Due Wednesday, 27. March 2013
We haven't had much time to talk about the novel in class, so before we get to it next Friday, take a moment here to think about the themes ideas. Discuss anything that pops into your head: it may be a question, it may be a comment. Be as specific as you can be, but do stick to word count.
Why on earth would any simple human being want to discover the secret of life? Well, actually, if you take the time to think about it, the reason why science has taken over is because numerous individuals are trying to discover how we, as human beings, came about. With this, I can understand why Victor would want to discover the secret of life. However, the method that he used to convince himself that he had accomplished this, still shocks me. By spending months “feverishly fashioning a creature of old body parts”, Victor claimed to have created a human being, until he noticed that what he had created was a monster. The whole idea, to me, sounds a bit absurd. My main point however, is that the “secret of life” may not only be the methods used to create humans, but instead, what lies within each human being. As crazy as it may sound, I have found my own moral/conclusion to “the secret of life”. I think that the monster that Victor created represents us as human beings. I’m definitely not saying that we’re monsters, but I do believe that the personality that the monster reveals in the book represents evil within our personalities, that we may not show to others. (i.e.: When the monster decides to murder people). I mean, think about it, when we were created, who knew that many of us would turn out to be murderers and rapists? Basically, what I’m trying to say is that we all possess a negative side that we might not even know about. No, I’m not saying that we will turn out to be rapists and murderers, I’m just emphasizing that one day this negative energy lying within us will eventually be exposed to the world. *evil laugh*
ReplyDeleteDo you think that the monster was justified in his actions because of the way he was treated? He only tried to help and do good works for everyone he came into contact with, and not one single person showed any humanity toward him.
DeleteDisregarding the fact that I believe trying to create a living being is wrong; I also think Victor is really dumb. He saw the possibility of him making life but he did no preparation for the life to come alive. He didn’t even take the time to make a nice looking creature. How in the world could anyone be so dumb as to create and bring to life a monster that they themselves were scared of? I remember him saying something about why he made his creature so big: because he wanted to show how great his skill was, by making the biggest possible person, because apparently bigger is harder. I also don’t see why he had to make a creature with a complex mind; he could have simply made a dog which would have been so much easier for him to manage. Personally I wouldn’t have made a humanlike being. I think I would have tried to make the perfect pet for me, some kind of mixture of a few different animals. I would make a small, cute, beautiful creature that I would adore and who would adore me as well. I don’t see why he didn’t think of that. He was totally not fit to be able to create life. I would also treat my creature with respect and appreciation; I would teach it and take good care of it, because after all that is the responsibility of a creator. But, no human being should be given the power to create life, ever. We are bound by so many things such as scarcity, time, and limited strength. We are not meant to have this power over life.
ReplyDeleteYou are correct on the fact that he didn't think the "after it's created" part out very well. He only obsesses over the fact that it will worship him as a great and powerful creator. Sort of like Midas wanting to be rich beyond belief but not thinking about not being able to eat or touch in love. So what does this suggest as a theme? We shouldn't explore science more than we have? You are responsible for the life you create? Don't be curious? Hmmm.
DeleteFrankenstein was quite a disturbing book to read. It’s basically a mix of gothic thriller, passionate romance, but at the same time a story based on the dangers of the sciences. Victors quite inhumane in the fact that he assembles a human being from stolen body parts but; upon bringing it to life, he retreats in horror at the creature's hideousness. After creating a creature that is very much like a human, he abandoned Frankenstein who was left tormented by isolation and loneliness to the point he rebels and turns to an insidious creature. How messed up is that? How could someone possibly think of such a storyline? That’s pretty creative. The theme monstrosity can be seen throughout the novel as Frankenstein, the monster becomes the main focus. Obviously, in this world if one sees an eight feet tall and hideously ugly “thing,” it is rejected by society. On top of that, his features are completely un-human like. His monstrosity doesn’t necessarily appear from his bizarre appearance but the unnatural manner of his creation! Who creates a living being out of a combination of dead ones? After completing the novel, I Frankenstein’s appearance may be monster like, but personally I view Victor himself as the most vindictive monster out there.
ReplyDeletewhy? what actions does Victor take that make you say this? And as for the concept - to throw even more "weirdness" into it - remember Mary Shelly was 19 when she wrote this - and it was 1818. She did not get the idea from a movie, another novel or the internet! What do you think sparked her imagination?
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ReplyDeleteHow would you feel if the minute you were born, your family abandoned you? How would you feel if no one wanted to take you in, no one wanted to adopt you? Pretty bad, right? You’d feel lonely and unwanted in society. Well, this is pretty much what had happened to the creature that Victor had assembled from body parts. After bringing it to life, Victor recoiled in horror at the creature’s hideousness. Tormented by isolation and loneliness, the once-innocent creature turned to evil, and unleashed a campaign of murderous revenge against his creator, Frankenstein.
I think that the creature would never have turned evil if Victor hadn’t abandoned him. Yes, this creature terrorized him, but it was a consequence of his own actions. Didn't he have a responsibility to this being that he created? I certainly think so, and he abandoned it and left the wretch alone to navigate a strange new world. Victor was completely unsympathetic and selfish. He should have taken complete responsibility for his actions instead of running away from them. When I think about the creature’s features, I can’t help but think to myself, “What in the world was Victor thinking?! Eight feet tall?! What was the point in that? Giving him ugly and creepy features, why?” I mean, I completely understand where his curiosity to discover the secret of life was coming from, but why couldn’t he simply create a normal looking, average sized human that would immediately be accepted into society with generosity and love? Why did he have to go all out and create this huge “living thing?” Victor faced a dilemma, as he had to either grant his creation's desires, or protect the well being of human society. Either way, he couldn't win. I do, however, kind of feel bad for Frankenstein because I've made hasty decisions in my life and not thought through the consequences. It totally sucks and you feel like an idiot because you really screwed up.
I think you found one of Shelly's points. The sympathy is with the "monster." He is neglected and ostracized for no reason.
ReplyDeleteWhat comes up to your mind when you think of Frankenstein? Monster, gloominess, evil, death and revenge… However, something that really pops into my mind, something that strikes me everytime would be “loneliness.” Being with somebody, or even something, is a very important, even critical, aspect of humans’ lives (and monsters’ lives). “Wilson” from the movie Cast Away is a perfect example! The guy from the movie ends up landing on an uninhabited island. Because he needed someone next to him to be with and to talk to he creates his own friend “Wilson” the volleyball… I think it must have been the same to the monster. He, although he was not a human being, wanted someone to rely on and because Victor neglected him after creating the monster, it became even more devil-like. Sometimes solitude can be helpful since it gives people to think by themselves and make decision on their own but to someone, or something, who are scared, especially when you do not know anything, and afraid, nothing can be more helpful than a friend. The monster must have felt “lonely” in a world where he was neglected and hated by everyone. A warm welcome or a hand of help to the monster could have changed the story…
ReplyDeleteSome really, really nice tone in this thoughtful piece.
ReplyDeleteOne of the striking things about Mary Shelley's novel Frankenstein is its portrayal of ‘Lost Innocence’. Frankenstein is full with examples of youthful corruption. One example of which includes the lost innocence of Victor himself. Reaching adulthood, Victor leaves for University with many hopes and ambition like every other teenager going off to University. One of Victors aims is to explore “unknown powers” and enlighten humanity to the mysteries of creation. It is Victor’s success and pride that ends his innocence. He ends up creating life, a monster, that reflects back to him own flaws. Some flaws which are inherent to human including a thirst for love, tendency towards violence, a bloodthirsty need for revenge and in himself the prejudice based on appearance. Moreover, in turn, Victor’s cruel and un-innocent behavior also destroys the monster’s innocence.
ReplyDeleteThe loss of innocence by the monster and Victor eventually lead to the deaths of William, Justine, Elizabeth, Clerval. These are four characters that portray innocence are all lost through these murders. Mary Shelley suggests that, “innocence is fleeting, and will always be either lost or destroyed by the harsh reality of human nature.”
So, is this a positive or negative thing?
ReplyDeleteThe horror cum scientific novel did not attractive me at all. The pace of the novel was very slow and got annoying at times. I had no desire to continue reading the entire novel but I had too. Why would you want to understand and mess around with the secret of life? Life is a secret because the person who created life does not want to share the secret with others if, he did want to share it then, it would not have been a secret and everyone would have known what the secret of life was. Now I do not understand why did Victor want to discover the secret of life. Okay am fine with Victory attempting to create a human being and he is by far very successful at doing this but then I don’t know why did he have to make him 8 feet tall, ugly and horrifying creature. Why did the author decide to give such hideous feature to human beings?
ReplyDeleteGood questions. I agree the novel, in true victorian fashion, was a bit slow. They focus on inner turmoil, not action. Remember, though, that it was written by a very young woman.
DeleteMary Shelley wrote :“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.”
ReplyDeleteHonestly I did not remember the whole quote, only the "how much happier that man is who believes his native town to be the world", I used Google to find the rest of the quote. Even if I did not remember the whole quote, it is one of the lines that stuck out the most for me. Perhaps it’s because I have long though about how much happier small town folks are compared to us, or perhaps it's because we talked a lot about it in class. Either way, Mary Shelley brings up a good point.
If you spend your whole life in one place, seeing the same people every day, taking the same street to the same job everyday just like everyone else in your town. That town, that street, those people, and that job really is the "world" to you. Now today, it may be harder to be that isolated from the rest world since the use of the internet and other means of communication have become a significant part of our lives, and thus people are continuously being influenced by outside sources ,which can be seen as good or bad.
You cannot help but think though, that the small and isolated town folk may be happier not knowing what happens outside their town or state. Their isolation might help them maintain a level of innocence, we have lost by becoming global citizens.
Sounds like you really have travelled all your life and are looking forward to the "exoticness" of staying put for a while.
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