Okay, I haven't done any personal reflection stuff on this book, so I thought I'd devote the last blog to that..
Honestly, I wasnt a big fan of this book and thats saying a lot considering I like some pretty weird books. First, it did not go along with anything I thought I knew about the story of Frankenstein. Second, the long narrative speeches drove my kind of crazy with their boring and pointless details. Third, just didnt really like the story.
However, I will say that I did like how Shelley had the monster show his side of the story. My favorite part of the novel was when the monster told about his time watching the family and how he learned from watching them (even if it was kind of creepy).
The last thing I have to say is that I believe one theme of the story is that Shelley believes men are generally good at heart, and not evil. I have concluded this because deep in his heart-the monster was good. He showed kindness towards the family he watched even though he was never nurtered or raised to love and show compassion.
Thursday, April 22, 2010
so i've been practicing my frankenstein dance...
In the end of the story, the monster takes over the narrative and begs for everyone to sympathize with him and understand his side. The fact that the story ends with the monster as the narrator is a symbol of just how much control he had over the life of Frankenstein. Just by his simple existence, he caused Frankenstein to lose control of his own life. Do I think this was entirely the monster's fault? I'm not sure; both are to blame for the events that occured.
on the same path?
"The delight of Clerval was proportionably greater than mine; his mind expanded in the company of men of talent, and he found in his own nature greater captacities and resources than he could have imagined himself to ahve possessed while he associated with his inferiors" (117).
The characterstics mentioned about Henry are very similar to those of Frankenstein before he created the monster. Henry is excited and eager to learn from others while soaking up as much information that he can while on their journey; contrastingly, Frankenstein is preoccupied with his anxiety about the monster and his current dilemnia. They create foil characters to one another; this contrast shows just different Frankenstein has become.
The characterstics mentioned about Henry are very similar to those of Frankenstein before he created the monster. Henry is excited and eager to learn from others while soaking up as much information that he can while on their journey; contrastingly, Frankenstein is preoccupied with his anxiety about the monster and his current dilemnia. They create foil characters to one another; this contrast shows just different Frankenstein has become.
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
frankenstein 7
"'Of what a strange nature is knowledge! It clings to the mind, when it has once seized on it like a lichen on a rock" (85).
This simile adds to the intensity of the statement because the reader understands how knowledge literally took the monster over. Once he had a taste of it, he did anything to get his hands on it. In humans, this desire often destroys men and leads them down dark roads; this occured with Frankenstein also. The passion and hunger for an almost unattainable knowledge drives both man and monster to unparalleled lengths.
This simile adds to the intensity of the statement because the reader understands how knowledge literally took the monster over. Once he had a taste of it, he did anything to get his hands on it. In humans, this desire often destroys men and leads them down dark roads; this occured with Frankenstein also. The passion and hunger for an almost unattainable knowledge drives both man and monster to unparalleled lengths.
frakenstein 6
"Be calm! I intreat you to hear me, before you give vent to your hatred on my devoted head" (68).
In Chapter 9, the narrator is switched from Frankstein to the monster. He tells his story from the point of his creation to the current time. This enables the reader to fully comprehend the complex emotions in the monster; also, we learn of the happenings that occured when Frankenstein was not present. The switching of narrators really gives the reader a chance to understand every side of the story and gives more than one character a chance to develop in a story that is told in first person. Through his narrative, the reader discovers that the monster is very capable of feeling emotions-this suprised me. He attempts to comprehend the meaning of love and relationships.
In Chapter 9, the narrator is switched from Frankstein to the monster. He tells his story from the point of his creation to the current time. This enables the reader to fully comprehend the complex emotions in the monster; also, we learn of the happenings that occured when Frankenstein was not present. The switching of narrators really gives the reader a chance to understand every side of the story and gives more than one character a chance to develop in a story that is told in first person. Through his narrative, the reader discovers that the monster is very capable of feeling emotions-this suprised me. He attempts to comprehend the meaning of love and relationships.
Sunday, April 18, 2010
blog 5
"Like one, one a lonesome road who,
Doth walk in fear and dread,
And, having once turned round walks on,
And turns no more his head;
Because he knows a frightful fiend
Doth close behind him tread" (36)
This is a allusion to Coleridge's "Ancient Mariner," a poem about a mariner who has returned from a long sea voyage. Shelley is comparing the mariners walk home to Frankenstien's walk down the street. The allusion brings credit to the story and gives it more depth. However, without the footnote, I would not have recognized this because the poem was written in 1798.
Doth walk in fear and dread,
And, having once turned round walks on,
And turns no more his head;
Because he knows a frightful fiend
Doth close behind him tread" (36)
This is a allusion to Coleridge's "Ancient Mariner," a poem about a mariner who has returned from a long sea voyage. Shelley is comparing the mariners walk home to Frankenstien's walk down the street. The allusion brings credit to the story and gives it more depth. However, without the footnote, I would not have recognized this because the poem was written in 1798.
blog 4
"Whence, I often asked myself, did the principle of life proceed?" (30)
This is an example of a rhetorical question. The speaker is asking a question but he/she does not expect an answer. In this situation, Frankenstien appears to ask a question of the reader; however, since he is telling the story to Robert, he is actually asking the questino of him but he does not expect an answer.
This is an example of a rhetorical question. The speaker is asking a question but he/she does not expect an answer. In this situation, Frankenstien appears to ask a question of the reader; however, since he is telling the story to Robert, he is actually asking the questino of him but he does not expect an answer.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)