Frankenstein

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hoping to make geographical and scientific discoveries. On his voyage, he discovers what looks like a giant speeding by on a sled Shortly after his ship passes a frozen man floating on a sheet of ice. The crew rescues the stranger, who turns out to be Victor Frankenstein Walton is impressed by his wisdom and cultivation They talk and Walton declares that he would sacrifice his own life for a greater good and for lasting fame. Frankenstein then begins his own story as a warning against the danger of such a philosophy of life. Chapter The first chapter is about the introduction of the main characters and the dynamics between them The chapter begins with Victor Frankenstein and how he describes his early childhood, that he is born in Naples but his parents have lived in multiple countries over the years like Germany or also in France. In Italy they adopted Elizabeth, at this time Victor is only a few years old She is still an infant at that time, raised in a poor family with four other children Her father is a Milanese nobleman, but held captive after committing a crime. Her mother has died while giving birth to her. From this point on Elizabeth is officially a part of the Frankenstein family. Victor sees from the beginning more in her than just his adopted sister, a deeper love than what is considered as normal Chapter 2 Around the age of seven, Victor's younger brother William is born At the age of 13, Victor discovers the works of Cornelius Agrippa, Paracelsus, and Albertus Magnus, all alchemists from an earlier time period Chapter 3 Victor has obtained the age of 17 and is likely to leave for his studies to the University of Ingolstadt, but has to delay his departure due to distasteful events After his parents decided for Victor to take upon his studies at the University of Ingolstadt, his journey to his destination had to be delayed, since Elizabeth suffered from scarlet fever. She recovered from it, but her mother Caroline Beaufort Frankenstein died Victor then departs to Ingolstadt. At the university Victor meets his professors, they lead him to the modern researches of natural philosophy. Chapter 4 This Chapter begins by displaying Victors dedication for his studies in science. He excels at the university and makes friends with one of his professors. He focuses on natural philosophies and wants to figure out the secrets of life Pursuing this, he soon starts to search for his answers in the phenomenon that is death Soon he reached the limits he had when studying at the university. In consequence he left and continued his studies on his own thus overcoming this difficulty. He does not stop his research until he unravels the secrets he desires. Now being capable of animating inanimate objects, he begins to build a human body in his apartment by gathering parts from all kinds of sources two of which being graveyards and slaughterhouses. During his works his physical and mental conditions worsen rapidly. Chapter 5 Victor finally finishes his creation As soon as it comes to life Victor is immediately horrified by its appearance. Without hesitating Victor runs to his bed where he falls asleep, dreaming about Elizabeth and his creation After waking up he finds the monster smiling at Victor, which causes him to run out of his residence and down the streets of Ingolstadt. Not returning for the whole night Victor meets his friend Henry Clerval in the morning, which he is glad to see Henry wants to study at the university of Ingolstadt and also has the urge to visit his beloved friend after he and Victors family did not hear anything from him in months. After a quick talk Victor brings Henry to his residence where he fears that his monster will still be there. Confirming that the monster is not there anymore Victor is happy but shortly after falls to bed and stays ill for the next few months. Henry nurses Victor for the time. Chapter 6 He receives a letter from Elizabeth with a lot of news about the family. He introduces Henry to the professors at the university and they both start studying there. Victor wants to return home. Henry and Victor also go for a hike in nature and Victor slowly recovers in the presence of his friend Chapter 7 This chapter is about Williams death Coming home, Victor finds a letter from his father telling him to come home as fast as possible as his youngest brother died It further explains how the family was on a walk, when William and Ernest went to play hide and seek, but William could not be found Later on they discovered his strangled body. Victor departs immediately, but when he arrives at his town the doors are shut and he has to spend the night outside walking around It is then that he catches a glimpse at the monster and is convinced it is the murderer on the spot. At home he finds out that Justine is being accused for the murder, since a necklace that William wore was found in her possession Victor knows she is innocent but decides not to tell anybody about the monster, fearing they will think he is crazy. Chapter 8 Justine finally confesses the murder, even though she is innocent. She gets executed and Victor feels guilty about it, because his monster was the one who did it and therefore Victor caused two deaths in his own family. Chapter 9 After Justines death Victor becomes depressed and even considers taking his own life, but his family manages to distract him from his thoughts for a while. They take a trip to Belrive where Victor explores nature, as it means a lot to him and had cheered him up several times. He is briefly distracted from his grief over Justines death but cannot quite get rid of sad thoughts. Chapter 10 Victor wakes up and finds old feelings of hopelessness resurface. When he reaches the glacier at the top, he is momentarily stunned by the sublime spectacleHowever, as he crosses the opposite side of the glacier, he sees a creature rushing towards him at incredible speedUp close, he clearly recognizes the grotesque monster shapeHe launches threats of attack at the monster, whose enormous strength and speed him make it easy for Victor to escape Victor curses him and tells him to go away, the monster, speaking eloquently, the persuades him to accompany a fire in an ice cavelnside the cave, the monster begins to tell about events in his life. Chapter II Sitting in the hut the monster starts to tell its tale: It first tells about his first experience and expressions as he awoke in Victors residence. It immediately flees into nature where it first experiences dark, hunger, thirst and other basic components of nature. It learns how to make fire and shortly after enters a hut in the morning The man he sees shrieks and runs away, because he is scared of the monsters appearance. Chapter 12 This chapter starts with the monster reflecting its observations while watching the cottagers. The monster soon discovers that the cottagers sadness and troubles originated from them being poor and because of its deep sympathy towards them, it decides to help them out by chopping some wood and secretly giving it to them It continues to watch their behavior and learn from them One day, the monster sees its reflection in the water and is deeply shocked by its appearance. As it looks very different from the cottagers Agatha and Felix, whom it considers to be beautiful, it views itself as an 'ugly monster! The monster fantasizes about showing itself to the people who it was learning many important trades from like empathy or communicating verbally, but it is too scared to do so, as it fears their reaction towards its looks. Chapter 13 The monster encounters the arrival of Safie and the change of emotions shown in Felix' face. As the of Spring comes up, the cottagers work more in the garden and Safie, an Arabian girl, called very beautiful by the monster, arrives at the cottage, leading to a change in emotion of Felix The cottagers teach Safie their language, while the monster watches and also learns from the lessons. The more the monster watches the more attached it gets to the cottagers and becomes more self aware. Chapter 14 The monster discovers the backstory of his "friends" De Lacey, Agatha, Felix and Safie. As it turns out De Lacey and his children held a high status in France, they had money, friends and were respected members of Paris' society. This changed a while after Safies father, a Turkish merchant, was unjustly imprisoned due to racist and xenophobic judges. Following the promise of the merchant's daughter's hand in marriage Felix assisted him in fleeing from France which in the end resulted in De Lacey's, Agatha's and They proceeded to live in Germany and Safie joined them later on, disregarding the wishes of her father to stay with him Chapter 15 At the start of the chapter, the monster discovers some books in the woods surrounding the village. The Monsters findings contain works of Goethe and John Milton The monster reads these books and thinks that they are based on history although they are fictional works. he monster decides to reveal itself to the cottagers and thinks about how to do it best. It comes to the conclusion to talk with the old DeLacey since he thinks he's the wisest person within the family. When Felix, Safie and Agatha go out for a walk, the monster reveals himself to the old DeLacey. At first the talk between the monster and DeLacey goes well but the the monster learns that the old DeLacey is blind and can't see him The monster begs the old man to stand with him Finally, Felix, his sister and Safie return from their walk and are shocked at the sight of the monster laying beside the old man's feet. Felix attacks him and the monster runs away from the cottage Chapter 16 The rejection that the monster got makes it mad and it decides to get revenge on the humans. When it goes to Geneva, it sees a girl drowning in the water stream The monster wants to help her, so it gets her out. Her accompany sees its rescue as an attack which leads him to shoot at the monster. As it nears Geneva, it sees William, the little brother of Victor Frankenstein Its rage overcomes it, so the monster strangles the boy to death. It also takes the necklace with it that has a picture of Caroline Beaufort, the mother of William When it sees Justine, it puts the necklace into her pocket. It leads to the death sentence of Justine since people think that she is responsible for William's death Chapter 17 Victor and the Monster are in a small hut on the Montanvert. The Monster threatens to end his life if he is not going to create a partner for him He convinces Victor to once again redo the process and create life. Victor understands his intentions and agrees to his command Chapter 18 Victor desires to travel to England, even though his whole family is against it at first. He tells his father that he truly needs this journey to finds himself after his depression, but in reality his plan is to give his creation its will The will would be the creating of a companion for the monster, against its loneliness. Henry Clerval is eager to accompany his childhood friend on this tour. Victor on the other hand fears to maybe have to choose between Henry and fulfilling his mission Then after destroying the harm that the monster could bring over Elizabeth, his plan is to marry her. Chapter 19 Victor Frankenstein and Henry Clerval travel together through England They visit Oxford as well as Edinburgh Henry is enjoying himself, while Victor is always thinking about the real reason for the trip. He wants to finally complete his task of creating a new companion for his first creation So he leaves Henry by a friend of his in a small scottish town, then travels up north on an island of the Orkneys. After being alone, he sets up everything to start his work His health gets worse just like the first time around, often even has problems to continue his work Chapter 20 Victor decides to not create the second monster. The monster then threatens Victor to haunt him on his wedding night. Later, after Victor has thrown the corpse of the creation he has worked on into the sea, a storm pushes Victor's sailboat out to the sea The local folk are holding him captive, thinking he committed the murder that had occurred earlier in their village. He is then sent to the local magistrate Mr. Kirwin to receive his sentence. Chapter 21 Victor is in Ireland and is introduced to the magistrate Mr.Kirwin. He is accused of murder since witnesses say that they saw Victor on the boat, throwing a corpse overboard and that they found the body on the beach The judge wants Victor to look at the body so he can draw conclusion by Victor's reaction Victor realizes that the body belongs to Henry and recognizes black stains on his neck As soon as he notices and realizes that the monster is responsible, he starts to collapse After recovering for 2 months, Mr.Kirwin decides to write a letter to Victor's father Alphonse Frankenstein The father supports him and Victor is freed since he was on Orkney Islands at the time of the murder. His father and him are now returning to Geneva Chapter 22 On their way home they make a stop in Paris before the rest of their trip to Geneva Victor receives a letter from Elizabeth where she asks him if Victor were in love with a different girl since he has been sick at lot of times. He replies with a letter in which he says that Elizabeth is his only source of joy in his life and that she does not have to worry. The thought of marriage frightens Victor because he knows the monster will be there and attack him which might lead to either his or the monsters death As Victor and his father arrive in Geneva, Victor and Elizabeth finally meet again and everyone starts planing the wedding After Elizabeth confronts Victor again about her suspicion he tells her that he has a secret which he will reveal after the marriage. At the wedding day, everything goes according to plan and the freshly married couple leave for their honeymoon Chapter 23 Victor and Elizabeth are on honeymoon and Victor worries about the monster and that Elizabeth could be in danger. He decides to search for it when she's sleeping While this Victor hears her screaming and realizes that the monster had just killed her, he gets the desire for revenge. After that he returns home to tell Alphonse the awful news. Because of the shock and grief about all the dead persons he loved, the father dies a few days later. Victor finally breaks his secret and tries to convince a magistrate in Geneva that an unnatural monster is responsible for the death of Elizabeth, but the magistrate does not believe him Victor resolves to devote the rest of his life to find and destroy the monster. Chapter 24 After Elizabeth's death Victor aims for revenge on the monster for killing his loved wifeHe begins his revenge by thinking of resolutions for his craving and comes to the decision of traveling all over the world to chase the monster so he can kill it.He was looking for clues to catch the monster and one night he even thinks he hears it and tries to come after it, but the monster escaped again Victor found out that the monster avoids seas and other kinds and with more time passing by, the monster left letters and clues for him so he got more frustrated and bitter. His last spot was an arctic area where he got a clue from some inhabitants who said that they saw a huge monster. This clue was very important for Victor and he got himself a sled and continued chasing the monster on a frozen sea Within chasing the monster Victors dogs died and he even broke inside the ice, leaving him fighting for his lifeGladly he was saved by a young man named Robert Walton and his crew and got the chance to recover from his accident a little bit Victor told Walton his tale and Walton documented everything with great interest, but he also felt great grief towards Victor After telling his whole story to Walton Victor asks him if he is willing to keep on chasing the monster to kill it in case Victor might die and Walton agrees Chapter 25 Victor's only task now is to kill his creation, but he is no longer in shape to do it. Because of the life threatening danger the crew of Walton wants to return but Victor manages to convince them to continue their trip/ journey. Shortly after that Victor dies without having finished his mission to kill the monster. After that the monster enters the ship to grab Victor and takes his body with him Before doing this Walton confronts him about destroying Victors whole life. Short summary The gothic novel Frankenstein, written by Mary Shelley, was first published in 1818. A heavily revised edition was published in 1832; this is the version most widely published today. The novel centres around Victor Frankenstein, who discovers the secrets of creating life. The novel uses three different narrators, following the first-person accounts of Captain Robert Walton, Victor Frankenstein, and of the creature Frankenstein created Walton's letters act as a framing device: they introduce and conclude the story. Walton's opening letters: The novel opens with a series of letters from the explorer Robert Walton to his sister Margaret Saville. The sea captain travels to the North Pole in search of glory, hoping to make geographical and scientific discoveries. On his voyage, the crew rescues a stranger, a man called Victor Frankenstein Frankenstein and Walton become friends and Frankenstein begins to tell his own story as a warning against the dangers of reckless ambition Frankenstein's narration. In the first part of Frankenstein's story, the reader learns about his happy upbringing and childhood From a young age, Frankenstein is fascinated by the mysteries of heaven and earth As a young man, he therefore starts studying science at the University of Ingolstadt, where he learns about chemistry and modern scientific theories. Grieving his mother's death and cut off from his family and the outside world, he buries himself in his work. He searches the graveyards for human limbs and organs and begins to build a creature, which he succeeds in bringing to life. Yet, horrified by what he has created, he panics and falls into a severe illness. Meanwhile, his creation escapes After his recovery, Frankenstein learns that his younger brother William has been murdered and soon realises that his creation is responsible Justine, the household help, is accused of the crime, and Frankenstein does not use his knowledge to prevent her conviction, for fear of being thought mad Justine is consequently hanged The creature's narration In his narrative, the creature tells Frankenstein what he has experienced soon after his birth and how hard life has been People are afraid of him and run away because of his ugly appearance. He hides from civilisation and seeks refuge in a shed behind a cottage where the De Lacey family live. The creature watches the unhappy family and provides them with wood from the forest. The creature shows real interest in understanding the De Laceys and is willing to learn As a result, he learns to speak, teaches himself to read, and thus, gains knowledge about history and society. He ardently wishes to befriend the family, but is driven away. Full of anger, he swears to seek revenge against his creator Frankenstein in particular. On his way to Geneva to meet his creator, he wants to befriend the young William, hoping the boy's youth may make him less prejudiced But William is as prejudiced as anyone else. When the creature learns about William's relation to Frankenstein, he decides to strangle him and frame Justine for the murder. Towards the end of his story, the creature asks Frankenstein to create a female companion for him, planning to live in exile with someone like him Frankenstein's narration Moved by the creature's story, Frankenstein begins creating a female. But while working on the female, Frankenstein thinks about the fatal consequences and decides to destroy it. Having observed this, the creature once against swears to seek revenge and kills Victor's best friend Henry. Filled with a thirst for vengeance, the creature moreover strangles Victor's wife, Elizabeth, on the couple's wedding night. Frankenstein decides to find the creature and destroy him His pursuit leads him to the Arctic, where, exhausted and emaciated, he collapses and is picked up by Walton's ship. Walton's final letters: The harsh conditions of the journey north - several men die - lead Walton to the decision to return home. Frankenstein dies, lamenting that he did not succeed in destroying his creation Later, Walton finds the creature weeping over Frankenstein's body. The creature tells Walton about his sufferings and his plan to travel further north and commit suicide Walton realises that some successes come at too high a cost. Marry Shelley - born 30th August 1787 in London daughter of feminist Mary Wollstonecraft & political philosopher William Godwin mother died only 10 days after giving birth to her daughter Mary started writing at a young age => had a happy childhood father published her first poem when she was 10 years old age of 17 Mary eloped with the poet Percy Bysshe => got married in 1816 had 4 children, 3 died at a young age 1816 holidays in Switzerland with friends => had a challenge where every person should write their own ghost story > Mary wrote Frankenstein first published anonymously 1818 => anonymously because female authors were often not accepted by the politics Percy Shelly died 1822 Marry started to publish his works starts traveling with son her Percy died Ist February 1851 => due brain tumor (maybe) role of Nature in Frankenstein PFLICHTMATERIAL Mary Shelley: Frankenstein (1831) lerhöhtes Anforderungsniveau thematische Schwerpunkte augehange Erläuterungen haiche Erläuterungen scientific advances/ saving/improving lives (ethics of) science 21st century science Bionics Frankenfood CRISPR artificial organs prosthetics Cures great responsibility. obligation unpredictable consequences potential trap Frankenstein warns Walton Frankenstein's creature Frankenstein sacrifices moral obligations and goes beyond acceptable research (aspects of weather/sature represent certain characters legmoon linked to crea reflect characters state of mind to creature madness, troubled mind, danger) voluntary isolation Frankenstein does not take responsibility for his creation. sharing rese not in isolation creature kills several people superhuman strength, speed immunity to cold, etc. arctic expedition nature strong desire to understand creature learns language saves girl from drowning ----- experiences ---- creature longs for sb. like him involuntary isolation Sublime landscapes affect and reflect the character's state of mind. Nature can have therapeutic and restorative effects on people's minds. language instinct to protect empathy, kindness, remorse longing for connection looking for similarity/sameness creature is rejected, hunted, insulted, chased away, hurt etc. violent urges, cruelty (human) identity creature wants to belong (De Lacey family, Frankenstein) Is the creature more human than other characters, e.g. Frankenstein, the creator? rejection of those who are different The role of nature General information reason for existence of human and science Victor - nature helps Victor: => provides food and drink to fill his needs (p. 96 11 19-21) => calming him down (ch XI) => material that humans can use like wood/gives warmth, comfort (p. 104 145) - Provides him through melodies (p. 96 11 43-46) => important to Victor (often shown through detailed description) - provides him through melodies (p. 96 11 43-46) the more Victor studies the more he loses respect towards nature (creating a human creature) The creature nature helps him => him reflection of hisself: he is different than the cottagers ,,ugly" (p.105 | 32) => gives him knowledge about where food comes from/ gardening (p. 105 11 44/45) - learns about seasoning (p. 105 || 44/45) Mary Shelley she places nature in a very important point => underlining the emotional state of mind of the characters (eg the nature is portrayed as beautiful by Victor when he recovers from his illness that befell him shortly after the birth of his creature) => during Victor's and Elizabeth's honeymoon their happiness is underlines by sunshine => underlining the plot (eg when there are bad situations like the family searching William there are thunderstorms) Nature and the sublime Mary Shelley continued the trend of connecting nature to the sublime by giving her characters one-on-one interactions with nature the way in which every character reflects the sublime nature greatly varies in regard the amount of respect they have towards nature Victor wants nature to be his ,,companion" rather than his guardian natures impact had only a temporary effect on Victor Shelley is advising her readers to respect nature and its powers unlike Victor the novels description of nature depends on the amount of astonishment each character has towards nature => descriptions eary differently which is paralleled with the different levels of respect they have towards nature The sublime and (natural) settings The concept of the sublime refers to the experience of thoughts and feelings beyond the ordinary, which may be caused, for example, by looking at (or reading descriptions of) particularly dramatic and magnificent landscapes or by having (or reading about) overwhelming, even terrifying, sensations. The sublime delights in an unexpected, unusual manner. Romantic writers and visual artists were fascinated by it and its potential to make people feel awe: fear and wonder at the same time. Mary Shelley's Frankenstein contains several sublime landscapes Often, she uses them to depict the characters' state of mind The Artic, where Robert Walton is on his polar expedition, is connected to the themes of exploration and the pursuit of knowledge. The novel begins and ends in the Arctic and thus frames the narrative. Walton and his crew are trapped in ice In Walton's ruthless pursuit of knowledge, he accepts the dangers that come with it. But the remoteness of the North Pole is anything but therapeutic. It is a place of darkness, isolation and danger. Like Frankenstein, Robert chooses isolation because of his desire for the unknown Throughout the novel, Frankenstein only finds a place of comfort in sublime, ever-changing landscapes. They reflect his tormented mind and his inner conflict. In the Alps, a threating, dangerous place, he meets his creation In the Orkneys, a very remote setting, he starts making the creature's companion The desolate landscape mirrors the unease and desolation he feels while conducting his unnatural experiments. Ingolstadt, in contrast, is connected to Frankenstein's intellectual pursuits. Frankenstein's creature seeks shelter in the forest, a place where he can hide and try to survive. It gives him comfort and peace. Symbols: lightning, storms, and the moon When Frankenstein sees a lightning strike that destroys an oak tree close to him, his fascination with science and electricity is triggered This event foreshadows Frankenstein's experiments, which will cause death and destruction To Frankenstein, storms are both beautiful and frightening and reflect his troubled state of mind They are also used to announce the creature's arrival and foreshadow terrible events. The moon is another important symbol It is the light that shines on Frankenstein's experiments. Later, it illuminates the creature as he observes the creation of his mate from the window. Although his grin is an expression of delight, Frankenstein misinterprets it as being malicious. For Frankenstein therefore, seeing the creature by moonlight reflects his fears and prejudices. For the creature, the moon is the first thing that brings him pleasure. Therefore, he worships it. The beauty of the moon forms a contrast to the creature's appearance The Romantic movement theme of nature was very common during Romantic era but Shelley put a twist on representing nature and the sublime Shelley infers that nature can be beneficial to humans only if the humans respect nature in return views nature as source of inspiration, creations and comfort as well as force of terrifying power and cruelty => era marked by technological and scientific progress (Industrial Revolution): romantic authors often portray the conflict between the natural world and the modern society The ethics of science What is sciences? "the intellectual and practical activity encompassing the systematic study of the structure and behavior of the physical and natural world through observation and experiment." What is ethics? "moral principles that govern a person's behavior or the conducting of an activity." - people always enjoyed inventing and discovering things => although a lot of inventions and discoveries have made people lives easier, ethical dilemmas which occurred, need to be considered What is a dilemma? a dilemma is a situation that forces you to decide between two negative things. No matter how you decide, something negative will happen Inspiration is it possible to predict the long-term consequences of every new invention? how can inventors avoid unintended tragedies caused by their creations? who is responsible for the outcomes of newly created inventions? are the risks of negative outcomes from our inventions worth the potential gains? Why is it considered wrong to create life scientifically? - human's dignity => you are not supposed to create life for a certain reason, eg savior sibling you cannot predict all possible consequences => how will the creation develop? react? behave? What is done nowadays to prevent scientists like Frankenstein from undertaking the same experiences? - safeguards protocols Institution approvals => but it is nearly impossible to predict all of the consequences of our current and future scientific and technological advances - How does progress in science and technology affect people's lives? viability of our planet and evolution of society => health, medicine, bioengineering => genetic engineering, transplantation, transfusion, Artificial Intelligence, Virtual Reality, etc. ,,playing God" More than 200 years after its publication, the novel Frankenstein is as relevant today as ever. People have always wanted to understand and solve the mysteries of life in order to help humanity thrive. However, there is a code of conduct that most scientists feel bound to and which Frankenstein does not follow. Scientists must think critically, consider ethical and moral questions, act responsibly, and communicate their results. As Frankenstein gets more and more desolate and isolated from society, he fails to think critically and reasonably, ignores ethical implications, and does not report his achievements to the scientific community. In other words, he is willing to go beyond what is acceptable in research He "plays God" and achieves the impossible by creating a human being from dead body parts. Yet Frankenstein does not take responsibility for his creation and thus, things get out of control His actions lead to destruction: directly and indirectly, the creature causes the deaths of several people, among these are Victor's younger brother William, the household help Justine, Victor's best friend Henry, and his wife Elizabeth This shows that the consequences of scientific breakthroughs are often unpredictable. The expression "playing God" is often used when science provides answers where before humans had to simply accept their situation, for example when we discover cures for deathly diseases, invent the tools and methods to perform surgery on the heart or brain that saves lives or averts disability, or when we develop vaccines or the technology to change people's DNA It all boils down to one critical question: if it can be done, should it be done? Without science, there is no choice: nothing can be done; it is down to nature, or God With choice comes responsibility. If we have the opportunity to save or significantly improve lives, then, some people argue, not doing so would be ethically wrong. On the other hand, it is impossible to predict all potential consequences. As long as scientists keep searching for solutions to humanity's problems, this question will have to be asked and answered time and again Therefore, as long as scientific and technological advances are made, Frankenstein will be relevant. Human identity Victor's view on - outer appearance is very important => it's a family thing (father married Caroline because she was beautiful, they adopted Elizabeth because she is pretty) => outer appearance is an important topic in the novel - wanted the creature to be the ideal human (disappointed) strives for perfection + does what he thinks others expect him to believes that parents have a great deal in how one's life will work out artificial intelligence The theory and development of computer systems able to perform tasks normally requiring human intelligence like translation between languages or speech recognition Is the monster Al? - made of flesh (not a computer/robot) is not being controlled (free will) - not created for certain tasks has feelings + has human intelligence Is the creature a human being? yes formed by human bodies very emotional + capacity for self-reflection (sad when he loses the cottagers, empathy when he saves the girl, angry when Frankenstein does not do able to communicate and be part of a what he wants) community wants to have relationships with others no has no name> no self-idendity, is like property very aggressive, brutal (this however is the result of isolation and abjection from society) "thing" "creature" an uninvolved observer (Walton) says it is "savage inhabitant of some undiscovered island' has no friends/community cottagers showed him what it's like to be human (before he did is very ugly (he himself decides he's not human because of his not know what it's like to worry about more than food and shelter) appearance) => however, ugliness reflects other people's inability to accept what's different has no family/someone who raised him up/taught him human ethics not born or otherwise developed by human cells has never experienced love and care first-hand Names the monster is called - "wild beast that had broken the toils" (monster, p. 127, 19) "arch-fiend" (monster, p. 127, 115) "monster, ugly wretch, ogre" (monster, p. 137, Il 30-31) "deamon" What he says about himself (scene when he sees his reflection for the first time): "At first, I started back, unable to believe that it was indeed I who was reflected in the mirror and that I was in reality the monster that I am, I was filled with the bitterest densations of despondence and mortification Alas! I did not yet entirely know that fatal effects of this miserable deformity." (Chapter 12) Importance of interaction with others V. begins to lose himself and his identity when he isolates himself in order to perform his experiments (things that used to be important to him lose their meaning) he monster's problems result in him being rejected from society => wants a companion => both the monster and Victor are on a journey of self-discovery. What is it that us human? The novel poses this question: Frankenstein's creature is an artificial being, created in a laboratory. He consists of human parts, but looks deformed, monstrous. On the other hand, he clearly experiences human emotions. For example, he feels pain, sympathy, sadness, anger, curiosity, tenderness, and longing Then again, his behaviour towards Frankenstein and his other victims is described as inhumanly ruthless, cruel, and brutal The creature is also depicted as possessing "superhuman speed", an immunity to cold, and incredible strength and endurance Has Frankenstein succeeded or failed? The creature is undoubtedly alive, but is it human? When the scientist infuses the lifeless thing" with life, he immediately feels repulsed, even though his intention was to create a beautiful being and he had selected the parts with that purpose in mind This suggests that something is missing, that having the "parts" of a creature and the power to instil life is still not enough to "make" a human being. This might be a nod towards spirituality; Shelley may be emphasising that while Frankenstein is able to create a living being, his creature lacks something vital that, perhaps, only God could provide In contrast to this interpretation, the reader is constantly confronted with the creature's human traits. He has a strong desire to understand the world around him, and so he learns to speak and to read, e delights in nature: He has an intense neer for human affection in fact, he is defined by his desire, for connection and suffers terribly from his loneliness, his lack of belonging, his exclusion from society. For example, ne desperately wants the De Laceys to like him and to be their friend, which is why he collects and chops their firewood When he finally becomes aware of his own deformity and realises his inescapable otherness, he pleads for the creation of someone else who is like him, a female companion Does this make him human? Or could it be his reaction to isolation, rejection, and cruelty? it has been put forward that it is not the creature who behaves like a monster but the people he encounters, who show him no kindness. He is abandoned by his creator, shot at for saving a drowning girl, mistreated, hurt, insulted, shunned, and hunted wherever he goes. It could be said that this made him what he is if may be his reaction to these acts - his lashing out and seeking revenge that is his ultimate human characteristic The novel asks "What is it that makes us human?" Our ability to empathise? Our desire to belong? Our need to learn and understand? Our fear of the unknown, the strange? Our cruelty? It is up to the reader to find his or her own answer. Loose change - Andrea Levy (2005) Summary all-day meeting between two women - both with foreign background one of them has already established her life in the city, the other one hasn't (just arrived as a political refugee from Uzbekistan) takes place in the bathroom of an art gallery (London) -woman with established life needs coins for tampon machine and wants to give the money back to the refugee (Laylor) protagonist invites her for a cup of tea in a cafe -protagonist assumes woman is refugee from Spain because of the accent brother of Laylor shows up, they have a short discussion -> in her native language turns out they're homeless suddenly protagonists view on girl changes dramatically "dirty fingernails, ugly tooth gap" - protagonist wonders why refugee approached her as she has a lot on her plate and others could offer their help just leaves the cafe and the girl behind Short summary The short story Loose Change, written by Andrea Levy and published in 2005, tells a story of prejudices against immigrants and illustrates that generosity does not depend on wealth The story is told by an unnamed female first-person narrator. The narrator meets Laylor during a visit to the toilets at the National Portrait Gallery in London Uncomfortable and in need of change for a vending machine for hygiene products (the "tampon machine"), the narrator meets the generous Laylor, who helps her out without expecting to be paid back After deliberately looking for her, the narrator walks with Laylor through the gallery, commenting on different pictures, before she starts to feel uncomfortable with Laylor's exuberant youth They head for the cafeteria and the narrator learns about the precarious living situation Laylor and her brother are in: as refugees from Uzbekistan, Laylor and her brother don't know anyone in London They don't have much money, so they are sleeping rough Even though Laylor does not ask for anything, the narrator feels pressured / shamed into helping her. However, while thinking about the advantages that helping Laylor could bring, the narrator unexpectedly leaves the gallery without further comment. Notes protagonist may not want to be confronted with emigration as she sees herself as a Londoner doesn't care about grandmothers background and what challenges she faced because of people like her - behaves the same way which she criticises when she says "all Londoners I assume" over generations, the emigrational background is being more and more disregarded Laylor generous and selfless (even tho she hasn't got a lot of money either, doesn't expect something in return) good-hearted, pure easily trusts people (thus maybe naive) despite the fact that she is homeless and poor, she is very unbothered and seems happy talkative, open-minded grateful and humble (doesn't complain about her situation) Protagonist inner conflict (in regard to origin) narrow-minded - easy to influence (by looks) naive, one-dimensional trying to shift the responsibility deflecting blame unsociable (doesn't want to make friends) - sees herself as the victim also polite and responsible (automatically wants to give her money back) Displacement: questions of Identity and belonging The nameless narrator, whose grandmother immigrated to the UK from the Caribbean, is keen on blending in, priding herself on her stereotypical behaviour. Influenced by her now xenophobic grandmother, she seems to neither fully accept her cultural background nor to feel entirely accepted as a British native. Giving up on part of her heritage culture and not being able to fully embrace her identity as a bicultural Londoner leaves her without a "Heimat" The narrator's insecurity stands in stark contrast to the settled and strong character of Laylor, a young illegal immigrant who was forced to leave her home Country. Her strength seems to be based on her self knowledge and her complete acceptance of her family's background This is what provides her with a sense of belonging Both characters' attitudes illustrate the importance of belonging when it comes to identity. The narrator, who seems to lack a true sense of belonging, appears to also lack a proper sense of self. Her anxiousness and lacking self-confidence hint at an identity struggle Laylor's difficulties, on the other hand, are not at all linked to her identity. Although she experiences displacement, she nevertheless appears confident and strong Her sense of belonging seems to underpin her identity. Postcolonial experience The female first-person narrator lives in the UK, formerly one of the major colonial powers, and is a descendant of a first-generation immigrant from the Caribbean, potentially from a region once under British rule. Despite having been an immigrant herself, the narrator's grandmother has become xenophobic over the years, perhaps in an attempt to set herself apart from more recent immigrants and to stress her own belonging to Britain The narrator is similarly prone to overcompensation She takes pride in behaving like a stereotypical Londoner, that is, being aloof and unapproachable. When she gets to know Laylor, an immigrant from Uzbekistan, she realises that she has the power to help Laylor, but, ironically, decides against it. In the end, it may have been her stereotypical London aloofness that led her to leave the girl to her own devices. The short story is moreover linked to postcolonialism by the themes of identity and belonging Despite her precarious situation, Laylor seems empowered by her sense of belonging The narrator, in contrast, is weakened by her lack of it. She appears to lose her humanity in the end, defeated by her continuing struggle to belong The third and final continent - Jhumpa Lahiri (1999) Summary - in 1964, an Indian man leaves native country to sail to London - studies at London School of Economics shares apartment with other Bengalis 5 years later => age 36, gets job offer from a library in Massachusetts same time, marriage was arranged by family => flies back to Calcutta and then onwards to Boston - guidebook says that Americans are less friendly than British people - first meals are cornflakes => on a budget, spending little money until wife arrives comes across an ad for a free room to rent but is told they only let boys from Harvard or Tech in - still makes appointment for next day - would be first house without other Indians woman who owns house is old and named Mrs Croft one becomes aware of the fact that his mother has passed away they have a conversation despite the fact that he ist not a Harvard or Tech student he moves into the apartment, no girls allowed tho -awaits his wife Mala who is waiting for her green card old woman wants narrator to sit next to her on piano bench => becomes routine Helen (Mrs Croft's daughter) tells him that he is the first boarder her mother has called a gentleman - moves out of the apartment and says goodbye to Mrs Croft -Mala arrives and narrator picks her up at the airport they speak Bengali (his first time in America) however, they talk little and the situation is awkward one day they want to go out and Mala puts on her Sari => narrator feels uncomfortable as she seems to be overdressed they go out at night and visit Mrs Croft Mala and Mrs Croft have a connection and get along very well Mrs Croft dies a month later and Mala consoles him story continues and they have a son who attends Harvard