Thursday, November 29, 2012

Frankenstein Pages 81-166 GUILT

Frankenstein
Mary Shelley

The thematic topic of guilt plays a major roll in the lives of Frankenstein and the creature, as well as vengeance. We start in this section by seeing the creature's guilt of killing William just because of his relation and for killing Justine, who were both innocent. The guilt pushes the creature to want to change his ways and become good, so he asks for a companion. Well, Frankenstein feels extremely guilty for releasing this fiend into the world and cannot allow himself to create another creature. The guilt of Frankenstein cause him to be seriously ill throughout the remainder of his life. He has the guilt of creating the creature piled onto the guilt of allowing the creature to kill his innocent friends and family members. The creature, on the other hand, felt guilty about killing all of those innocent creatures. The creature at the time of the killings was blind by his hatred. However, now that he looks back, he sees that he has become evil when he wanted to be good. The creature says, "'My evil passions will have fled, for I shall meet with sympathy!'" (Shelley, 106). The creature knows that he originated as a good creature, and he feels guilt at the end for not being strong enough to maintain his goodness.

Frankenstein Pages 81-166 FRAME

Frankenstein
Mary Shelley

As told before the story was began, this story is a frame story. Therefore, a story was told within a story, which was in another story. We heard the monster's story in Frankenstein's story, which was in Walton's story. The structure adds to the insertion of other literary techniques, for example, foreshadowing. Because the story is told of past events, the character's elude easily to events that haven't yet happened in their retelling of the story. The perspective of the story also presents a picture in the reader's mind, because the picture might have changed had the perspective been different. The perspective also allows for a slight prejudice to be shown through the transfer of the stories.The creature tries to correct any possible bias by telling Walton that though Frankenstein told Walton the story, he did not know of the severity of the struggles that the creature himself faced (Shelley, 165). The frame story structure of the novel also set up the suspense of the novel. The suspense was created through the many gaps that were created at the very beginning of the novel that were not all filled until the very end.

Frankenstein Pages 81-166 JUSTIFIED?

Frankenstein
Mary Shelley

The creature performs actions in the book that he believes is justified based on his hatred for his creator and all that he has put him through. Is that really justification though? Well, whether it is or is not, the rest of the story is based on the fact that these events happened. The creature's only desire was to be accepted. (Obviously that is far too much to ask for when you are hideous) The whole mess started with Frankenstein not accepting responsibility of his creation. It is like saying that you are so excited to see your new child, but because the child was not what you were expecting you rid yourself of the child. It is nonsense! The creature even tried to find love elsewhere, but could not even talk to anyone, because no one would give him the time of day. The creature hates Victor, kills William, and Justine; Frankenstein seeks to kill the monster, because he is killing his loved ones. None of his actions were actually justifiable, but how would Victor not expect him to react that way? If not even his own creator would accept him, who would? In the creature's logic, he had reason, and he did have reason for hating his creator; however, none of the deaths had to happen.

Frankenstein Pages 81-166 DOUBLING

Frankenstein
Mary Shelley

The theme of doubling is mostly present in the second half of the work between Frankenstein and the creature. Both Victor and the creature compare themselves to a fallen angel. Victor says, "and, like the archangel who aspired to omnipotence, I am chained in an eternal hell" (Shelley, 157). The creature compares himself to the devil by saying, "the fallen angel becomes a malignant devil" (Shelley, 165). Both Victor and the creature believe that their ways have turned them evil. Victor believes that his creation of an evil monster turned him evil, while the creature believed his seeking revenge turned him evil. They are also paralleled through their emotions. Both feel that they have felt the worst sense of misery ever felt by anyone. They seek vengeance on the other for what they have done to each other. There are many different lines within the story that parallel these two characters.

Frankenstein Pages 81-166 FORESHADOW

Frankenstein
Mary Shelley

Throughout the book, foreshadowing is a literary technique that is used in a variety of situations. Most commonly, the foreshadowing was provided in the foreshadow of someone's death. The first foreshadow was of Victor's friend Henry's death. Before we discover that Henry has died, Frankenstein says, "And where does he (Henry) now exist? Is this gentle and lovely being lost forever?... your spirit still visits and consoles your unhappy friend" (Shelley, 114). Through this statement, Victor talks as if his friend is deceased. This allows the reader to assume that Henry has died and will die shortly in Victor's narrative. He also foreshadows Elizabeth's and his father's deaths. In the last part of chapter 22, Victor is talking of how the monster blinded him of his true intentions when the creature said, "he'd be with him on his wedding night." Well considering Victor thought that he himself was the target and is saying he is wrong, it is pretty much saying that Elizabeth was the victim. The father's death was also foreshadowed through all of Victor's loved ones dying, and he was old and sick.

Thursday, November 15, 2012

Frankenstein: Pages 1-80 Family Matters

Frankenstein
Mary Shelley

The connection between family members in both Walton's and Frankenstein's lives I think plays an important role in the story. "Continue for the present to write to me by every opportunity: I may receive your letters on some occasion when I need them most to support my spirits" (Shelley, 6). In the passage, Walton is asking his sister to continue writing to him. Even though he has left his sister behind, he is trying to keep her present in his life. I think that is an important difference between Frankenstein and Walton. Frankenstein, though he loved his "sister" dearly, did not maintain communication in his days of building his creature. Though it is likely that Walton will do the same for his enterprise, he has tried to continue to write, which is another reason why the timing of Frankenstein's story was better. The connection with their family plays an important role in both of the character's personalities as well, because their family is of a major concern. Especially, Frankenstein knows what it is like to accept people into his world that are not of his class but allowing them to be so. I think this relates to his viewpoint on people as a whole. He does not seem to believe that anyone is of different standards, which could somehow play a role in what he did after talking with the creature.

Frankenstein:Pages 1-80 Not So Scary?

Frankenstein
Mary Shelley

"The gentle manners and beauty of the cottagers greatly endeared them to me: when they were unhappy, I felt depressed; when they rejoiced, I sympathised in their joys" (Shelley, 79). As we meet the creature, he tells his creator of his grand experience he has had since he left. He is actually talking now, so he has apparently been able to mature just as a human. Though the monster is obviously a monster, in ways he parallels the development of humans. We learn on our own, from experiences, and from the actions of others just as the monster does. Furthermore, the creature is not providing the scare factor I was expecting. Despite the fact that he is a monster, he sort of has normal experiences. In a way, he is similar to Quasimodo from the Hunchback of Notre Dame; they are these scary looking "people," so they are automatically placed on the outskirts of society, because if you are not like everyone else then you do not belong. Though the monster rightfully should not exist. However, I feel that the monster was just searching for answers because his creator was not communicating with him.

Frankenstein: Pages 1-80 Death Again?

Frankenstein
Mary Shelley

Well if anyone was wondering how many deaths can be fit into a short period of time, it is actually a lot more than two. However, the deaths of William and Justine have a major effect on both Frankenstein and Elizabeth. Frankenstein receives this letter from his father saying that his younger brother William had been murdered. He rushes home, though he should have been back to Geneva long before then. At the site of the murder, he sees his creation, so obviously the creature killed William. Victor explains his thinking as "Nothing in human shape could have destroyed that fair child. He was the murderer!" (Shelley, 50). Knowing his fault behind the death of his brother, which causes Justine to be executed for being wrongly accused, he defaults into another major depression like state. He also feels he is the cause of Elizabeth's great pain from losing two people who are very dear to her in such a short time. Perhaps this connects to the monster by Frankenstein attempted to overcome death, he actually creates death. (However, he should not have let the monster loose in case it could harm people.)

Frankenstein: Pages 1-80 Very Similar

Frankenstein
Mary Shelley

Beginning the book, we open up with Robert Walton writing these letters to his sister. He tells her of his goal to discover a way of safe passage to the North Pole. Furthermore, he wants to discover the secret of the compass. We discover that he had a very luxurious life and did not have to work for much of what he got. As stated in my other blog he was lonely on his trip. He  was self-taught with a desire for knowledge, and he obviously cares a lot for his sister since he is writing all of these letters to her.

We later learn about this character named Victor Frankenstein. He has a very close connection with his sister, and he was very well off. Frankenstein had a great passion for learning, and he pushed himself further within his studies. As he was creating his creature, he experienced great loneliness, but was very optimistic in his work.

These two characters are very similar, almost the same person really. These parallels help to show the path that Walton appears to be going down, because Frankenstein seems to be farther down his path. Frankenstein recognizes their similarities and states "You seek for knowledge and wisdom, as I once did; and I ardently hope that the gratification of your wishes may not be a serpent to sting you, as mine has been" (Shelley, 13). Frankenstein warns Walton of their connection.

Frankenstein: Pages 1-80 Alienation Stuff

Frankenstein
Mary Shelley

Already within the first 40 pages, we begin to see the theme of alienation portrayed through both Robert Walton and Victor Frankenstein. Robert Walton says, "I have no friend, Margaret"(Shelley, 4) in one of the letters to his sister, and he did not believe he would be able to find one under the circumstances. However, he lucked into finding a person very similar to himself that grew to be his friend. They were able to find each other despite both being fairly alienated individuals. Though during the story Victor tells he is not always alienated, he definitely experienced the feeling of loneliness during his time of building his monster. When Victor left his home, he also left the people behind that he was the closest to. By leaving behind Elizabeth and Henry, he alienated himself, but when focusing solely on the monster, he separated himself even more. We again see Frankenstein alone when he is chasing his creation at the beginning of the story. Though people do not always choose this experience of alienation, I think both Walton and Frankenstein know that they would likely be alone on their journeys. The theme of alienation applies to several people who separate themselves from society or their peers. Sometimes people are able to accomplish more in this state, but the void grows on a person that most humans cannot handle. (Will Frankenstein and Walton be able to handle it?)

Thursday, November 1, 2012

Alienation: Much Madness

"Much Madness is divinest Sense"
Emily Dickinson

As it states in the question following the poem, the poem presents the ideas that insanity is good sense and good sense is insane. I think the best way to attack this poem is by relating it to real life. How is insanity good sense? Well perhaps if we look at a person such as Albert Einstein, he was crazy, but he was also one of the world's smartest people during his time. There is a good sense within insanity that comes out through craziness. How is good sense insane? Well by good sense people perform an action such as locking a door, then by performing this act so many times the act becomes a habit. When something becomes a habit, the person no longer realizes their reasoning for performing the act which is insane. So you think I am stretching this a little bit? I probably would too, but it made sense in my head.
Question number two asks how we know the speaker does not believe the majority is correct. In the poem the speaker says, "Demur-you're straightway dangerous-/And handled with a Chain-" (Dickinson, 830). This statement provides evidence the the speaker knew what would happen if they disagreed, which allows the reader to know that the speaker does in fact disagree. The last five lines of the poem relate more to going with or away from the majority of people, rather than the subject of insanity and good sense.

Alienation: Bartleby

"Bartleby the Scrivener"
Herman Melville

"I would prefer not to" (Melville, 649). Bartleby's main choice of words throughout the story reveals his sense of possible depression or hopelessness. As the story progresses, Bartleby prefers to not do more and more of what his work requires. The narrator, the lawyer, cannot seem to fire Bartleby, because he is sympathetic towards him. The lawyer offers Bartleby money, a place to live, a new job, etc., but Bartleby "prefers not" to change anything, so the lawyer does not know what to do.Therefore, the only logical option was to pack up his firm and move leaving Bartleby at the old business site; the lawyer thought Bartleby would leave though nothing Bartleby ever did would give the lawyer the notion that he would actually leave. We learn at the end of the story that Bartleby had once worked at a Dead Letter Office. A Dead Letter Office is a place where letters are burned because the person who was meant to receive them passed away. Having a job like that would be severely depressing. Knowing that you are burning letters meant for someone else who had passed away and never got to see how much the person writing loved them: it would be heart breaking. The letters lead to a lose of himself and a great sense of hopelessness that just increased as time went on. Sometimes the job one performs can emotionally harm the employed.

Alienation: Miss Brill

"Miss Brill"
Katherine Mansfield

Miss Brill uses her fur as a way to avoid her sense of alienation. She imagines her furs as living things and talks to them. She performs the same routine every Sunday in going to the park. However, this Sunday is even better because there are more people due to the beginning of the season. Her main enjoyment in going to the park was listening to other people's conversations. "She had become really quite expert, she thought, at listening as though she didn't listen, at sitting in other people's lives just for a minute while they talked round her" (Mansfield, 183). I think this shows how lonely she was if listening to other people's conversations was of such an interest. She liked entering other people's lives because that life was not her own. Though for most of the story Miss Brill feels content with her lifestyle, it's just one big performance. However, when the young couple shows her how other people view her she is very upset, but the speaker does not say at the end that it was Miss Brill crying. However, we know that it must be her but she does not want to admit her state of loneliness and sadness.

Alienation: APO 96225

"APO 96225"
Larry Rottmann

This poem about a man who is in the war I think relates to how must parents would feel about their son going to war. The boy writes to his mom about how it rains a lot. Even if he means it literally, the rain probably also symbolizes the hurt and sadness that happens in a war. The mother who supposedly can read between the lines knows that the boy is holding back and tells him to tell her how it really is there. After two more positive responses from the boy, he finally tells the mother what it is actually like in the war. "'Today I killed a man. Yesterday, I helped drop napalm on women and children'" (Rottmann, 846). Then the dad tells the son to not say these things to his mother, because they upset her. However, the parents were looking for the son to tell them how awful it was being in the war. One lesson of the poem is to not ask questions you do not want the answer to. This poem shows how most people would feel as well. They know that it cannot be enjoyable at war, and they want to comfort the soldier. However, most soldiers do not want to talk about the awful surroundings, but talk of more positive things to get their mind off of their job, at least for a short time.

Alienation: I felt a Funeral, in my Brain

"I felt a Funeral, in my Brain"
Emily Dickinson

In this poem by Emily Dickinson, the speaker is imagining having a funeral in her brain. The speaker cannot see this funeral, only feel it. The speaker describes the people attending the funeral to be wearing "Boots of Lead" (Dickinson, 776). These people are walking and pacing through her brain; this could possible metaphorically represent her being walked all over. Therefore, the speaker may feel that she has been stepped on in her life or used by someone else.

The speaker uses the terms "Brain," "Mind," and "Soul." The capitalization signifies an importance of these words. I think that they signify the physical, intellectual, and spiritual connection she to this funeral. Furthermore, at the end of the poem, the speaker falls down when the "Plank in Reason" broke. The speaker lost her sense of reasoning and the discontinuation of the poem signifies how the speaker is lost now without her sense of reasoning.