PlotOverview

ThestorystartsoffwithamannamedRobert
Waltonwhoissendletterstohissisterabouthis
journey.Duringhisjourneyhediscoversaman,
VictorFrankenstein,whotellsRobertabouthislife
sofar.Victorstartsofbysayingthathelovedthe
naturalworldandbeganstudyingalchemistsand
electricity.Justbeforeheleavestostudyandget
aneducation,hismotherdiesfromadiseasecalled
scarletfeverthatshegotfromElizabethLavenza.
After,Victorstartstothinkheshouldnotstudy
aboutthenaturalworldbutbecomesinspiredagain.
Victorbecomesenvelopinhisstudiesandlearnsa
lot.Then,Victorstartstotrytodiscoverthesecret
oflife.Victorendsupcreatingamonsterandis
scaredofwhathehascreated.Victorbecomessick
butishealedbyHenry,Victorschildhoodfriends,
andisgivenaletterfromElizabethLavenza.After
Victoriswell,heintroduceshisteacherstoHenry
butbecomessickbecauseheseesscience
equipment.Victorwouldliketogobackhometo
Geneva,sohewaitsforhisfathersletter.Victor
thenreceivesaletterthathisbrotherhasbeen
killedandtheythinkJustine,hismaid,killedhim.
However,Victorbelievesthathismonsterwasthe
onewhodidit.JustineisexecutedandwhenVictor
makesithomehefindshismonster.Themonster
thentellhisstorytoFrankensteinandthemonster
learnsthanheislonelyduringhisjourney.The
monsterwouldlikeacompanionandconvinces
Victortomakehimone.Hestatesthathekilled
peoplebecausehewaslonely.However,Victor
decidesnottomakeanothermonster.Howwillhis
monsterreacttoVictorsdecision?

AbouttheAuthor

NovelNotes

Frankenstein

ByMaryShelley

MaryShelleyismostfamousforherbook
Frankenstein.
ShewasbornonAugust30,1797
anddiedonFebruary1,1851.Shecreatednovels
andshortstories,andwasabiographerandtravel
writer.MarymarriedapoetnamedPercyShelley
andtwoyearsmade
Frankenstein.
Marysearlylife
withherhusbandwasnotbright.Theystruggled
financiallyandlosttheirfirstchild.ThenMaryread
abookofghoststorieswithherfriendsandthey
wantedtotrytheirhandathorrorstories.Marythen
cameoutwiththefamousbook
Frankenstein.

BenjohnRosario

March31,2016

HistoricalContext

Marywasinfluencedtowriting
Frankenstein
after
readingabookofghoststorieswithfriends.Mary
hadadreamaboutascientistwhocreateda
monsterandparticipatedinacompetitionwhere
sheenteredherstory.Frankensteinbecamea
successfulnovelin1818.Withherfriends,Mary
discussedthetopicofgalvanism.Galvanismwas
theconceptofthehumanbodycontainatypeof
electricitythattravelsfromthebraintostimulate
muscles.

EssentialQuotes

...nowthatIhadfinished,thebeautyofthedream
vanished,andbreathlesshorroranddisgustfilled
myheart(Shelley150).

HowcanIdescribemyemotionsatthis
catastrophe(150).

Shelley,MaryWollstonecraft,andM.K.Joseph.
FrankensteinorTheModernPrometheus
.London:
OxfordU.P.,1969.

CharacterAnalysis

VictorFrankenstein:Theprotagonist,Victor
Frankenstein,lovesthenaturalworldandwouldlike
tofindthesecretoflife.ThroughoutthenovelVictor
changes.Victorschangesfromascientistwho
wantstofindthesecretoflifetoamanwhofeels
guiltyofmurderingtwomembersofhisfamilyand
creatingahorrifyingmonster.

TheMonster:Amonstercreatedbyoldbodyparts,
chemical,andajoltofelectricity.Heiseightfeettall
andverystrong.However,hewasstillbarely
introducedtolifenoisnotveryintelligentand
experienced.ThemonsterkillsmembersofVictor's
familyandfriends.Themonsterwasoriginallynice,
gentle,andacaringbeing,butbecauseofhis
appearancehewastreatedpoorly.Thiscausedhim
tofeelhateanddoterriblethingstoVictorand
thoseimportanttohim.

RobertWalton:Startsoffthenovelwithlettersby
himtohissister.HesavesVictorfromstarvingand
isinterestedtohearhisstory.Heisthecaptainofa
shipheadingfortheNorthPole.Waltonfeltlikehe
hadastrongfriendshipwithVictorandfeels
depressedwhenhedies.WaltonissimilartoVictor
inpursuinghisdream,butbecomeshesitantafter
hearingVictorsstory.

Themes

MotifsandSymbols

ThinkBeforeYouAct:
Fire:
Victorisconsumedbyhisloveforthescienceand
Firesymbolizesthelightthatthebeastcantreach
hiscuriosityonthesecretoflife.Hedoesnotsee
becauseofhisappearance.Themonstercannever
theconsequencesandresponsibilitiesofplaying
beseenandkindheartedandcaringbecauseofhis
God.Aftercreatingthemonster,heisinstantly
appearanceandpeoplebeingquicktojudgea
regretfulandfrightenedofwhathecreated.Victor
person.
wasmentallycapableoftakingcareandprotecting
hiscreationfromtheharshworld.IfVictorthought
KindWomen:
whatcreatingthebeastwouldcauseandthe
Womenthatarewillingtosacrificetheirlifeare
responsibilitiesthatcomewithit,hemighthavenot constantlyshownthroughoutthenovel.For
createdthebeast.
example,Victorsmothergaveherlifetohelp

ElizabethandJustinegaveherlifeforacrimeshe
DontJudgeaBookbyItsCover:
didnotcommit.
Everyone,evenhiscreator,sothebeastasvicious
andscary.However,thebeastwasactuallyvery
Rejection:
kindandcaringinthebeginning.Hesavedand
Rejectionisalsoarecurringthinginthenovel.
helpedpeople.Theactionsofpeoplecausedhimto Frankensteinisrejectedbothbyhisfirstloveand
change.Justbecausehelookedfrightening,people hiscreator.
instantlythoughthewouldnotbekind.Ifpeoplegot
toknowthebeastbeforejudginghim,hemayhave
stayedkindandcaring.