Homework

Homework for Frankenstein

Chapter 5-Mini Essay

Victor Frankenstein was always fascinated with science growing up. Later in life he also became very interested in the study of life and death. He had a very happy childhood with a loving family. When he was young he started getting interested in old theories of science, particularly from Cornelius Agrippa, Paracelsus, and Albertus Magnus. Victor’s father thought the ideas were stupid and dated. Victor goes to study at the University of Ingolstadt. While there he studies science, in particular chemistry, and interacts with the professors. Victor excels more and more in science at the university until he is done. Then he begins to create. Victor Frankenstein is so excellent at science that he finds a way to create and bring a creature to life. He collected his materials in an interesting, disgusting manner as he says, “The dissecting room and the slaughter house furnished many of my materials.” The creature that Victor creates is much larger and different than an average human being. He stands about eight feet tall, has jet black hair, yellow eyes, and yellow skin that is kind of translucent so that muscular and blood vessels are still slightly visible.

Victor works extremely hard at creating this creature. He works for two years straight studying the process of death and creating the creature. Victor becomes out of touch with reality and the real world that even the drop of a leaf startles him. He doesn’t take care of himself during this time period either, which causes him to look sickly and lose weight.

After creating the monster, Victor is horrified. He cannot believe what he has done. He is disgusted just at the site of the creature he has brought life upon. Victor worked so very hard for years to learn and study to create this ugly creature. He could possibly feel as though he made a mistake by creating a creature. After all, God is the only other thing on Earth to ever create life. But now, Victor has brought a new form of life to the planet.

God is the only one who should bring life to creatures. Victor wanted to know so badly how it felt, or what it was like to be able to create another living being. He worked incredibly hard to form the monster, but he is in utter disgust when he finally finishes his creation. Victor Frankenstein has brought life upon another being, how will he react?

Great response; just really late.

Mini Essay #2 The creature encounters many things since his original creation. He lives fully on his own and learns from trial and error and experience. The monster studies the DeLacy family for a long time. He hides out and watches them. He thinks that they are beautiful but wonders why they are so sad. Finally, the monster reveals himself to the family and the family reacts horribly; Agatha faints, Safie gets scared, and Felix attacks the monster. This makes the monster very upset. After all, it is not the creature's fault he is ugly and different and it was not his idea to be created or “born.” The monster decides to first approach DeLacy and have DeLacy get to know him and convince his children to be open to the monster. But that plan backfires as well. The children do not react well, and as a result they leave the cabin. The monster burns down the cabin and then leaves on his way. While on his journey, he sees a young girl fall in a river, he jumps in and saves the little girl from drowning. After saving her, he gets shot by the man the little girl was accompanied by. The monster becomes livid. He saves a young girl and gets shot as a result? He gets to chance to even experience the slightest bit of companionship or interaction with humans because they all judge him on his appearance first.

The monster is wrong to fully judge all human man kind for his experiences. There is caring, accepting people everywhere in the world, but how many of those people would accept a hideous, 8 ft tall monster? If people were able to see the monster without judging on his appearance they would find his story compelling. The monster is correct that not many people would accept him naturally if they saw him, but that is no excuse for attacking or murdering. He should understand he is different and that it would be hard for any human to accept a hideous monster. He should not go on a murdering rampage against any person he sees just because of his experiences with a few select humans. You pity the monster for being so alone and miserable on his own, but at the same time hate him for murdering just because of his experiences with only a few select humans. The monster is not complex enough to understand that humans would fear him tremendously because of the notions they have about monsters.

30/30- Great!