Frankenstein: Chapters 17-24 Primary and Secondary Blog Posts

12/1/2017

These images could depict some of the main plot points of Chapters 17-24. While these moments are important, they are by no means the only significant points in these chapters.
After having read these chapters:
-Select a single passage (this may be a single paragraph or several) that you feel best typifies the action and Shelley's authorial intent in this section of Frankenstein. This MLA-cited quote should not be included in your analysis.
-Explain the action and context of the quoted passage (you must cite the passage) and then,
-Explain how your understanding of this passage (1) supports your understanding, (2) deepens the character development, and/or (3) builds a central message that aligns with one of the unit's essential questions.

BE SURE TO POST YOUR WORD COUNT AT THE BOTTOM OF EACH BLOG ENTRY!!

Primary Blog Expectations (respond to the prompt above): 200-250 words, minimal errors in grammar and usage, thoughtful and thorough writing. Please use the scientists's name that you selected in class as your nom de plume and be sure to add word count. Due by 11:59pm on Sunday 11/19!

Secondary Blog Response Expectations (read everyone's primary responses, select two that interest you, and respond to their ideas): 100-150 words EACH, minimal errors in grammar and usage, thoughtful and thorough writing. Please use the scientists's name that you selected in class as your nom de plume and be sure to add word count. Due by 11:59pm on Monday 11/20!

Elizabeth Lomax

12/4/2017 06:18:43 pm

"'Seek happiness in tranquility and avoid ambition, even if it be only the apparently innocent one of distinguishing yourself in science and discoveries.'"(Shelley 200).

These words are Victor’s dying words to Walton. I believe that this quote exemplifies a central theme in the book, one regarding the danger Frankenstein associated with letting his ambitions and scientific aspirations lead to his downfall. Frankenstein’s real intention which led to his creation of the creature was to find happiness through a companion, someone who could match his intellect and carry a conversation with him. He failed in this attempt, however, and he realized that by creating such a horrendous monster, he ended up depriving himself of that happiness which he deserved—his science project had not only failed him, but had deprived him of his peace of mind. This concept is shown all throughout the book, as Frankenstein constantly worries about the existence of the creature. He is determined to get rid of it, but he is also intimidated of the life he has created. It is interesting to note, however, that in his last words to Walton, Victor speaks not of getting rid of the monster, but of what he advises Walton to do with the rest of his life. He advises that Walton seek happiness as opposed to wild ambitions which are seemingly innocent, and this shows to the reader that by the end of the story, the monster no longer defines Victor’s fears in life.

Word count: 245

Jantina Tammes

12/5/2017 11:13:51 am

I like the way you explained this, and while reading this quote you made me realize how similar Walton & Frankenstein are when it comes to their ambitions. I believe that's why Victor gave him this warning, because he sees a lot of himself in the captain. Walton desired a companion, and fame just as Victor himself wanted at one point. Victor doesn't want him to make the same mistakes he's been paying for, and so he uses his last breath for this. I find this really interesting because this makes the book come into full circle as many stories do. Victor is making sure his "legacy" that he was so desperate for doesn't continue on through other people as foolish as he was.
(Word Count=123)

Ella Church Strobell

12/5/2017 11:23:42 am

I also agree with this because I think that Frankenstein was trying to warn Walton not to do anything terrible that will result in him going through what he has. All his sufferings caused by his actions of creating the monster in the first place turned his life around for the worse. To his brother William being murdered, his adopted sister Justine being blamed of the monster's actions is executed, and his wife murdered on his wedding night took a toll on him.

Word count 100

Katherine Marray Lyell

12/5/2017 11:17:57 am

Actually, I thought the reason Victor created the creature was to simply explore the wonders of science and become a symbolic figure in the science world. It never crossed my mind that he had done it “...to find happiness through a companion, someone who could match his intellect and carry a conversation with him”. I find it pretty interesting since all those desires turned to regrets and worries. Towards the end, even if it’s already too late, Victor recognizes that he should've put his ambitions and desires aside, and simply enjoy life with those who surrounded him. Now, he knows the dangers of exploring the world of science up to the point where he created a “human”, who took away his tranquility.

WC= 122

Olga Fedchenko

12/5/2017 11:18:06 am

I agree with your ideas on how this quotation reveals a central theme of the danger in letting oneself lose themselves in a desire. For Victor, this was caused by following his scientific ambitions and curiosity over life and death. By allowing himself to get lost in creating something to change science forever, Victor loses sight of the potential dangers that come when “playing god,” resulting in his downfall as soon as he abandoned his creation. Using the blame on Victor for creating the creature, all of the creature’s actions are essentially Victor’s fault, leaving him emotionally destroyed by the deaths of his closest companions as he believed them to be his own fault.
Word Count: 114

Z'Sofia Torma

12/12/2017 11:10:41 am

I loved reading this analysis. I completely and 100% agree. I do not in anyway think that Frankenstein is a bad person or that he wanted for things to turn out the way they did, rather I think that he impulsively created the creature, not really thinking about the possible consequences. Then once he realized that he had actually done it; created life out of death, he couldn't believe it, and tried to push it away, trying to suppress the guilt he was feeling. As Victor spoke to Walton, we were given a glimpse of not only the guilt but the nostalgia he was feeling. He so badly wished he could go back in time and make different decisions that wouldn't lead to the overwhelming depression he was feeling.

Thereza Dilwyn Llewelyn

12/4/2017 06:27:39 pm

"Farewell! I leave you, and in you the last of human kind whom these eyes will ever behold" (Shelley 197).

This quote reveals the creature's true nature. Frankenstein had been pursuing his creature up towards the North Pole in an effort to either destroy or be destroyed by the creature. We then shift to see Robert Walton finally meet the creature and see the creature's opinion and thoughts again. In the end he chose to distance himself from humanity so that he would never torture humans ever again. At this point he has committed countless murders and has finally killed Frankenstein. He obviously feels sorry fo his actions because he mourns his creator as a loved one. I believe that he really does have a good nature. We see all of the murders he has committed and the burning down of the home of his protectors, but I believe that this final act of abandoning humanity is what ultimately humanizes him. He understands that what he has done was wrong and decides that the only fitting punishment is to live in exile. The creature also understands at this point that he should be the first and only member of his kind, as he is not prone to be loved and will always be an outcast. I believe that this is his ultimately humanizing feature, showing that he is more human than even his creator.

Word Count: 214

Katherine Marray Lyell

12/5/2017 07:18:42 am

I completely agree with your analysis, I believe the creature always had good in him, but by being rejected by society brought the worst out of him. When you state, “We see all of the murders he has committed and the burning down of the home of his protectors, but I believe that this final act of abandoning humanity is what ultimately humanizes him. He understands that what he has done was wrong and decides that the only fitting punishment is to live in exile”, I think the creature was always a part of humanity, and just because he was physically different from the rest, made him more of a monster. Towards the end, we find out that the creature is well aware of the things he has done wrong; even though he can’t technically go to prison, he punishes himself. Overall, I completely agree with your thoughts; the creature may physically look like a monster, but he had a human heart.
WC = 162

Hannah Longshore

12/5/2017 10:39:41 am

I have decided to respond to you because I totally agree with everything you have said. This quote definitely shows the creature’s true nature because you get an insight look on how good of a soul he truly has. Victor chose to abandon his creature in the beginning of the novel, and it only brought him horrible consequences. When we finally get to see the creature’s true feelings again, we see that he shows remorse for all the deaths of the people he has murdered. Like you said, we definitely get to see the creature’s goodness because he copes with the death of Frankenstein like he was a part of his family. The creature understands what he did was wrong, and he also understands that he had to do what he had to so that he could get back at his creature for leaving him alone.

word count: 146

Olga Fedchenko

12/5/2017 11:23:50 am

I totally agree with you, kid. I view the creature as a human, abandoned and thrown out by both society and his creator. Looking at this in reference to a child abandoned by his parents and society for abnormalities, it is very clear why he acted in the ways he did. First trying to appeal to his society by copying and learning their language and ways, the creature shows readers how dearly he wishes to be accepted and loved- a human quality- by the society around him. You said that it was clear the creature had human emotions as he mourned the death of Frankenstein; to me, this is very true- just like an abandoned child, he wished to get revenge on the hands that hurt him, but still longs for the closeness of a parental or friendly companion.
Word Count: 139

Christine Ladd-Franklin

12/4/2017 07:02:00 pm

“Had I right, for my own benefit, to inflict this curse upon everlasting generations? I had before been moved by the sophisms of the being I had created; I had been struck senseless by his fiendish threats: but now, for the first time, the wickedness of my promise burst upon me; I shuddered to think that future ages might curse me as their pest, whose selfishness had not hesitated to buy its own peace at the price, perhaps, of the existence of the whole human race” (Shelley 147).

In this passage overall, Victor is voicing his concerns to Walton about creating another monster. He begins by explaining how similarly ignorant and uncontrollable this new creature will be. He even goes on saying that the new monster could possibly be even worse than the first and that this second chance could turn into a bigger disaster. This passage gives us insight into Victor’s mindset about what he has done. If his feelings are this strong about his new creation, it tells us that he is still very ashamed of the creature he created first. Although he has begun to go through with the agreed solution, he is already regretting it. He is afraid that his attempt at fixing the problem is only going to make it worse by creating an even worse monster than before. This reveals Victor’s own reflection of himself, as he does not trust his own creations. Therefore, this passage can also show us Victor’s lack of confidence in his own actions and how much damage the creature has done to his self-worth. Victor believes that the problem he has created is damaged beyond repair. But this also demonstrates the value of humanity and safety to him, as he is contemplating not creating the second creature in order to protect mankind.

Word Count: 215

Jantina Tammes

12/5/2017 11:20:48 am

I really like this quote and the way you analyzed it. I also feel like this could be seen through a feministic lens, because of the realizations Victor went through when creating the Female Creature. He realizes the destruction that would be brought upon mankind as you stated. The Female Creature would pose an even greater threat than Victor, because of all that she would be capable of the circumstances of her creation. During this time period, women probably weren't seen as very strong or threatening in any view at all. So Frankenstein addressing how vital their role is, is sort of a statement of Mary Shelley herself. Also the fact that the build of the woman would mirror the Creature's, it would show the strength of females as a whole but in a more physical aspect.
(Word Count=137)

Hannah Longshore

12/5/2017 11:37:41 am

I decided to respond to you because I felt your response was very interesting. In your writing you state how there was talk of creating a new creature, and you state that this shows Victor’s shame towards the first one created. I totally agree because Victor up and left the creature as soon as he saw that he wasn’t what he hoped for, and we could see Victor’s love was never shown. Victor does want to create a new creature so it is sort of him “fixing the problem”. Frankenstein’s personality was definitely shown by his uncertainty in his creations.

word count: 100

Hannah Longshore

12/4/2017 08:03:36 pm

“I am malicious because I am miserable. Am I not shunned and hated by all mankind?” (Shelley 129).

I decided to respond to this quote by Shelley because I enjoy how it’s short, but sweet. The creature states that he’s such a “monster” basically because he’s alone. He states that everyone hates him and totally leaves him by his lonely. I can advocate for the creature because when you’re alone for too long, you eventually crack. Loneliness can lead to destruction, if not in oneself, than in someone else. This quote helps me sympathize with the creature, although he reacts in an insane way. This shows that personality can truly be created, and that it’s not always innate. It is witnessed all the time where people are innocent and happy until something drastic occurs and they evolve into some beast. Victor Frankenstein abandoned his creature and allowed humans to make him feel subpar, and as a result he began to seek revenge. Desperation is honestly something that shouldn’t be taken lightly because once people snap, there’s no telling what they’ll do. The creature’s personality was shaped by the result of him being left out and victimized as a monster, and therefore I think that’s why he began to act how people perceived him. However, I do believe you can be born a good or monstrous person, it’s not impossible for people to change how they act.

word count: 218

Thereza Dilwyn Llewelyn

12/5/2017 11:08:17 am

It is sad that the creature seems to be perpetually alone. It seems whenever he finds someone he thinks might love him back, they are disgusted by his appearance and sometimes believe that he is a demon, like Walton does. I love that you interpret dejection by showing how it gives him desperation. It is also quite interesting that you describe how the creature has snapped because in reality he is not mad, he is just the victim of bad circumstances and this leads him to commit the murders and other terrible things he does.

Word Count: 105

Elizabeth Lomax

12/5/2017 11:26:05 am

I think it’s so interesting that you chose to mention how the psychological effects of being alone caused the monster to act in such a “monstrous” manner. I definitely agree with your statement about how being alone for too long can someone to crack. You can be alone without being lonely, and you can be lonely without being alone—for example, it’s possible to feel alone in a room filled with people like yourself simply because there is some sort of disconnect between yourself and the individuals you choose to surround yourself with. It’s hard to imagine the kind of suffering the creature was experiencing because while we may experience the same type of loneliness, there may still be some comfort in the fact that we are all humans. The creature was not given this solace.

Christine Ladd-Franklin

12/5/2017 11:36:48 am

I like your post because I think it gives very valuable insight into the humanity behind the creature. As you stated, this quote demonstrates how lonely the creature is and that shows us how drastic loneliness can be for a person. But I think this also shows how truly human the creature actually is because he is capable of feeling the same things with us. Even the creature is not immune to the effects of loneliness that the human world has on us. This is also why the creature has the capability to not be a monster because he has human within himself.

Christine Ladd-Franklin

12/5/2017 11:37:27 am

Word count: 103

Ella Church Strobell

12/4/2017 09:16:09 pm

My rage is unspeakable when i reflect on the murderer, swhom i have turned loose upon society, still exists.”-(shelley 177)

I thought this was important because Frankenstein finally stopped and actually realized the damaged that he cause of creating the monster. Because of his creation, he lost many of those who were close to him like his younger brother, Justine, and his newly wedded wife Elizabeth, resulting him in being alone. His wife being the last straw, he could not take any more despair and was ready to take some revenge on the monster. I think that Frankenstein is finally knowing how the creature felt when he was abandoned and seeked revenge. In this moment, Frankenstein is so obsessed with the idea of exact revenge only because he is so weak from all the mourning of his loved ones, thinking that the only thing that will ‘satisfy’ or help deal with his sadness is to replace it with the anger he has toward the monster. This is the only meaning of life Frankenstein has because of everything that has been snatched away from him. I think loneliness is a big theme throughout the story being portrayed through the monster and Frankenstein. They were both isolated which triggered their feelings of sadness and anger.

Word count; 214

Elizabeth Lomax

12/5/2017 11:36:39 am

I definitely agree with your statement that at this point, Frankenstein had fully thought about the damage his creature had inflicted upon his life. I wouldn't exactly say that the monster directly caused him to lose those who were close to him--instead, I believe that because Frankenstein became so absorbed with his experiment, he began to neglect his loved ones because creating life was his main priority. I also agree with your statement about how Frankenstein basically became obsessed with getting revenge on the monster and almost becomes his meaning of life. I think this happened because in a way, he too was lonely, which is why I also agree with your statement that loneliness seems to be a prevalent theme throughout the story.

Katherine Marray Lyell

12/4/2017 09:41:53 pm

"When I first sought it, it was the love of virtue, the feelings of happiness and affection with which my whole being overflowed, that i wish to be participated. But now that virtue has become to me a shadow and that happiness and affection are turned into bitter and loathing despair, in what should I seek for sympathy? (Shelley 195).

Towards the end of Frankenstein, we start to read Walton’s letter once again, and observe his interaction with the creature. Since Walton became friends with Victor, he was well aware of the creature, and what he had done to many people. However, during his short interaction with Victor’s creation, Walton hesitates on whether or not to kill him. As they talk, the creature begins to express what he felt when he was “born”, but also how those feelings transformed as he experienced rejection from others, and from his creator. Personally, I can notice that the creature wanted to feel loved, happiness, and affections; however, all he got to experience was rejection. In my opinion, if he hadn’t been physically judged nor rejected, he wouldn’t have killed others, or simply hurt anyone in anyway. Moreover, if he had been accepted by society, I don’t think he would’ve asked for a partner, since he wouldn’t feel alone or empty. It is important for us to know that the creature may physically look like an adult, but his mentality is as if he was a child. Just like any newborn, the creature was waiting to be loved and protected, instead, he was simply abandoned. As the book continued, we can notice how the creature suffers due to the death of his creator, which shows us how he can also be considered a human, despite of the way he came into this world.
WC- 240

Thereza Dilwyn Llewelyn

12/5/2017 11:17:01 am

I completely agree with you. Everyone is a product of their upbringing, and as the creature's upbringing was dejection and abandonment, it makes complete sense that he would be messed up. It also seems that he only kills in order to torture or get to Frankenstein. I think that his cruel qualities are emblematic of his "daddy issues". He, like a child with a parent who ignores them, acts out only in front of that parent mostly for attention; he just grows up the way he acts out because instead of refusing to eat like a child would, he kills someone that Victor loves. I think this is caused mostly by his developmental issues because he was never taught the major difference between right and wrong, so while he knows to an extent, murder likely does not feel as bad as it really is.

Word Count: 144

Mary Treat

12/5/2017 10:27:32 pm

I actually believe that the creature has a sufficiently developed moral compass to be held accountable for his murders, given that he knew such concepts such as honor and respect. And on the note that he didn’t really understand the weight that his killings had, I disagree. There are multiple instances where he refrains from killing, even though it could have been accomplished with ease. It doesn’t bring him joy, nor does he (unless his planned to) revel in the act. He even says himself, amidst the presence of a horrified Frankenstein, that he hated hearing the groans of his victims when he was choking them to death. This indicates his resentment at himself for committing such a horrendous act, knowing that what he does goes against what humanity considers virtuous. He even spares the villagers that he passes by while taunting Victor to chase him, showing that he only killed to fulfill his goal, and nothing more.
Word Count: 160

Mary Treat

12/4/2017 09:54:11 pm

“His soul overflowed with ardent affections, and his friendship was of that devoted and wondrous nature that the worldly-minded teach us to look for only in the imagination. But even human sympathies were not sufficient to satisfy his eager mind. The scenery of external nature, which others regard only with admiration, he loved with ardour” (Shelley 139).

Henry has always been Shelley’s embodiment of the nature of Romanticism, evident by how he always wanted to be one of his literature “heroes” he read about , how he loved basking in the marvelous scenery of nature on his trip with Victor through Europe, and his basic attitude to loving life in general, committing himself to various arts and cultures humanity had to provide. More importantly however, he presents himself as a foil to Victor throughout the story, with Frankenstein willing to dissect and warp nature to find the answers to life that he seeks while Henry is content with trying to decipher the deeper meaning of it all just the way it is. In this instance, another difference is shown between Victor and Henry in the way that they both use nature in their lives. Henry uses it as something to enjoy and be a part of, standing in awe and absorbing some sort of spiritual benefit through his immersion experience in it. Victor also likes to lose himself in the awesomeness of nature, but uses it more as an escape from his current reality, only to lose any semblance of his collected self when thrust back into said reality with his creation. While Henry uses nature to achieve a state of spiritual fulfillment, Victor uses it more to unhealthily numb himself from his current situation, fiercely losing himself into the experience (similar to an alcoholic using alcohol to numb his/her feelings to everyday life).
Word Count: 307

Z'Sofia Torma

12/12/2017 11:29:31 am

This was very interesting to read. As I read Frankenstein, I saw Henry's only purpose to be making Victor look more psychotic I never really put much thought into him or his character in the story. After reading this analysis my thought process has changed slightly. You are correct in saying that Henry truly brought Romanticism into Frankenstein. There was such an innocence and almost childishness about him and in a way, he was like the creature in that sense. A child trapped in an adult's body. He was very intelligent, like the creature, but his thought processes and social interactions are in a way, similar to the creature's.

Jantina Tammes

12/5/2017 10:52:38 am

“‘Shall each man,’ cried he, ‘find a wife for his bosom, and each beast have his mate, and I be alone?...Man! you may hate; but beware! your hours will pass in dread and misery, and soon the bolt will fall which must ravish from you your happiness forever...I will watch with the wiliness of a snake, that I may sting with its venom. Man, you shall repent of the injuries you inflict’” (Shelley 149).

This quote is taken when Frankenstein is confronted by the Creature, because he’s ceased his work on his female counterpart. Frankenstein has realized the horror of what he has started to do again, and fears the consequences it might bring on mankind more than the consequences he might receive from not meeting his promise. When confronted by his first creation, he argues his points, and is met by this passage.
What I find interesting about this passage is how instead of using Victor’s name, the Creature refers to him as “Man,” as if he represents all of mankind---and in a way he does. Victor has shunned the Creature and denied him his most basic request of affection and companionship, just as the rest of mankind has. When taken out of context and given the point of view that all of humanity is his audience, it takes on a bigger concept. After all the suffering the creature has gained from humans, he decided to become the bane of their existence---he decides to become the devil in his snake form when he constructed the downfall of Adam and Eve; and through this we see his plan of plotting the downfall of Victor a little more clearly.

(Word Count=204)

Olga Fedchenko

12/5/2017 11:09:41 am

“How little you know me. William, Justine, and Henry—they all died by my hands” (Shelley 164).
This quotation highlights Shelley’s authorial intent to be emphasizing Victor’s emotional state due to the creature’s vengeful actions against him. Suffering from the deaths of those closest to him, Victor is dealing with intense grief and sorrow as shown by his social isolation and lack of light in his views on life. To make this worse, Victor is dealing with extreme guilt through his belief that he was the cause for each of their deaths; being the causation for the creature’s making, Victor blames himself for all of the creature’s actions- something I believe he is right for. While the sequence of events leading to the creature’s actions are triggering of empathy for both Victor’s actions and the creature’s actions, Victor is truly the creator of his creature, and is responsible for letting him escape after making him live. He remains aware of this, which seems only to make his depression worse. While reading, I was honestly surprised Victor didn’t kill himself- though I guess his death was more symbolic.
Word Count: 198

Christine Ladd-Franklin

12/5/2017 09:01:40 pm

I agree with your statement that this is Shelley’s way of showing Victor’s feelings. It’s his own guilt and disappointment over the creature that leads him to this mental state. However, I do not agree that Victor should have been guilty for the creature’s actions. After the creation of the creature, Victor was no longer responsible for what the creature did. As Victor’s goal was to create an independent creature, the things that he did after that were not Victor’s fault. Victor could no longer control what the creature did because he had his own thoughts that didn’t rely on Victor’s.`

Mary Treat

12/5/2017 10:56:59 pm

I wholeheartedly disagree with your statement, and believe that Victor definitely deserved all of his self-imposed guilt. The creature was born out of Frankenstein's arrogance in his attempt to prove that he to could play God, with the main reasoning for carrying out this act being that he simply could. The creature was actually very helpless when he was first rejected by Victor, and had always longed for a meaningful connection/relationship with someone, one not borne of fear. That is the main reason for the creature’s suffering throughout the book, after all. Finally, saying that Victor had no responsibility in caring for the creature after it was made is akin to saying that a mother has no obligation to love her child, but instead to merely just give birth to it. Sure, raising a kid without loving it could be considered the bare minimum of parenting, but the fact remains that the kid will most certainly grow up disturbed in some way. I fail to see how Frankenstein’s rejecting of the creature and its ensuing rampage (stemming from it being treated as an abomination since inception) weren’t caused by Frankenstein's irresponsible actions.
Word Count: 196

Z'Sofia Torma

12/11/2017 02:09:42 pm

"You must create a female for me with whom I can live in the interchange of those sympathies necessary for my being. This you alone can do, and I demand it of you as a right which you must not refuse to concede."

In this part of the book, the creature is giving Victor a chance to live by asking him to create a female companion to live with him. He feels that by having another creature like him, he may be able to find happiness because there will be someone that understands him and empathizes with him in a way that no human can. He has realized that he will never find the attention and affection that he craves from either Victor or the family in the cabin, so he decides to become proactive and create it himself. He knows very well that Victor is the only person who would be able to create a female for him, so he targets Victor ferociously giving him no other option than to do what he asks.

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