Did I request thee, Maker, from my clay
To mould me man? Did I solicit thee
From darkness to promote me?
-John Milton, Paradise Lost, X, 743-745 (1667)
How do we determine which traditions are worth keeping and which must be jettisoned for the sake of progress, and how do the old and the new overlap in the meantime?
Understandings:
Students will understand that...
Students will understand that...
- When we don't take responsibility for our actions, we can impact others, possibly even on a global level.
- Victor's lack of compassion for his creation causes the monster to seek revenge and cuts it off from any love or compassion it might have felt.
- Scientific advancement can help us learn and prolong our lives, but when it clashes with moral issues and compromises our principles and our humanity, it is harmful.
- This novel offers no answer to the question of the relationship between creator and creation; it can be a seen as metaphor for man's relationship to God, in which case, God is indifferent at best and cruel at worst. The novel does serve as a springboard to discuss such issues.
- The relationship between nature and nurture is complex and remains the focus of debate as research shows both to be important in determining various aspects of humanity.
Essential Questions:
The world owes all its onward impulses to men ill at ease. The happy man inevitably confines himself within ancient limits.
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Strunk & White: The Elements of Style![]() click on the book cover
This is a link to a classic writing refence book used in colleges and high schools to support higher level writing. Please read and use whenever you are inventing and composing a writing assignment and you have a question about grammar or mechanics.
Frankenstein: Annotated for Scientists, Engineers, and Creators of All Kinds (The MIT Press-2017)Frankenstein Podcasts (free)Downloadables and Resources
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The Rime of the Ancient Mariner - ColeridgeProfessor Courtright Lecture Parts 1 to 4Professor Courtright Lecture Parts 5 to 7Frankenstein Document Resources![]()
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Frankenstein Assignments![]()
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Generic Handouts and Media Links![]()
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