Frankenstein

Frankenstein
By:
Mary Shelley

The book Frankenstein, by Mary Shelley, is the story of Dr. Victor Frankenstein. Robert Walton, captain of a ship exploring the “Land of mist and snow”, rescues Dr. Frankenstein. As Frankenstein lies ill aboard the ship he tells his story to the captain, who shares the encounter in letters written to his sister. The story takes place in Europe during the 1800’s. Frankenstein is sent to the University of Ingolstadt, where he studies natural philosophy and chemistry. He becomes obsessed with the idea of “Bestowing animation upon lifeless matter.” When his experiments are successful, rather than feeling proud, as we would expect, he is disgusted by the appearance of the “monster” he has created. The monster flees and Frankenstein believes he is free from his mistake. As the story continues, we find Frankenstein is not free of his creation. Frankenstein is called home to Geneva to find his brother has been murdered. He begins to see glimpses of the “monster“, and suspects him as the murderer. He is unable to tell anyone for fear of disbelief and his own guilt at what he has done.

An innocent woman, Justine, is sentenced to death for the murder. Frankenstein believes he is helpless to stop this. The “monster” seeks out Frankenstein, who treats him badly, but is reminded by the “monster” that he “Is thy creation, I ought to be thy Adam.” The “monster” tells him, “I was benevolent and good; misery made me a friend. Make me happy and I shall again be virtuous.” Frankenstein agrees to listen to the monster’s story. The monster describes his life, living as an animal in the woods. He found a family, and living hidden outside their cottage, he came to learn customs and speech. As he revealed himself to the family he had come to love, they were terrified by his horrid appearance. The monster found himself alone again and lonely, as he realized he never would be welcomed among men. He says, “All men hate the wretched; how then must I be hated, who am miserable beyond all living things.” This leads the monster to ask Frankenstein to create a mate for him. Frankenstein, having been persuaded by the monster, agrees to his request.

Frankenstein begins the work, then changes his mind and destroys it. This enrages the monster, which threatens the life of Frankenstein’s soon to be wife. The monster does take revenge, by killing Frankenstein’s friend, and later his wife. Frankenstein sets out, seeking revenge. To track him down he travels across the Russian tundra. He is caught in an earthquake and trapped on a piece of ice. As he watches the monster flee into the distance, he is rescued by Captain Walton. Frankenstein shares his story with the lonely captain before dying. Frankenstein failed in his quest for revenge, but asks the captain to seek vengeance. The monster does return to the ship to assure himself that Frankenstein is dead. As captain Walton listens to his side of the story, he allows him to go on his way. This is an excellent story. The plot probably seemed impossible in the time it was written, but as cloning and robotics become a reality, aspects of this story seem more realistic. The main character, Frankenstein, depicts a mind-set we fear today; someone who is driven by knowledge to the point of carelessness and abuse of its power. Rather than an attitude of responsibility, Frankenstein tries to escape the consequences of his actions. In the end, this destroys him. The monster, is the face of nature, distorted by carelessness and poisoned by the cruelty of men. He must live in a world, which could create him, but not accept him. The observer of this story, Walton, is himself a character, frustrated at not having a formal education. He feels restricted and is able to empathize with the monster as well as with the desires of Frankenstein. He describes his feeling that, “There is something at work in my soul I do not understand.” This novel describes my own daily experience. I understand being obsessed with things that might do harm. I certainly don’t have the knowledge to create living beings, but I do know that others need money for food and clothes, and that I spend mine on video games, computer programs and movies. I know that some of the food I eat is harmful to the ecology, but I eat them never the less.

These conflicts between knowledge of responsibility verses personal desires are not that different from Frankenstein’s uncontrollable obsessions. It is a common theme, and life experience, to believe ourselves to be more important than we, as individuals, are. In striving for our desires we can become careless and cruel. As Frankenstein tells Walton, “When younger I believed myself destined for some great enterprise. My feelings are profound; but I possessed a coolness of judgment that fitted me for illustrious achievements.”This story will remain popular because it’s theme remains relevant. The questions the author examines of man’s compassion and responsibility as he acquires more power over nature are well told as the perspective of the story and it’s characters shift.

Book Report Review Sheet
Title: Frankenstein

Author: Mary Shelley

Setting: The story begins in the icy northern waters where a captain is traveling to the North Pole.Events take place throughout Europe, in Scotland, England and Switzerland.

Point of View:The point of view shifts with the narration, from Robert Walton to Victor Frankenstein to Frankenstein’s monster, then back to Walton, with a few digressions in the form of letters from Elizabeth Lavenza and Alphonse Frankenstein

Protagonist: Victor Frankenstein

How Character Acts? How Character Feels
1.In Frankenstein, Victor initially 1.Happy. accepts his creation’s demand for 2.Sacred. a female. After the monster kills 3.Hate. his brother, Victor is sickened and 4.A sense of loss. hates his creation, then destroys the female monster. The monster in turn kills Victor's wife and friend.

Protagonist:

Where Character Lives? How Others Act & Feel 1. Geneva, Switzerland. 1. Excited at first. 2. 2. Than Angry 3. 4.

Antagonist:Frankenstein’s Monster
How Character Acts? How Character Feels
1.Violent 1.Angre
2. Angry 2.Hate
3. 3.Confused
4. 4.

Antagonist:
Where Character Lives? How Others Act & Feel
1.Geneva, Switzerland 1.Scared
2. 2.Threaten
3. 3.
4. 4.

Other Important Characters:
Robert Walten: The sea Captain who rescues Victor from the ice.
William: Victor’s Brother.
Justine Moritz: Adopted and loved by Frankenstein family, Justin was convicted and executed for killing William.

Plot: (What happens?)
Rescued by the sea captain, Frankenstein relays events that begin as he pieces together a man using old body parts. Once he manages to create the horrible life,however, Frankenstein regrets his action immediately and flees his home.
When he returns, he finds the monster is gone.Shortly after, Frankenstein hears that his brother has been murdered.A series of tragic events follow, as the monster searches for love and Frankenstein suffers the consequences of his immortal act.

Conflicts:Frankenstein was a man divided-between the daylight world and the forbidden his dreams.

Theme(s) (What is the author’s point in writing the story?)
Search for love:This theme reflects a strong theme in Shelley’s own life.The monster knows he is horrid and will never be loved, although he attempts to find love several times. He is constantly rejected and disappointed.Frankenstein, himself, searches for happiness through love, but he meets with tragic loss of several loves.

Tragic, weak woman:Frankenstein actually begins to make a second female monster, to provide companionship for his own first creation, but he then destroys it and dumps the remains in a lake. Frankenstein’s wife dies tragically, as does the accused Justine.

Favorite Scene(s)
The big twist at the end when Justine was convicted and executed for killing William, was mindblowing.

Some important events in the book are…
1)Victor enters the University of Ingolstadt and becomes obsessed with solving the mysteries of life. 2)Victor thinks he has arrived at a solution, and he begins collecting body parts in order to test his theories on a creation of his own. 3)Having successfully reanimating his creature, Victor fears his own creation, and he runs away. 4)The poor creature is left alone to wander with no instruction or training in how to live. 5)Victor receives word that his brother has been murdered. 6)Victor sees the monster in the woods where his brother was murdered, and he believes the monster did it.

How did the book end (Resolution)?
In the Book Frankenstein by Mary Shelley the Monster attempts to gain self-definition before leaving for the northern ice to die. He tries to keep the fire alive by adding wood.

Did you like this book or not? Why?
I did like the story, but the ending was too sad for me I didn’t expect the big twist at the end, but threw out the whole plot I was a great story and a terrific ending. I really did enjoy reading it.