You did it! You completed Frankenstein! Congrats :) Now it's blog time...
For Chapters 21-24 I would like you to come up with a creative title for each chapter -- you don't need to explain why you selected it, but just put the number and the name (Example: Chapter I = The Beginning... lame, yes I know, but it's just an example!)
For the novel in general/overall tell us your favorite part and why its your favorite and then tell us your least favorite part and why you disliked it.
11 comments:
Deanna Lagasse
Titles:
Chapter 21: The (Rightly) Accused
Chapter 22: A Prisoner in His Own Cell
Chapter 23: Love Falsely Given and Lost
Chapter 24: A Teased Resolvement
Personally, my favorite part of the novel in general was the scene when Frankenstein's monster was learning and defining human emotions, values, language, and culture whilst observing the cottage family. Here, although the cottagers are unaware of the monster's presence or watchful eyes, the monster is not rejected by them and can live in peace for awhile. The monster is learning the intimacy of a social life and a family, which he does not have. Victor's rejection of the monster is a stark and negative contrast to the cottagers’ caring for each other. I find it bittersweet that in this experience of more normal life, he realizes that he has a bad, lonesome life, but in that, it shows that he is capable of human emotion and it brings a reader's pity upon him.
My least favorite part of the novel was when Frankenstein confronts a little boy in the woods after he is rejected again. In this scene, the monster desires the little boy to live with him and to be his companion. Naively and childishly, the boy refuses and struggles to get away. I do not like this part because of the melancholy surrounding it. The monster has human qualities, desires companionship,and feels sad after he strangles the boy, but the monster also allows his aggressive and animalistic qualities to overcome him. It is interesting in this case to examine whether the human traits or barbarian/monster traits are more dominant; in this case, I feel that it is equal, for even though he committed a horrid action, he regrets it. Either way, the monster cannot win, for he wants companionship but allows his mixed emotions and unidentified qualities and self to kill people and his only interactions.
Elissa Caldicott
Chapter 21= The Haunting Glimmer of Two Eyes
Chapter 22= Another Affectionate Playfellow?
Chapter 23= The Murderous Mark and Dreadful Truth
Chapter 24= The Final Destruction
After completing the novel i feel as though my overall favorite part of the book was when the Monster explains to Victor his misery of being rejected. I enjoyed this portion of the novel the best because it allowed me to view the story from the point of view of the monster. Without this portion of the novel i do not believe the plot and messages within the novel would be nearly as effective. I enjoyed hearing of the Monster's desire to feel human emotion and to find love. I felt this was unique and interesting because although the Monster was not human, he was able to desire the one thing every human wishes to experience, love. By experiencing the novel through the monsters perspective i felt as though i was able to feel pity for him.
My least favorite part of the novel was the beginning. Although i realize that Victor's love for philosophy and science needed to be described i did not enjoy the background information of sciences and his schooling nearly as much as the rest of the novel. I felt as though this portion of the novel could be decreased in length, but i still understand that it is necessary in order to understand the creation of the Monster. Overall i thoroughly enjoyed the novel.
Erica
Chapter 21: The Best Friend goes first
Chapter 22: From Sadness in Prison to Fear at Home
Chapter 23: A Short Marriage
Chapter 24: Realization that is too Late
My favorite section of this novel was when Victor decided to go to Europe to create the female version of the monster. The description is very good in this section and it is a turning point for the character of Victor, which changes the course of the novel. Victor is no longer submissive to the monster, and he can finally take action and stand up against his creation. It shows how strong Victor is if he applies himself. However, if Victor found a way to talk to or control his monster, then Henry and Elizabeth would not have to die. Never the less Victor was enduring and he lived through his father's, mother's, wife's, best friend's, William's, and Victoria's death. He continued on and lived out his life trying to fix what was wrong.
My least favorite part of the novel is when Victor takes Elizabeth to lake Como for their honey-moon. Victor clearly knows the monster is coming on his wedding night, yet he does not think. Victor should have known that the monster would go after his family, friends, and wife to make him suffer. However, Victor is not smart and thinks the monster will try to kill him on his wedding night. Frankenstein does not tell anyone to help him kill the monster and he lets his wife wonder off. It is just carelessness! She is easily strangled by the strong beast and Frankenstein hardly put up a fight. Victor could have at least tried to set up a strategy to kill the monster, but in stead he just takes a gun and hopes he can kill it. The plot of the story is kind of weak in this section. (on Victor's part)
Tommy Campbell
Chapter 21: The Indicted
Chapter 22: Anticipation
Chapter 23: The Unexpected
Chapter 24: Quest for Revenge
My favorite part of the story was the initial creation of the monster. I found the process Victor Frankenstein went through to create this monster compelling. I liked the gross details of the monster and all description of his creation. It was also important because it showed a lot about Frankenstein's character when he ran away in fear of the monster, not trying to find a way to stop him.
My least favorite part of the story was when the monster began to express human emotions. Mainly because it threw off my thinking of the monster immensely. I did not like the change from an uncontrollable inhumane crazy creature to a lonely, sad, but still inhumane creature. I did not like that this monster was trying to make the reader feel sympathetic for him because he did not have any people of his kind to spend time with, meanwhile he still continued killing innocent people.
K MONEY$$
Chapter 21- Malignant Fits of Vengeance Have I Known
Chapter 22- The Bride of Frankenstein
Chapter 23- The Monster and the Lamb
Chapter 24- The Final Coming of the Monster
Favorite part- Book wise, I really enjoyed Shelley's flowery language. She writes passionately and eloquently, even though at times it was superfluous, I still liked it. I liked her glorifications of nature and the range of vocabulary she used. Frankenstein is a great story overall. I don't have a favorite scene, though I enjoyed Walton's description of his ardent desire to travel to the North Pole in the beginning. She did a great job conveying the emotions and tortures of each character that we empathized them.
I don't have a least favorite scene, I thought all of them were woven well together, but I dislike the lack of individual cognition and characterization. What I mean is that I feel all the protagonists shared the same pattern of thoughts and feelings. If Shelley did not tell us who was the narrator in a certain chapter, will we be able to tell whether it was the Monster, Fulton or Frankestein (other than plot clues)? This makes the book more contrived because all the characters seem to have the same message.
Kyle Mannion
Chapter 21: The Poisoned Cup of Life Overflows
Chapter 22: Old Fears Revived Upon the Dieing of the Light
Chapter 23: The Spurned Son's Vengeance
Chapter 24: The Creators Neglected Responsibility
My favorite part of the novel was when the monster began to take on human characteristics. By giving the monster human traits, Shelley was able to create sympathy for the creature. I found this to be an interesting situation because it left unanswered the question of Who is the protagonist? Also, the monster's understanding of people and his simple desire for acceptance led me to believe that he was more human than monster.
However, I did not like the monster's thirst for revenge. I felt as though this aspect of the story unfairly demonized the monster and placed Victor in the role of victim, a position that is not true to the character of the man.
nicole barr
titles:
chapter 21: the penultimate murder
chapter 22: with you on your wedding night
chapter 23: everlasting ices of the north
chapter 24: the final pursuit
favorite part:
my favorite part was when frankenstein's monster tracked frankenstein down and forced him to listen to his argument as to why he should make a 'lady' monster. it was fascinating to see just how the monster was corrupted, and it really blurred the line of good and evil. after that pivotal talk, the monster seemed more human than ever, and frankenstein himself seemed more like a monster. the moral questions were complicated, and i liked the fact that they might not have a straight answer.
least favorite part:
i didn't enjoy how mary shelley described frankenstein's reactions to the deaths in his family. they were always the same overdramatic tears and "i can't stand any more of this" (but he did about a million times). i think she could've painted a much more compassionate and realistic portrait of human grieving and loss, and its shallowness really took away from frankenstein's character. he didn't seem like the noble and dynamic man that he was described as in the beginning of the novel, and this made him less real for me.
Kristen Cipriano
Chapter 21: Guilty
Chapter 22: Consumed With Secrecy
Chapter 23: Nothing Left To Love
Chapter 24: Happily Never After
Favorite part:
In my opinion, my favorite part of Frankenstein was when the reader got insight into the emotions and mind of the monster. This kind of goes off of the quote I posted in the other blog. It was a side that was not yet shown in the story and once it was exposed it automatically shifted my views on the monster. Once I got to understanding how bad the monster craved humanity, this is when I was starting to feel for him. When he started learning from the family and picking up human actions in secret, that was something I really enjoyed. I liked reading about the monster developing into what may not have been a human being on the outside but definitely had the emotions and traits on the inside. I know this isn't exactly a part of the novel, but I really was intrigued that Shelley offers the monsters point of view that truly makes the novel more well rounded rather than one-sided. It brings a lot more emotions from the reader that as soon as you read what it is like to be in the monsters head, you feel bad for him.
Least Favorite:
My least favorite part of the novel was that Frankenstein could not accept his creation. It makes me wonder that if he could have just confessed to being the creator would his fate have turned out differently. This made Victor look like a coward. The monster struggled with isolation that made him go mad, while Victor day to day had to struggle with keeping his secret creation under wraps. He knows he made a mistake and he knows he is responsible, I just wanted to see him own up to this.
Shayleigh Oldroyd
Chapter 21: The Right To Remain Silent At What Cost?
Chapter 22: Unescapable
Chapter 23: Happiest Day, Treacherous Timing
Chapter 24: Catch Me If You Can
My favorite part of the novel was when the monster was created. It was really weird and kind of psychotic, and it showed how Victor was a true mad scientist. I also thought it was funny that after all of the hard work he put in by creating the monster, he runs away from it because its ugly. I'm pretty sure most parents wouldnt run away from their child because it was ugly and slightly creepy. if Victor would have treated the monster better, not as many people would die and the monster would have felt accepted by somebody.
My least favorite part of the novel was when Victor could never kill the thing. I feel bad for the monster but it would have been better if he destoryed it. Victor was not smart in telling anybody about it, or even coming up with a decent plan to murder it. Instead, he sits and worries about what the monster is going to do instead of manning up and doing something about it, it was slightly annoying.
Colin Sweeney
Titles:
Chapter 21: Black Marks that Stain the Heart
Chapter 22: A Haunting Secret
Chapter 23: Loved and Lost
Chapter 24: The Everlasting Pursuit of Vengeance
My favorite part/scene from the novel is when the monster is telling Victor about when he began to observe the humans (chapters 11 and 12 and 13 mainly). This is my favorite part of the novel because of it's effect on the reader (who may begin to alter his/her views on the monster.) I personally enjoy this part because it is the first real view one has of the monster trying to become familiar with humans and become part of society. This section of the book poses a lot of questions about the future of the monster as well the future of society. It is a sort of bashful commentary on society as the blind man is the only man capable of accepting the monster because he cannot see its dreadful appearance (saying society is too judgmental). Ultimately this portion of the novel is my favorite because it opens up the readers mind to questions and begins to relate the monster to what human life is like, making some audience members empathetic of the monster and others shun him even more.
My least favorite part of the novel was undoubtedly the beginning of the book. It was very slow and incredibly boring to read. The constant metion of science concepts did not help either, as it made me feel more distant from the book (I HATE SCIENCE). Although it was a necessary part of the book, I wish the author had summarized it and made it more succinct and concise. I felt as if it held too much information that did not have enough relevance to the plot to take up so much of the novel. Not a bad book overall, I wish it had been a bit more scary, like the Frankenstein i knew and loved as a kid :(
Luke Morrell
Chapter Titles:
Chapter XXI - Inescapable Life
Chapter XXII - Joy Overshadowed
Chapter XXIII - He was with them on their Wedding Night.
Chapter XXIV - A Death Unhallowed for Guilt and Shame
Favourite Part:
My favourite part isn't a specific section, but is dotted throughout. I think Shelley does better at describing scenery and evoking a mood than any dialogue throughout, and in parts when the characters interacted it was so disapointing I prefered those descriptive sections...In the mountains after Justine's death, or chasing after the monster in the north, the creature in the forest, etc.
Least Favourite part:
Like above, the dialogue was cumbersome that it jolted me out of the story. So my least favourite parts were those sections when people interacted - the chapters about the cottage's inhabitants, or when Frankenstein and his creature are chatting.
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