Literary Elements In Frankenstein
October 28: Chapters 6-12
Idea Development Literary Aspects
Human Needs
After Victor reads the letters from Elizabeth and is accompanied by Henry, he surrounds himself with other individuals and interacts with them. He strays from his previously secluded state and begins to act more “normally.” However, after Victor receives the news of the murder of William and the eventual death of Justine, he resolves to separate himself from the others again out of guilt and becomes miserable. His misery does not somewhat disappear until he rediscovers his creation, which is very human-like. This shows the overarching idea that much like humans in general, Victor needs human interaction and must be surrounded by those he loves in order to remain happy. This idea can be connected with the real world; when one is experiencing negative emotions, interacting with others will often …show more content…
alleviate their pain and make them feel better. Interaction with others is a crucial component to maintaining an individual’s happiness.
Immortality and Mortality
Throughout chapters 6 to 12, a clear, dividing line is drawn between the immortal, Victor’s creation, and the mortal, the living people.
The living are always referred to as innocent and pure, while the creation is frequently depicted as an inherently evil demon, despite the true nature of the creature. Much like Frankenstein, other horror genres in literature also illustrate “monsters” as those who seek only to kill and bring about destruction. Chapter 8
“…a smiling babe full of innocence…Justine was also a girl of merit and possessed qualities which promised to render her life happy; now all was to be obliterated in an ignominious grave, and I the cause!” (85).
This excerpt characterizes Justine in order to show how Victor sees her; he views Justine as a joyful, proper, and innocent girl. For this reason he is devastated that she was wrongfully accused and that he would be responsible for her destruction. This not only characterizes Justine, but it also portrays Victor’s persona and emphasizes how he greatly values people who are pure and beautiful to him.
Chapter
11
“‘Here, then, I retreated and lay down happy to have found a shelter, however miserable, from the inclemency of the season, and still more from the barbarity of man’” (112).
When the creation describes his previous life to Victor, he claims that the villagers he came across “spurned” him and treated him like a precarious beast due to his facial deformities. Because he failed to acquire any food or shelter from these people, Victor’s creation starved in the cold for several days. Mary Shelley, through this passage makes implicit social commentary about society’s tendency to make judgments based on physical appearances. Shelley also calls attention to the detrimental effects of social banishment from society.
Idea Development Literary Aspects
Human Needs
After Victor reads the letters from Elizabeth and is accompanied by Henry, he surrounds himself with other individuals and interacts with them. He strays from his previously secluded state and begins to act more “normally.” However, after Victor receives the news of the murder of William and the eventual death of Justine, he resolves to separate himself from the others again out of guilt and becomes miserable. His misery does not somewhat disappear until he rediscovers his creation, which is very human-like. This shows the overarching idea that much like humans in general, Victor needs human interaction and must be surrounded by those he loves in order to remain happy. This idea can be connected with the real world; when one is experiencing negative emotions, interacting with others will often …show more content…
alleviate their pain and make them feel better. Interaction with others is a crucial component to maintaining an individual’s happiness.
Immortality and Mortality
Throughout chapters 6 to 12, a clear, dividing line is drawn between the immortal, Victor’s creation, and the mortal, the living people.
The living are always referred to as innocent and pure, while the creation is frequently depicted as an inherently evil demon, despite the true nature of the creature. Much like Frankenstein, other horror genres in literature also illustrate “monsters” as those who seek only to kill and bring about destruction. Chapter 8
“…a smiling babe full of innocence…Justine was also a girl of merit and possessed qualities which promised to render her life happy; now all was to be obliterated in an ignominious grave, and I the cause!” (85).
This excerpt characterizes Justine in order to show how Victor sees her; he views Justine as a joyful, proper, and innocent girl. For this reason he is devastated that she was wrongfully accused and that he would be responsible for her destruction. This not only characterizes Justine, but it also portrays Victor’s persona and emphasizes how he greatly values people who are pure and beautiful to him.
Chapter
11
“‘Here, then, I retreated and lay down happy to have found a shelter, however miserable, from the inclemency of the season, and still more from the barbarity of man’” (112).
When the creation describes his previous life to Victor, he claims that the villagers he came across “spurned” him and treated him like a precarious beast due to his facial deformities. Because he failed to acquire any food or shelter from these people, Victor’s creation starved in the cold for several days. Mary Shelley, through this passage makes implicit social commentary about society’s tendency to make judgments based on physical appearances. Shelley also calls attention to the detrimental effects of social banishment from society.