"The story of Victor Frankenstein's terrible creation and the havoc it caused has enthralled generations of readers and inspired countless writers of horror and suspense." -The back of the book
One of my first blogs for this novel discussed how I disagreed with the "horror" and "suspense" description of the novel. Towards the beginning it really starts off slow with little suspense and action. I was especially disappointed with the creation scene. I must say that I owe Mary Shelley much more credit than I had expected. The novel took a complete turn-around and surprised me. The fact that we, as the audience, got to hear the monster's side of the story really makes it that much better. I had so much more sympathy for him after hearing the REAL side of the story, poor thing :( I must say I am pleasantly surprised with the way the story went and I would definitely read it again.
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Victor's Insanity..Once Again..
"As I looked on him, his countenance expressed the utmost extent of malice and treachery. I thought with a sensation of madness on my promise of creating another like to him, and trembling with passion, tore to pieces the thing on which I was engaged." -pg 121
I completely disagree with everything Victor has done throughout the novel. First of all, he has created a monster without first thinking about all the bad consequences that can occur. Second, he abandoned his own creature and rejected it. Essentially, he was the one who drove the creature to commit murder due to his abandonment. Thirdly, correlating with the passage above, Victor decides to ignore the creation's request for a female companion. DUMB! All the creature wants and needs is to not be so isolated and alone. All he would have to do is to befriend him and apologize for the abandonment, not go pyscho AGAIN.
I completely disagree with everything Victor has done throughout the novel. First of all, he has created a monster without first thinking about all the bad consequences that can occur. Second, he abandoned his own creature and rejected it. Essentially, he was the one who drove the creature to commit murder due to his abandonment. Thirdly, correlating with the passage above, Victor decides to ignore the creation's request for a female companion. DUMB! All the creature wants and needs is to not be so isolated and alone. All he would have to do is to befriend him and apologize for the abandonment, not go pyscho AGAIN.
Sympathy??
"I am malicious because I am miserable. Am I not shunned and hated by all mankind? You, my creator, would tear me to pieces, and triumph; remember that, and tell me why I should pity man more than he pities me?" pg 104
POOR MONSTER! :( My classmates may disagree with me, but I have the most sympathy for the poor being that is constantly and cruelly referred to as "the monster." He was created and then abandoned. So what if he had deformities? There are pleny of people in society with such problems that should not be outcast. In the passage above, the creation lays it all out on the line for Victor. He had done NO HARM to any being until he was rejected for the third time. He finally snapped. This type of lonliness and isolation is certainly enough to make someone go mad. Its only fair for Victor to make him a companion, or make him feel welcomed and apart of his family. I think if he was loved and not outcast, he is essentially a whole-hearted being that is capable of human interaction and emotion.
POOR MONSTER! :( My classmates may disagree with me, but I have the most sympathy for the poor being that is constantly and cruelly referred to as "the monster." He was created and then abandoned. So what if he had deformities? There are pleny of people in society with such problems that should not be outcast. In the passage above, the creation lays it all out on the line for Victor. He had done NO HARM to any being until he was rejected for the third time. He finally snapped. This type of lonliness and isolation is certainly enough to make someone go mad. Its only fair for Victor to make him a companion, or make him feel welcomed and apart of his family. I think if he was loved and not outcast, he is essentially a whole-hearted being that is capable of human interaction and emotion.
Benevolence and Irony
"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...Inflamed by pain I vowed eternal hatred and vengeance to all mankind. But the agony of my wound overcame me.." pg 101
The whole first half of the novel had a central theme of kindness. All the main characters were described as being benevolent and gentle beings. The irony comes in when the monster is first rejected. He is simply rejected due to his deformed appearance - no one even takes the time to listen or to get to know him. In my opinion, this is a complete LACK of benevolence.. and it just seems to keep happening (the family, the young girl, and William). It seems extremely ironic that these people, and mankind in general, are apparently kind and genuine but then they turn around and treat someone who is different the exact opposite. It reminds me of all the prejudices we have in our world today. Everyone claims to be a good person, but most have underlying and unnecessary feelings of hatred.
The whole first half of the novel had a central theme of kindness. All the main characters were described as being benevolent and gentle beings. The irony comes in when the monster is first rejected. He is simply rejected due to his deformed appearance - no one even takes the time to listen or to get to know him. In my opinion, this is a complete LACK of benevolence.. and it just seems to keep happening (the family, the young girl, and William). It seems extremely ironic that these people, and mankind in general, are apparently kind and genuine but then they turn around and treat someone who is different the exact opposite. It reminds me of all the prejudices we have in our world today. Everyone claims to be a good person, but most have underlying and unnecessary feelings of hatred.
Diction of the Monster
"My days were spent in close attention, that I might more speedily master the language; and I may boast that I improved more rapidly than the Arabian, who understood very little and conversed in broken accents, whilst I comprehend and could imitate almost every word that was spoken." -pg 84
When the monster first started telling of how he learned to speak the human language, I noticed specific words and passages that showed his drastic improvement. When humans learn to speak (as babies) it takes YEARS to perfect speech and vocabulary, but it took the monster barely a year to communicate. Of course it is a fictional story, but I think the rapid development of the monster had to be placed in the story in order for the plot to unfold. The diction of the monster in the passage above illustrates the high level of vocabulary that he has acquired. Words such as "boast", "conversed", and "comprehend" are all words that a first-grader would not know...let alone a creation only a year old. The diction the monster expresses throughout the novel continues to show his development and shows his great ability to learn and acquire knowledge.
When the monster first started telling of how he learned to speak the human language, I noticed specific words and passages that showed his drastic improvement. When humans learn to speak (as babies) it takes YEARS to perfect speech and vocabulary, but it took the monster barely a year to communicate. Of course it is a fictional story, but I think the rapid development of the monster had to be placed in the story in order for the plot to unfold. The diction of the monster in the passage above illustrates the high level of vocabulary that he has acquired. Words such as "boast", "conversed", and "comprehend" are all words that a first-grader would not know...let alone a creation only a year old. The diction the monster expresses throughout the novel continues to show his development and shows his great ability to learn and acquire knowledge.
Thursday, April 14, 2011
Frame Story
The novel Frankenstein has many stories within stories. There are three different instances where the narrator switches and is now another character. Robert Walton begins with letters to his sister, and his most recent letter is him telling her of his meeting with Victor Frankenstein. In the letter, in the meeting between Walton and victor, Victor tells Walton of his unfortunate story. The entire rest of the novel consists of Victor's story, but switches half way through to differnt narration and more letters from Elizabeth and Alphonse (Victor's father). In my opinion, the constant switching progresses the story much faster. With three different narrators, the audience is allowed to hear multiple voices and opinions throughout the story. It gives a more round realization of what exactly is occuring.
The Creation Scene
"It was already one in the morning; the rain pattered dismally against the panes, and my candle was nearly burnt out, when, by the glimmer of the half extinguished light, I saw the dull yellow eye of the creature open; it breathed hard, and a convulsive motion agitated its limbs." -pg 35
The whole creation lf the monster scene greatly disappointed me. Of course we all have our own misconceptions about the story of Frankenstein, but I expected a little more drama than that. At least a little more description of the "traumatic" event. There is a description of the novel on the back of the book, and "few creatures of horror" and "suspense" is used to describe the story line. Needless to say, I was rather upset with the infamous creation scene. He didn't even say "IT'S ALIIIIVEEEEE!" and the monster is not green..?? Hopefully there is real "horror" and "suspense" to come in the next half of the novel.
The whole creation lf the monster scene greatly disappointed me. Of course we all have our own misconceptions about the story of Frankenstein, but I expected a little more drama than that. At least a little more description of the "traumatic" event. There is a description of the novel on the back of the book, and "few creatures of horror" and "suspense" is used to describe the story line. Needless to say, I was rather upset with the infamous creation scene. He didn't even say "IT'S ALIIIIVEEEEE!" and the monster is not green..?? Hopefully there is real "horror" and "suspense" to come in the next half of the novel.
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