Frankenstein Ap Lit Essay

Norah Hussein

Mrs. Greene

AP Composition

4/3/17

Frankenstein Essay

The book “Frankenstein” was written based on significant, historical events that changed the way people thought about the usage of science to end death and to help improve resurrection. Mary Shelley went against the norms of writing styles by writing about science and technology, and not about romantic themes and main ideas. The start of Science and technology topics was a new topic for the readers which they enjoyed and therefore, Frankenstein became the best selling book during the 19th century. The way Mary Shelley wrote Frankenstein, is that she used influential scientist and invention to create the idea of how the monster was made, and what inspired Victor Frankenstein

Luigi Galvani discovered the muscle contraction in animal electricity when someone touched the internal crural nerves of a frog, then a spark was produced and contractions of the frog’s leg muscles took place. “the prepared animal had been seized with tetanus, were induced at the same moment of time in which sparks were discharged”, (Cajavilca, Varon and Sternbach 159-162). Therefore, Galvani applied an electric shock to a pair of frog legs and was surprised to discover that the legs moved when he did this. The idea of raising and creating life from a dead state, inspired Mary Shelley to write her famous book “Frankenstein”. Mary Shelley applied Luigi Galvani’s discovery in her book, that talks about Victor Frankenstein creating a creature from dead body parts, resulting with an animate monster, “ I collected the instruments of life around me, that I might infuse a spark of being into the lifeless thing that lay at my feet.” (Shelley 34) . Mary Shelley used Victor Frankenstein to addressed the problem of scientific

Luigi Galvani theories were starting to get proven wrong by volta, and frankenstein was getting tired and sick of trying to catch the monster. Galvanis’ death deprived Volta of the major opponent to his theory and probably represented, together with the invention of the battery, one the main reasons of Volta’s success at his time. “The pace of research on animal electricity slowed down for almost three decades after Galvani,” (Bresadola, Marco, 379). After Galvani and Volta work they both would render the study of animal electricity silent for almost 30 years. Galvani’s nephew, Giovanni Aldini, continued the investigations of animal electricity. His work included stimulations on body parts in executed criminal. However in Frankenstein, Victor was so desperate to get rid of the monster and rest in peace.Victor even promises to help Robert from the afterlife to assure that the monster will die a sure death: “Hear him not; call on the memories of William, Justine, Clerval, Elizabeth, my father and, of the wretched Victor, and thrust your sword into his heart. I will hover near and direct the steel aright.” (Shelley, 155). Victor Frankenstein died while thinking he did not kill the monster, but he asked Walton to kill the monster on victor's behalf. Later on the monster kills