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“Frankenstein”                       Book Report

Author: Marry Shelley

Copyright Date: ©2010

Date Submitted: March 16,2019 

                                                        PLOT

ROBERT’S VOICE:       

          In the beginning there was a man named Robert Walton, he was an explorer or an adventurer, he always send letters to his sister, named Margaret Saville. Robert was off to an adventure far north of London, hired a ship with steadfast and bold spirited sailors for the voyage and kept sending letters to her sister on what happened that week and so on. Until months later, Robert sent a letter to her sister a letter about something strange happened that week, it said to have encountered a giant man, about 7-8 feet tall, riding a sleigh dragged by wolves and it vanished but later on they saw a man also riding a sleigh with wolves and he said, “before I come aboard, will you please tell me where you were headed? ” it was only when I replied we were on a voyage to the North Pole, and he agreed to come aboard. And after he felt comfortable in his cabin, he woke up days later and we asked him what was he looking for in the breeze of snow outside, and he said, “I was after someone who ran away from me” and we said, “was it a giant man raiding the same sleigh of yours” and said yes. And then he wanted to go outside to continue for the search but then I persuaded him to stay in his cabin where he is comfortable because he can’t withstand the breezing air outside, and I promised for someone to watch for him and tell him if we ever encounter again that mysterious man in a sleigh. Yesterday the stranger said to me, “You must have guessed, Captain Walton, that I have suffered great miss fortune. I had decided before to let the memories of these evil die with me but I have changed my mind. I see that you seek knowledge and wisdom, as I once did, but I hoped that the fulfillment of your ambition will not be snake to sting you, as mine has been. Prepare yourself to hear my strange tale.” And I could still recall as nearly as possible what he told me:

 VICTOR’S VOICE:                 

         My name is Victor Frankenstein, I came from Geneva. My father was a high ranking government official and my mother is a daughter from a well-to-do merchant. I was born in Naples and we moved to Italy, in many years I was their only child. When I was five, I and my mother saw a poor cottage. In it lived a peasant with his wife, who is struggling to raise five children, but one of the five children was a different one, she was a thin, blue-eyed girl unlike the others who is dark-eyed and hardy. And the couple said that it was a daughter of a wealthy man who has died and was laid to their arms. And then my mother adopted her from her guardians with my father’s permission, and so Elizabeth Lavenza became a part of the family. The next day I promised her to be as mine-to protect, love, and cherish. We called each other cousins.

           Elizabeth and I were brought up together, our differences stitched us together. While Elizabeth was calm and focused, I was passionate and hungry for knowledge. While she is satisfied with thing’s magnificent appearance, I found happiness studying the causes of it. When my brother, Ernest, was born, we moved back to Geneva. At school I had a friend named Henry Clerval. Our interests were different, he is interested with the study of morality and virtue, I was in the study of metaphysics, the study of the physical secrets of the world. When I was thirteen, we went on a vacation to Thenon, and we went to an inn where I discovered a book on the works of Corelius Agrippa, I read it and was fascinated and when I told my father about it he said, “Don’t waste you time with such nonsense” but I didn’t agree. When we went home I bought more books of Agippa, and ran into the books of Paracelus and Albertus Magnus. Their wild ideas thrilled me and got me join to the search of the philosopher’s stone and the elixir of life; and imagined how glorious it would be for a man to discover how to get rid man of        disease and allow him to live forever.

           My mother died of scarlet fever when I was seventeen and her last words were that she hoped I and Elizabeth would marry. At that time I was studying at the University of Ingolstadt and I promised to my sweet Elizabeth to write her everyday as possible. And there I met my professors, and the first was Mr. Krempe, a natural philosophy professor, I mentioned the names of the three alchemists I studied and he said,” did you really spend your time reading through that nonsense?” he told me to stop reading ancient theories and read new ones. He wrote a list of books to study, that’s why I didn’t like Mr. Krempe that much. And there I met Mr. Waldman, a chemistry professor, which I like the most. He disagreed that the theories that I studied were to be true but then he said,” without those ancient theories there wouldn’t be the chemistry there is today. He said that if I wanted to be a man of science I must not only study about chemistry but also every branch of natural philosophy, like mathematics and then he showed me instruments I needed for it.

           On that day on, I studied chemistry and philosophy. And what had me the interest was the human body. From what source did life originate? But first you must study death before life. I spent days and nights trying to see human body parts decay as worms come out, examining bones and rotting corpses in vaults and charnels. I tested my laboratory until I discovered what the cause of life was. After I discovered what power I encountered then I decided I must make a human being, I wanted it to be a giant about 8 foot tall. Then I gathered all the materials, bones and body parts in slaughter houses and took me seasons of months but paid no attention to anything but my gruesome task. I grew very weak, thin, and pale and neglected to write for my family and friends, the only thing in mind was my creation.

           As I was asleep I was woken up by something and then I looked around I saw a monster gazing at me while grinning, it had green skin, yellowish and black lips which adds horror contrast to it. And then I rushed to the door slammed it close ran down downstairs and slept until it was morning but still I wouldn’t dare to look around until someone knock my door and opened it, it was my friend Clerval. And I was so happy to see his face and invited me to breakfast but I still have to get something upstairs but the monster was gone. I gone back downstairs and was jumping with joy and screamed “his gone, his gone…” again and again insanely and I fainted and was believed that I am sick from a nervous fever. Then I read Elizabeth’s letter to cheer me up. And months later my sickness was gone and Clerval asked me about the creature and I told everything. Then when I was relived I went back to school now studying language with Clerval as I now hate chemistry. As spring passed I we decided to have one last tour around Ingolstadt to breathe the air to relax my sickness and to appreciate once more the nature around me.

          When I returned to college in a Sunday afternoon, there was a letter waiting for me from father saying that my son William and my brother was found dead. After I read the letter I quickly gone to the place where my son and my brother died and then saw a giant man crouching near a tree and quickly realized it was the monster I created. I would have attacked but he escaped as he saw me.

          When day came, I was thinking of telling the authorities about the monster but I was thinking, “Who would believe of such madness besides me” so I decided to stay silent. At five in the morning, I went home and entered. It was my brother, Ernest, who I saw first and welcomed me home and said that my father is growing sadder and sadder each and every day but my dearest Elizabeth is the one who needs comfort the most, she blames herself for the murder of our son. And Ernest told me that the murderer was captured and I said, “No, that’s impossible” and he said that it was Justine. And then we entered to court for the crime that isn’t true, and when no one believed that she was innocent she was sentenced to death. And I became in such misery and blame for myself for creating that monster. And I thought of changing place and in the next morning I went horseback riding going to trough mountains and valleys, rivers and creeks, cabins in between trees of forests until I almost forgot the happenings from months before. It was two months before Justine is to be sentenced death. And I thought of climbing mount Blanc and stayed in a cabin on top it.  

          In the morning , I spent the time riding through valleys and mountains with a new mule for it was too rough to ride on a horse. As I was riding I saw a figure of a man and quickly figured it as the monster and I was right, it was the wretch I made, as I he dashes through the cracks of ice with a stunning superhuman speed. And a  he was coming towards me I yelled, “Come at me you giant wretch and I will kill you!” and he said “No I mean no harm” and I said that we will never find peace with each other for you killed my family and and I won’t stop hunting you until one of us dies!” but he said that he is experiencing such misery and wanted to tell me his story and we went to his cabin and he told me his story beside the fire.

THE MONSTER’S VOICE:      

          The memories of the beginning of my life were vague and confused. I learned how to move, smell, hear, and taste at the same time. So I had the freedom to walk. So I was near a forest from Ingolstadt to drink water from the creek and after that I grabbed a coat of yours to warm me up when it is cold and hid outside through the snow and rain. After many days of searching for a place, I saw a village filled with beautiful houses with delicious food, and that made me hungry. And while I was grabbing fruits from trees the villagers saw me and would run away but some poke me with sticks and throw stones at me. And so I found a house and hid outside of it. There was a child inside learning with his sister, as saw through a hole to peek. And so, I also learned their language from days of learning but they discovered where I hid and tried to kill me but I was not to attack for they blessed me the power to speak. And so I saw a child hiding in a farm and I captured him and he told me that I should be scared for his father was a government official with the name of Victor Frankenstein” and when heard the name Frankenstein I threaten him to kill him and so I did.

 FRANKENSTEIN’S VOICE: 

          As he finished telling me his story he commanded me to make another one like him but a female. But I neglected it but he threatens to kill all my family and love ones, so I ended up doing it. But I failed to because of lacking materials so he went rouge and would kill every person he sees and I followed him and ended up here in the North Pole and saw you.

 ROBERT’S VOICE: 

          Would you believe it Margaret this man had a totally miserable life and this creature he has created is real and is on the hunt on victor. And later on victor was fallen sick and we called on the ship nurse and had a bad news that told that victor is going to die soon. And he called me and whispered to my ear saying that his life is going to end and my enemy’s is not, so would you promise me to kill him you would have my complete honor. And hours later he died and heard the people outside screaming that the monster is here and went inside to see victor but he found him dead and was in full blame of himself and killed himself.

                                                       MORAL

When Victor Frankenstein abandons his creation, the monster is forced to figure out for itself what his purpose is in the world and why he was brought into it.

Mary Shelley's Frankenstein holds many themes still applicable to today's society

"When I reflected on his crimes and malice, my hatred and revenge burst all bounds of moderation. I would have made a pilgrimage to the highest peak of the Andes, could I when there have precipitated him to their base"

Revenge...

Themes Such as..

Frankenstein

Nobody, not even the man who created it, could get past the horrific appearance of the Creature and realize what a thoughtful and emotional being it was. Too fearful of the outside image to care about what the monster was on the inside.

From this I learned that no matter how wrong and unfair the situation is, seeking revenge will only lead to negative consequences and regret.

This served as an important reminder to never make opinions of others be based solely on their physical appearance and to show compassion and acceptance to everyone.

Hollywood's Influence

Through this I learned the importance of having communication and relationships with others and how terrible life would be if you were forced to go through it alone.

-The Creature

Nature

Lessons Learned

His time in the mountains provided him with an escape from his troubles and a release from his inner turmoil.

Although Victor went against it with his creation...

But after ignoring the previous description and realizing how truly horrific the creature would've appeared as well as the complexity of its actions and thoughts, I gained a new appreciation for the Monster Mary Shelley created.

Frankenstein

The Danger of Going Against Nature

The novel serves as a warning to not tamper with the balance of nature. Victor's ambitious and unnatural creation of life from death upset that balance and was a sure cause of the chaos that arose from it.

“How dangerous is the acquirement of knowledge and how much happier that man is who believes his native town to be the world, than he who aspires to be greater than his nature will allow.”

Fueled entirely by emotion, Victor and his Creature create a cycle of destruction and devastation only hurting themselves and the situation further. While in the moment it may have seemed like the right move to kill the people Victor loved, by the end of the novel the Creature was ashamed of his actions.

The Dangerous Quest for Knowledge

By Mary Shelley

"I was dependent on none and related to none. The path of my departure was free, and there was none to lament my annihilation. My person was hideous and my stature gigantic. What did this mean? Who was I? What was I? Whence did I come? What was my destination? These questions continually recurred, but I was unable to solve them."

"'All men hate the wretched; how then, must I be hated, who am miserable beyond all living things! Yet you, my creator, detest and spurn me"

Shallowness of Society...

Without a guiding figure to look up to or true human interaction, the creature is forced to ask itself questions about his existence that many people may wonder for themselves.

The lessons taught by the actions of the characters in the novel are lessons that everyone can learn from.

Life and the Meaning of Existence

The Desire for Companionship...

Throughout the story, you begin to understand the creatures desperate pleas for a companion because we all seek to make connections and relationships with others.

"I am alone and miserable: man will not associate with me; but one as deformed and horrible as myself would not deny herself to me. My companion must be of the same species and have the same defects. This being you must create.”

                                                                                              CHARACTERS

* Victor Frankenstein, when he was just a child he was interested in science, his specific study was chemistry and natural philosophy. He was so into science that he would spend more time with it than with family and friends. So when he dug down deeper he discovered the power on how to make life. So he decided to try and make a human being then later on when he finishes to, he realized that he made a monster. He was so furious and he would kill everything he loved, and when one of the family died he was so mad that he tried to kill the monster himself but so he died in the end full of regrets.

* The Monster, he has a very important role in this story, he is the one building-up the climax. He is thought to be rough and furious by most for he has a giant and monstrous body. He was just confused at the beginning of his life but was so unlucky to have such body. He was so mad at his creator, Victor Frankenstein, that he would kill everyone he loved. He blames his creator for him being that way and commanded to make a female mnster like him for companion but after that, Victor died and cried for this was his fault then he killed himself after seeing Victor’s dead body.

 * Robert William was the first character to be introduced along with his sister sending each other a letter. And when he went to an adventure he saw victor trying to capture the monster but he let him stay in his ship for comfort. And Robert William was like the story teller of the story by sending a letter to his sister Margaret. And when Robert let Victor stay Victor told his story about his unsuccessful life. And while he was to listen the monster was there but victor already died and would avenge victor but he hadn’t kill the monster but it killed it’s self.

 * Henry Clerval was the childhood friend of victor’s until they were adults. Henry would help victor if victor is in need while they were in college when his family is not here. Henry was like a brother to victor, he would risk his life trying to save him. He was with victor when he had down times and would cheer him up. He was a supporting character of this story, supporting the main characters.