Characters
1) Victor Frankenstein
Victor Frankenstein's life story is at the heart of Frankenstein. A young Swiss boy, he grows up in Geneva reading the works of the ancient and outdated alchemists, a background that serves him ill when he attends university at Ingolstadt. There he learns about modern science and, within a few years, masters all that his professors have to teach him. He becomes fascinated with the "secret of life," discovers it, and brings a hideous monster to life. The monster proceeds to kill Victor's youngest brother, best friend, and wife; he also indirectly causes the deaths of two other innocents, including Victor's father. Though torn by remorse, shame, and guilt, Victor refuses to admit to anyone the horror of what he has created, even as he sees the ramifications of his creative act spiraling out of control.
Victor changes over the course of the novel from an innocent youth fascinated by the prospects of science into a disillusioned, guilt-ridden man determined to destroy the fruits of his arrogant scientific endeavor.
Steel engraving (993 x 71mm) for frontispiece to t...
Promotional photo of Boris Karloff from The Bride ...
http://www.exophagy.com Frankenstein (1910 film)Whether as a result of his desire to attain the godlike power of creating new life or his avoidance of the public arenas in which science is usually conducted, Victor is doomed by a lack of humanness. He cuts himself off from the world and eventually commits himself entirely to an animalistic obsession with revenging himself upon the monster.
At the end of the novel, having chased his creation ever northward, Victor relates his story to Robert Walton and then dies. With its multiple narrators and, hence, multiple perspectives, the novel leaves the reader with contrasting interpretations of Victor: classic mad scientist, transgressing all boundaries without concern, or brave adventurer into unknown scientific lands, not to be held responsible for the consequences of his explorations.
2) The Monster
The monster is Victor Frankenstein's creation, assembled from old body parts and strange chemicals, animated by a mysterious spark. He enters life eight feet tall and enormously strong but with the mind of a newborn. Abandoned by his creator and confused, he tries to integrate himself into society, only to be shunned universally. Looking in the mirror, he realizes his physical size, an aspect of his persona that blinds society to his initially gentle, kind nature. Seeking revenge on his creator, he kills Victor's younger brother. After Victor destroys his work on the female monster meant to ease the monster's solitude, the monster murders Victor's best friend and then his new wife.
While Victor feels unmitigated hatred for his creation, the monster shows that he is not a purely evil being. The monster's eloquent narration of events reveals his sensitivity. He assists a group of poor peasants and saves a girl from drowning, but because of his outward appearance, he is rewarded only with beatings and disgust. Torn between vengefulness and compassion, the monster ends up lonely and tormented by remorse. Even the death of his creator gave him only relief, joy because Victor has caused him so much suffering, sadness because Victor is the only person with whom he has had any sort of relationship.
Plot
1) Victor studies a lot and, ignoring his social life and his family far away in Geneva, makes progress. Fascinated by the mystery of the creation of life, he begins to study how the human body is built and how it falls apart After several years of tireless work, he masters all that his professors have to teach him, and he goes one step further: discovering the secret of life. Privately, hidden away in his apartment where no one can see him work, he decides to begin the construction of an animate creature, envisioning the creation of a new race of wonderful beings. Eagerly devoting himself to this labor, he neglects everything else like family, friends, studies, and social life and grows increasingly pale, lonely, and obsessed. One night, after months of labor, Victor completes his creation. But when he brings it to life, its awful appearance horrifies him. He rushes to the next room and tries to sleep, but he is troubled by nightmares about Elizabeth and his mother's corpse. He wakes to discover the monster looming over his bed with a grotesque smile and rushes out of the house. He spends the night walking in his courtyard. The next morning, he goes walking in the town of Ingolstadt, frantically avoiding a return to his now-haunted apartment. Well this part of the novel is significant because this when Victor abandoned his creation and made him feel lonely. Victor tried to be G-d by making a creation but then got so scared of it that he ran away which made the monster feel lonely and went on a killing rampage.
2) Victor and Henry journey through England and Scotland, but Victor grows impatient to begin his work and free himself of his bond to the monster. Victor has an acquaintance in a Scottish town, with which he urges Henry to stay while he goes alone on a tour of Scotland. Henry consents reluctantly, and Victor departs for a remote, desolate island in the Orkneys to complete his project. Quickly setting up a laboratory in a small shack, Victor devotes many hours to working on his new creature. He often has trouble continuing his work, however, knowing how unsatisfying, even grotesque, and the product of his labor will be. While working one night, Victor begins to think about what might happen after he finishes his creation. He imagines that his new creature might not want to seclude herself, as the monster had promised, or that the two creatures might have children. In the middle of these concerns, Victor looks up to see the monster grinning at him through the window. Overcome by the monster's hideousness and the possibility of a second creature like him, he destroys his work in progress. The monster becomes enraged at Victor for breaking his promise, and at the view of his own continued solitude. He curses and promises revenge then departs. Well this part of the novel is significant because the monster told Victor to make him mate and Victor was so close but thought of the consequences. He learned from his first mistake and then the monster cursed him by saying he will be with Victor on his wedding night, which is what happens at the end of the novel.
The Evaluation
I think that this navel is very appropriate for high school students. I think they should start to read this book in high school classes. It was very well written and teaches a teenager many things. It first teaches you not to try to be someone u shouldn't or someone you cant. Victor Frankenstein tried to be at a higher level and try to become G-d. Victor wanted to have power on something in his life, and thought if he created something he would be able to control it. Well he was wrong and it totally backfired on him. Another lesson that this book teaches you is not to run away from your mistakes and think your going to forget about it. In the novel Victor thought that he would abandon the Monster and never see it again. Well that didn't happen and the monster killed everyone close to Victor, which really is Victors fault.
What I am likely to remember from this book is that the monster doesn't have a name and the doctor who created him is named Victor Frankenstein. I always thought that the monsters name is Frankenstein.
I would definitely recommend this book to my friends and other people my age. Truthfully I don't read that much and don't always finish all my books I start but there was something interesting about this book that didn't let me put it down. So I defiantly want to recommend it to everyone.