...The Real Monster Science is a broad field which covers many aspects of everyday life and existence. Some areas of science include the study of the universe, the environment, dinosaurs, animals, and insects. Another popular science is the study of people and how they function. In Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, Dr. Victor Frankenstein is an inspiring scientist that studies the dead. He wants to be the first person to give life to a dead human being. He spends all of his time concentrating on this goal, and gives up his family and friends. When he finally accomplishes this, everything falls apart. So, Victor Frankenstein is to blame for the tragedy, not the monster he has created, because he is the mastermind behind the whole operation, and he is supposed to have everything under control, working properly as a good scientist should do. Although some critics say that the monster Victor has created is to blame for the destruction and violence that follow the experiment, it is Victor who is the responsible party. First, Victor, being the scientist, should have known how to do research on the subject a lot more than he had done. He obviously has not thought of the consequences that may result from it such as the monster going crazy, how the monster reacts to people and things, and especially the time it will take him to turn the monster into the perfect normal human being. This is obviously something that would take a really long time and a lot of patience which Victor lacks. All...
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...Brett Jacobs March 24, 2014 Mrs. Zink English III Loving Frankenstein When reading most books today people are likely to compare what happens in the book to their real life experiences. Readers do this frequently in many different kinds of books from horror novels to love stories. While reading the novel Frankenstein, though it may not be the first thing on a readers mind, after being done with the novel people cant resist the urge to go back and understand the relationships between many of the main characters and why some of the characters did what they did. Mary Shelley the author of Frankenstein is known for creating relationships in novels and either leaving them unexplained or making the reader question what she was trying to reveal about society and its shortcoming though a specific characters relationship. While reading Frankenstein this happened many times with multiple relationships such as the one between Elizabeth and Victor, Victor and the monseter or the monster and society. Almost every character revealed speaks to the most inner thoughts people have. Throughout the novel Frankenstein, the reader comes to understand the human condition in many ways. In this particular novel, many times loneliness comes into effect and changes how the character acts and reacts to each other and their surroundings. When Elizabeth is first introduced into the book she is portrayed as a lonely character. She is an orphan and seems to have a assortment of problems and never to...
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...“The real monster in the novel Frankenstein” In the novel Frankenstein by Mary Shelly, the main character, Victor Frankenstein, is a troubled man. The novel begins with a tale told by a sea caption, Robert Walton, who rescued Frankenstein from icy waters while traveling to the North Pole. Frankenstein tells the tale of his creation of a monster to the sea caption. Victor was educated in college in the field of philosophy and chemistry. During his years in college, Victor becomes obsessed with the notion of creating life. Using his education and knowledge, he begins to create a live being out of old body parts. Isolating himself and working diligently for a long time, Victor’s dream finally came true. After creating this monster and bringing the monster to life, he becomes frightened at what he did and flees his home in terror. When he returns home, he discovers the monster is missing. Although he is concerned, he does nothing to remedy the situation. Soon after, Victor has learned from his father that his brother was murdered and returns to his childhood home. While traveling home, he catches sight of the monster and is convinced the monster has killed his brother. A young girl who was adopted by the Frankenstein family is found guilty of the murder and put to death. Victor, knowing it is the monster that killed his brother, says nothing to defend the young girl, afraid it may be discovered that he created the monster. Shortly thereafter, Victor encounters the monster while...
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...be disastrous, in this case, deadly. Victor Frankenstein is the creator of the creature. Victor becomes obsessed with the idea of creating the human form and bringing it to life. Immediately after creating the creature, he is terrified because he doesn't truly understand what he has created. He returns home to his family, only to find tragedy there. Victor is not fully aware of the consequences of his actions and in a turn of events he spends his entire life trying to destroy the the one thing he spent his entire life creating. Much like a mother figure Victor Frankenstein brings a creature into the world but unlike most mothers Victor...
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...Throughout the novel, Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein proposes the parallel between monster and man, and the raises the question as who is the real monster; Victor Frankenstein or the monster he created. In passage A, Mary Shelley conveys that man and monster are not entirely different and rather the real monster is essentially mankind. In this case, Shelley uses specific word choices, along with character development and parallels to demonstrate that man and monster are indistinguishable. In the following passage, Mary Shelley’s choice of words and characterization indicates that man and monster are along the same spectrum. Robert Walton writes, “My affection for my guest increases every day. He excites at once my admiration and my pity to an astonishing degree. How can I see so noble a creature destroyed by misery without feeling the most poignant grief?” (Shelley 12-13). The idea that Walton addresses Victor Frankenstein as a “noble creature” is crucial in identifying as to what is considered to be human. He addresses Victor as a creature with understanding, and “gentle, yet so wise; his mind cultivated…” (Shelley 13). Mary Shelley associates man as creature; creature with intelligence, feelings, and innocence. This pinpoints to the idea that man is monster. In addition, the passage sets up the scene for the telling of Victor’s narrative. Mary Shelley uses Walton’s character as an introduction whose story parallels that of Frankenstein’s. In the second letter, Walton addresses...
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...Introduction: Frankenstein or (the Modern Prometheus) known as the first science-fiction novel written by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley, at the age of 21, the widely famous novel was published in 1818. Although serving as the basis for the Western horror story and the inspiration for numerous movies in the 20th century, the book Frankenstein is much more than pop fiction. The story explores philosophical themes and challenges Romantic ideals about the beauty and goodness of nature. But what’s the difference between Frankenstein the story and the film? About the novel (Frankenstein): This novel functions on symbolic many levels such as Frankenstein’s monster symbolize the coming of industrialization to Europe also the destruction and the death...
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...Creator vs. Creation Victor Frankenstein creates one of the most horrible creatures known to man; it was also the most human. Sometimes a creation can be more “real” than the creator. In Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, the main character, Victor, creates a beast that is argued to be more human than the creator. Human characteristics show that Victor’s creature is more human than the creator himself because he thinks of others and feels betrayed. Victor Frankenstein has a mighty ego while his creature feels for himself and others. The creature soon talks to Victor and tells him of his feelings and thoughts. The creature describes himself as “alone and miserable” and is heartbroken because “man will not associate” with him (213). Victor’s monster is ashamed of his loneliness and is sad that no one cares for him. Victor soon understands the pain the monster feels but he does not do anything. Because he is ugly, the monster is alienated and alone. The monster claims that “no mortal could support the horror” of his features and “personality”(43). He feels and knows that he is ugly and that no one will go near him. He feels alone and abandoned because of his looks, but he never gives up hope in man. Victor remembers when he first saw his creation. He claims that “the beauty of the dream vanished” and that “breathless horror and disgust filled [his] heart”(42) Victor only cares for himself while the monster sees that caring for others is the key to happiness. Victor cares for himself...
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...Frankenstein Frankenstein, written by Mary Shelley, is a literary work considered by many to be a monstrous horror story. The book contains many different themes. However, three of the themes most prevalent throughout the novel include dangerous knowledge, monstrosity, and secrecy. One of the themes in the novel, Frankenstein is dangerous knowledge. Dangerous knowledge is trying to reach beyond human capabilities. Frankenstein wanted to gain all the knowledge he could in science. His yearning for the knowledge of all science drove Victor Frankenstein to gain knowledge to a point where it was beyond the limits of human capability. Captain Robert Walton a ship captain wanted to pursue knowledge of an unknown world beyond to find the North Pole. This could cause harm to himself and everyone around him. Victors story of how he had created something he wished he had never created. Grabbing the attention of the ship captain, he rethought his idea and plan to pursue dangerous knowledge. Another one of the major themes in the novel, Frankenstein would be monstrosity. Monstrosity is a chaotic event or being that occurs. Victor Frankenstein...
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...Victor Frankenstein and his “Monster;” an inspiration to Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde When reading Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, if one pays attention to the gaps and inconsistencies of Victor Frankenstein’s narration of the events, one may begin to question the existence of Frankenstein’s monster, and come to realize Victor Frankenstein is really the monster. This isn’t how most would interpret the events that transpired in the book, but the possibility of Victor Frankenstein being the monster he fears, is entirely plausible. This Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde comparison is not as farfetched as one would initially think; there is enough evidence, contradiction of events, gaps, and inconsistencies in Victor Frankenstein’s narrative for an astute reader to connect the dots to reach such a conclusion. Victor Frankenstein, who is relating his tale to Captain Walton after being rescued in the Arctic, is sure that the creature he created actually existed. However, it is plausible to conclude that Victor never actually brought life to his creature, but had gone mad whilst attempting it. How did Victor become the monster he feared? Perhaps the exposure to hallucinatory chemicals he used while attempting to bring life to his creation, or because of overbearing stress, or his failure to succeed in his experiments. These elements, likely combined with Victor’s own awkward social failings, led Victor to experience a mental breakdown, go mad, or develop a split personality. In this scenario...
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...The True Monster of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein The True Monster of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein Science reaches its long tangles tentacles into our everyday life and existence, area’s that reach into such studies as the universe, the environment, animals, insects, and even the prehistoric dinosaurs. Victor Frankenstein is a young scientist in Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, who unwittingly creates a “monster” that counteracts with man and god’s view and control over the human condition. Victor’s monster becomes a constant threat to his way of life, the woman and family he so dearly treasures. Created as an experiment, only to be thrown into the human world like a day old sandwich is discarded into the trash. Never being taught the difference between right and wrong; the same as a mother snake would lay and keep an egg warm, only to leave it once it has hatched. The question is can the “monster” that is never given a name really be held accountable for his actions, or should the blame fall to his creator. It seems that Shelly is trying to display through her writings that when science is followed merely on the bases of discovery without thought to the affect that the experimentation can have we risk endangering everything that we hold dear. Frankenstein becomes totally enveloped by a sinister passion that fuels his intense desire to create life; an innocent curiosity that leads him to discover what he feels is his life’s purpose. He is so over taken by his quest that...
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...Frankenstein Critical Reading Portfolio Section I: Significance of Title The title is significant because Frankenstein is the man who had created something beautiful that no one else has ever done before. One may think that the title Frankenstein sounds like something destructive. In this, Frankenstein symbolizes God and a parent to the monster because he saw himself as creating life from scratch and creating something that has never been done by anyone else. He sees himself as a parent because to him, the monster is his son. Even though the monster isn’t genetically Frankenstein’s son, he still sees him as that because he created him and invested so much time into creating him. Section II: Author The author of this book is Mary Shelley. In this story, Mary Shelley clearly expresses that the monster had trouble getting to know people because of his looks. One may say that her major theme was appearances because of how she puts the monster into talking about the way he looks and the way he sees other people. This is expressed a lot throughout the story. Another thing that one may have noticed is that there weren’t really any mother figures in this book and she kind of made it a male based story. The reason why one may point this out is because of how Victor creates a “son” without a wife in the picture and how the story goes on with this. Section III: Plot The plot exposition is within the letters written between Walton and his sister. They are telling the story of Victor...
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...Gregorio Frankenstein Essay 412 Summer Intensive Professor Monaghan July 16th, 2015 Victor attributes his tragic fate to his relentless search for knowledge. Do you think that this is the true cause of his suffering? In what ways does the novel present knowledge as dangerous and destructive? Trace the similarities between Victor and the monster. Consider their respective relationships with nature, desires for family, and any other important parallels you find. Mary Shelley’s novel Frankenstein is a story about a brilliant but unorthodox scientist, Victor Frankenstein that rejects the artificial man that he has created, the Creature escapes and later swears revenge. Throughout the novel readers experience and learn about Victors boundless passion for knowledge and discover the positive and negative effects that come with his relentless search for it. Victor’s relentless search for knowledge ultimately leads to the death of his loved ones and friends as well as his own death. The suffering that Victor encounters can also be caused by other things in his life such as lack of family and companionship or lack of a love life. The knowledge that the monster obtains throughout the novel also comes with an emotional suffering that tarnishes the relationship with his regretful creator. As seen in the novel this emotional suffering obtained through knowledge caused danger and destruction that affected many people around Victor. One can surely say that Dr. Frankenstein and his creation...
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...Mary Shelley "Frankenstein" Is a story about a monster that kills people. Know who this monster is is up to the interpretation of the reader. Now in the story of "Frankenstein" we have two main characters Victor Frankenstein and his creation in which I call the creature. These two characters have many similarities and many difference that are portrayed throughout the story. Also many people have had many different views of this story and whether the actual monster of the story is Victor himself or the actual creature in which he created through all of his scientific experimentation that he has done. At first glance many people will say the actual creature that he has created but when we actually dig a little deeper into the story we may reveal the real monster within Victor himself. Victor Frankenstein was really into science and he studied books by Agrippa, Paracelsus and Alberus Magnus. These books were only to be shunned by his professors at which he went to school and studied at. The reaction that the professor's gave was ""Every minute," continued M. Krempe with warmth, "every instant that you have wasted on those books is utterly and entirely lost". Pretty much what the professor was saying was that the contents of the books that he was reading was not factual enough and that Victor wasted his time reading them. But Victor being the guy that he is did not take the professor word for it and pursued his studies of these books to try and prove everyone wrong. He spends years...
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...Who’s the real monster in Frankenstein? How can we prove if somebody is a monster? In the novel Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, the main character is named Victor Frankenstein, a person of unnatural cruelty. Throughout the book, Victor encourages the reader to believe that his horrid creation is a monster, but in reality, it is Victor. Throughout the novel Victor displays his cruelty in the way he treats his family, the way Victor acts toward the creation, and is visible through Victor’s lack of responsibility in caring for his loved ones. Victor Frankenstein treats his family and friends with no regard. He spends two years away from his family in college secretly working to bring a deceased man back to life. His family does not hear from him once during this span of time. Victor is so obsessed with completing his creation that his wife, Elizabeth, believes he is having an affair with another woman. “I conjure you by our mutual happiness, with simple truth—Do you not love another?’ ‘You have travelled; you have spent several years of your life at Ingolstadt; and I confess to you, my friend, that when I saw you last autumn so unhappy, flying to solitude from the society of every creature, I could not help supposing that you might regret our connection and believe yourself bound in honour to fulfil the wishes of your parents, although they opposed themselves to your inclinations.”’ (Shelley 178) Victor is so preoccupied with his work that he drives Elizabeth to think...
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...the Unethical Making of our own Monsters With the ongoing and advanced progress of scientific technology, we have the opportunity to create anything we want. However, in Mary Shelley's novel ‘Frankenstein’ and the Canadian Space Arm, we went beyond the boundaries of ethics, where we created objects which were incredulous, yet at the same time, they were monsters of our own making. Both creators were nothing less than admirable in their intentions. Nonetheless, in providing both creations with human- like names and features, they violated what I believe to be ethical limits, and as a result they ended up with unethical monsters. I do not believe that it is right to give inanimate objects human like features; when we...
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