family’s reaction when the Creature makes himself known to them

I think it’s unfair but expected. Putting yourself into their shoes makes you realize you might actually do the sane. The family was just trying to protect each other despite them judging the monster by his appearances.

‘They all died by my hands’: once again Victor speaks of his sense of responsibility and guilt but is unable to reveal, even to his father, why he feels like this.