For this last blog I'd like you to select a passage that contains a motif, symbol, or theme that is present throughout the novel.
Type the passage (with citation) and analyze the passage with a discussion of the motif, symbol, or theme you chose. Be sure to talk about how this element has been developed through the novel and what significance you think it has.
Also, of course, feel free to write about whatever you'd like (the ending??) in addition and respond to each other's ideas!
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"Slave, I have reasoned with you, but you have proved yourself unworthy of my condescension. Remember that I have power; you believe yourself miserable, but I can make you so wretched that the light of day will be hateful to you. You are my creator, but I am your master;-obey!"(146)
ReplyDeleteThis quote, said by the monster to Frankenstein, houses multiple motifs which are applicable to the entire story's moral. The monster addresses his master as "slave" highlighting the natural disorder of roles. The monster continues this verbal attack declaring he possess all the power and although Victor created him, he is the true master because he has the ability to destroy Victor's life. "You are my creator, but I am your master; obey!" This reminds me of adolescents making the transition into adulthood and thinking they suddenly have authority over their parents. Although the parents still hold natural power over them as their "creators", the children still have freewill. The monster has realized his power and individual needs and now commands his master. The main motif drawn from this quote is the responsibility of creator to creation, and the consequences that follow as a result of abandoning them. Victor intentionally created a new species that he wanted to call his own and his wish became his nightmare. He accepted no blame for the monster he created and the repercussions were the loss of his sanity and the ones he loved. He personally crafted this world of torture and suffered forever because of it.
-Amanda R.
"But I am a blasted tree; the bolt has entered my soul; and I felt then that I should survive to exhibit, what I shall soon cease to be- a miserable spectacle of wrecked humanity, pitiable to others, and intolerable to myself"(140).
ReplyDeleteThe motif of the lightning splintering the tree first appears in the first few chapters of the novel, where Frankenstein recounts watching this event. After witnessing this incredible act of nature, Frankenstein became fascinated and was animated by science. In contrast, when Frankenstein describes himself as the tree, he seems weary and regretful of his discoveries. I found it really interesting that the same motif could be used to describe such contrasting emotions.
Another motif that recurs throughout the books is layers and fragments. The book is told through different points of view, separated into fragments. I also found it interesting that Frankenstein described himself as a fragmented being, in a way that emphasized his despair.
-Shelby
"Shall each man...find a wife for his bosom, and each beast have its mate, and I be alone?...Are you to be happy, while I grovel in the intensity of my wretchedness? You can blast my other passions; but revenge remains- revenge, henceforth dearer than light or food! I may die; but first you, my tyrant and tormentor, shall curse the sun that gazes on your misery. Beware, for I am fearless, and therefor powerful...Man, you shall repent of the injuries you inflict." (146)
ReplyDeleteThis quote, from chapter 20 of FRANKENSTEIN, is possibly the most descriptive quote in the entire book as far as themes go. Revenge, power, wretchedness; all of which are major motifs that arise on many occasions throughout the novel. In this passage, the creature is speaking to Victor, after having seen him destroy the new companion he was going to create. Enraged by the scene, the creature threatens Victor with the thought of death. To add to the already enraged creature, the first glance Victor got of the creature itself, he was horrified and scared to death. Between the destroying of his companion and how Victor reacted to his face, the creature goes on a rant, caught up in a virtual web of emotions. This sort of scene presents itself numerous times throughout the novel. The creature always seems to have doubts about himself and is never satisfied with the things around him. He vows to kill Man, to justify what Man has done to him. Full of self-pity and sadness, the creature is always unhappy. The only thing he wants is a companion to share his sorrows and thoughts with. But it seems that that will never happen now and his dream of friendship is all for not.
-julia lemieux
“Remember that I have power; you believe yourself miserable, but I can make you so wretched that the light of day will be hateful to you. You are my creator, but I am your master; - obey!” (146).
ReplyDeleteThroughout the novel, both Frankenstein and his creation mention the importance of light and dark as well as the struggle of power. In this passage, the creature threatens Frankenstein by using the power of light to back him up. He describes that the light of day will be hateful to Victor. Light is all powerful, if there was no light in the world then people would be in the blind, the world would simply turn into pure chaos and the creature is aware of this. By making the light of day harmful to Victor, he would lose all control of his life.
The creature is also struggling for power throughout the story. He attempts to gain power and acceptance with the DeLacys but when he is unsuccessful he tries to take it by force (for example, the framing of Justine). He also takes it by force during this scene with Frankenstein. He had been called a monster for long enough that he decided that he will now be in control and not take the harassment any longer and this sudden anger was sparked with the broken promise of Frankenstein making the monster a wife.
{[Nicole]}
"While I still hung over her in the agony of despair, I happened to look up. The windows of the room had before been darkened, and I felt a kind of panic on seeing the pale yellow light illuminate the chamber"(168).
ReplyDeleteThis passage exemplifies the importance the motif nature plays throughout the novel. After Victor describes this scene of the moons light filling the room, he sees the monster in the window jeering at him and his dead wife. While reading this I though of what Ms. Coppens was talking about in class about how nature is almost assisting Frankenstein throughout the novel. Here I believe is a great example of Nature assisting Frankenstein by "illuminating" the room to make it clear to Victor that it was by fault of his own that his wife Elizabeth is dead. Frankenstein is using Nature to help get revenge on the man that has caused him so much pain and anguish.
-Haley
"I shall die, and what I now feel be no longer felt. Soon these burning miseries will be extinct. I shall ascend my funeral pile triumphantly, and exult in the agony of the torturing flames. The light of the conflageration will fade away; my ashes will be swept into the sea by the winds" (189).
ReplyDeleteThis passage ties into the monster's common motif of fire. It is very relative to the scene in which the monster burns down the cottage of his "protectors". The flames are described with beautiful imagery and the monster feels like he will finally be at peace. Fire is prevalant throughout the "life" of the monster. It is his first sense of pain, his first hint of madness, and it will be his death. This series of events seem to link the monster even closer to the image of Lucifer and Hell. Lucifer's "end" was also bathed in fire just as the creature plans to do.
(on the ending)- I feel as if the monster still deserved the the sympathy that he recieved. With the end of his creator, it seemed only fitting that he should have a sense of freedom for as little time as he may have left.
-Jeff
“The windows of the room had before been darkened, and I felt a kind of panic on seeing the pale yellow light of the moon illuminate the chamber. The shutters had been thrown back; and, with a sensation of horror not to be described, I saw at the open window a figure the most hideous and most abhorred…I rushed towards the window, and drawing a pistol from my bosom, fired; but he eluded me, leaped from his station, and, running with the swiftness of lightning, plunged into the lake” (168).
ReplyDeleteThis quote from Mary Shelley’s “Frankenstein” really struck me for having what I saw to be a really resonant metaphorical meaning. Firstly, all throughout this Romantic novel, the moon seems to be a recurring motif – used, in this case, to illuminate the creature sitting in the window. Shelley seems to incorporate the moon to highlight what is overlooked or unnoticed – something particularly important. In the moonlight, Frankenstein can see just how “hideous and most abhorred” his creation really is.
In addition, a prominent theme in this piece of literature is Victor’s failure at controlling what he has made. He is supposedly the creature’s master, however once the creature breathes life and steals away from Victor, he is completely his own controller. He does not adhere to Victor’s wishes and does not allow himself to be constrained. This is surreal to Victor, who vows vengeance for the lives his creation has taken. Victor does not seem to be able to grasp that he no longer has control over this beast he has created. He selfishly makes it has to learn to face the consequences of his actions – an idea he seems to run from for the whole book.
-Kelsey F.
"The wind arose' the sea roared; and, as with the mighty shock of an earthquake, it split, and cracked with tremendous and overwhelming sound. The work was soon finished: in a few minutes a tumultuous sea rolled between me and my enemy, and I was left drifting on a scattered piece of ice, that was continually lessening, and thus preparing me for a hideous death." (177)
ReplyDeleteThis passage of the book occurs at the end of the Frankenstein's chase of the monster. When Frankenstein was almost within grasp of the creature, the sea swells beneath them, breaking the ice and leaving a tremendous gap between the two characters.
I'm choosing to focus on both a theme and symbol in this passage.
The symbol would be the unbridgeable gap made between the two characters. At this point in the plot, the characters' extreme differences are emphasized when they are physically separated by this gap. It shows how they are two completely different beings who can not peacefully coexist with one another' it's just not meant to be. The separation also shows the continual disconnect between the two. The creature was always in search of a creator and master to love and obey; however, Frankenstein remained unwilling to support the creature who he brought into the world.
The theme I'd like to analyze in this passage is the role of nature. As Ms. Coppens pointed out in class, nature seems to be on the creatures side. This was shown in the scene when he was burning down the cabin and it is shown again here. The creature was within very near grasp of the creator, almost about to be captured. Just as Frankenstein was becoming hopeful, all hope of his was extinguished and nature came to rescue the creature. With force and power, nature separated the two, leaving Frankenstein on a scattered piece of ice, that was continually lessening. Clearly, nature is either in support of the creature, desires to punish the creator for his attempts at playing God, or both.
Sydney
"Many times I considered Satan as the fitter emblem of my condition; for often, when I viewed the bliss of my protectors, the bitter gall of envy rose within me" (117).
ReplyDeleteThis quote represents the common motifs of good vs. evil and religion throughout the novel. The creature struggles with the question of whether he is more like Satan or Adam. Both are complete opposites (a Romantic theme) and are symbol for both the good and evil qualities of the creature. Frankenstein also struggles between good and evil. He feels extremely guilty for creating the monster and is indirectly responsible for all the deaths that occurred afterwards. However he created the creature with essentially good intentions. He did not mean for all of this to happen. In this way he is a lot like Adam. Like Adam, he tried to gain knowledge to make himself like God and ended up getting a humbling experience. I think this contrasts nicely with the creature who seems more like the devil: doing evil deeds because he has been treated badly and is misunderstood. Throughout this story, these two motifs are mentioned constantly through internal conflicts, books, and the actions of the characters.
-Allison
"What a glorious creature must he have been in the days of his prosperity, when he is thus noble and godlike in ruin! He seems to feel his own worth, and the greatness of his fall." (179)
ReplyDeleteI really find this quote fascinating, from how Walton describes Frankenstein. The first thing that stuck out to me was what Ms. Coppens said in class about a fine line between love and hate,and here it is as if Frankenstein despises himself so much now that it brought him to value himself more at the same time as a sort of hero. "He seems to feel his own worth and the greatness of his downfall," which really gives you the sense of a heroic character instead of a horrible person--he certainly did not save mankind, just the opposite, yet as if what he did was so 'great' that it makes it one and the same. And more than hero: Walton says he's "noble and godlike in ruin," which is very, very interesting. It's almost like this is another stage of life...I remember in Frankenstein's story there was a point where he said he was merely a shadow of a man, merely a skeleton...so it's like he died already and in a way...this is what's left? More and more in Frankenstein's story he talks of the life in him dying away, and at this point, he's destroyed so that he's gone past rock bottom and he's now a sort of god as if being so low makes you something of the heavens...Like when there's a guy in history we all look up to after years and years past his lifetime and in reality, he might've really been originally remembered for something not so great as we learn sometimes, but in Frankenstein's case, he got to experience the aftermath in his lifetime. It's like he's physically alive to see the effects years past his death...which itself would make him immortal. Note the creature isn't mortal and the creature sort of brought him down to his level, although it's so close, fine line perhaps, it's still immortality, but being physically human that he's seen as a god...while the creature's the monster...
This isn't just as Walton's opinion of him, the godlike view, Frankenstein sees himself in that way, as miserable as he may be. Again, he knows 'his worth' and knows the "greatness" of his fall, through his anguish, it's kind of like Wordsworth's "pleasure in pain." Also later we find that he encourages the sailsmen for adventure...so I think it kind of shows you the mixture of pleasure in his pain there. And why else stay on earth? He had unfinished business, to destroy the creature, but if he did not care to do it for himself, if there was not some reward/satisfaction in what he was pursuing, why stay alive? There's even a point where Frankenstein says that the creature would give him hints of where he was in fear that he might lose him and then Frankenstein would panic and quit the world bcause there's nothing left for him. And if Frankenstein cut out, then the creature might as well. By the end of the story, the creature has his companion. And that's Frankenstein.
Something that I noticed, that I tied back to earlier in the book, is how Frankenstein hunts the creature. There's that big point earlier on where there's the young girl being chased, playfully, by whether it was her father or brother or lover, before the creature saves the girl and in return gets shot. There's like an alternative flashback to this when Frankenstein is chasing the creature, and he talks of the extreme passion and it almost seems more like love to me than hate, and we're aware that the creature is the only thing left in the world that he has, and same to the creature to Frankenstein. But the hunt for the creature made me think of the memory of that girl being chased by her loved one...although there's no one to save the creature.
"While I still hung over her in the agony of despair, I happened to look up. The windows of the room had before been darkened, and I felt a kind of panic on seeing the pale yellow light illuminate the chamber"(168).
ReplyDeleteMary Shelley uses light throughout her novel to symbolize knowledge and enlightenment. And the opposite of course, being the absence of light, symbolizes the unknown and usually the feeling of sadness or terror. This particular quote describes when Victor is very upset for the loss of Elizabeth he is alone, hanging over her dead body. When he finally notices the beam of light from the moon he becomes panic. I feel that during the night, not only does the light from the moon contrast with the darkness of sky, but it bring out a feeling of being watched. The moon (as others have already noted) seems to guide the creature. Just as the light shown on the burning cottage earlier in the novel, it again portrays itself as a path for the creature to follow that will lead him to his “master” and destruction. Nature is definitely on the creatures side, or at least during the nighttime. As I said before, light is a symbol of knowledge, and the fact that the reoccurring destruction caused by the creature always seems to happens in the dark. This of which appears to emphasize the dangers of the unknown…, which is a major theme in this novel. Victor experiences first hand the dangers of the unknown with the creation the creature himself.
-Danielle
(sorry for such a late post..)
"You throw a torch into a pile of buildings: and, when they are consumed, you sit among the ruins, and lament the fall (187).
ReplyDeleteThis quote came from Walton when he found the creature standing over Frankensteins dead body. Walton criticizes the beast for morning over the man that he had destroyed single handedly. This quote incorporates the motif of creating a situation and then regretting it after the deed has been done. Frankenstein himself created the creature and instantly regretted doing so when he found the hideous creature standing over him while he slept. Now, the creature fells regret for making Frankensteins life horrible and killing all of those whom he loved. Walton's metaphor is a perfect example of this motif of making a decision that you will later on regret making.
Kelsey G. (so sorry for having posted so late)
Amanda- I really like how you said that Victor "personally crafted his world of torture." Nice ideas about salves, creators, and power
ReplyDeleteShelby- Great assertion that Victor was "animated by science." Also, excellent insignts about lightening, the tree, and fragments
Julia- Good thematic points; I find the sun to be a powerful motif in your passage.
Nicole- excellent passage selection. Good ideas about light, dark, and power.
Haley- Great passage choice. Great points aobut nature in general and the moon.
Jeff- Excellent choice of passage and assertions about fire & Lucifer.
Kelsey F- Very well-phrased and insightful analysis of nature motifs and the "gap".
Allison- fine idea about satan, but your quote and analysis need to be from the last section of reading
Annalise- Very interesting assertions about Victor as hero and the nature of life and death. You really got me thinking!
Danielle- fine points about light, but you were the third person to select that passage!
Kelsey G- Regret isn't so much a motif...
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