Frankenstein Preface-12 Study Questions
1. The preface to the book is set up uniquely. How so? Does this approach draw you in as a reader? Be specific.
The preface to the book is set up uniquely because it is a series of letters. This approach draws you in as a reader because it immediately starts with an anecdote or a small story to catch the attention of the reader.
2. Which letter is most significant and why?
The fourth letter in the most significant because Walton meets another character who he has been looking for and this ultimately leads to the beginning of the book.
3. Who is Victor Frankenstein and what do we know about his lineage?
Victor Frankenstein is the stranger Walton was describing in the fourth letter. Alphonse, Frankenstein’s
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father, was the guardian of Caroline but then eventually married with a significant age difference. 4. Describe his relationship with Elisabeth. Elisabeth is Frankenstein’s adopted sister but they are destined to be a couple in the future. Specifically, “she was to be mine only”. The two were also raised together. 5. Describe Victor’s childhood involvement with science. Victor was delighted in investigating the causes of various things.
He was a curious child and viewed the world as secret he was to discover.
6. Who was Cornelius Agrippa and what was his influence on young Victor?
Cornelius Agrippa was a sixteenth century author who influenced Victor’s interest in natural philosophy.
7. Why are Victor’s plans at the university interrupted?
Victor’s plans to attend the university were interrupted because Elizabeth caught the scarlet fever. Then Elizabeth became sick and died.
8. What are Caroline Frankenstein’s fate and her wish for Victor?
Caroline catches scarlet fever from Elizabeth and dies. Before she passes, she begs Elizabeth and Victor to get married.
9. When Victor finally gets to the university, how do the professors react to his ideas about science?
The professors are alarmed in reaction to his ideas because Victor has been studying outdated and useless writings.
10. Who is Professor Krempe and how does he alter Victor’s academic path?
Professor Krempe is a professor of natural philosophy at the university of Ingolstadt who is deeply interested in the secrets of science. He altered Victor’s academic path because he made Victor begin reading up to date books about sciences. Victor also realizes that so much has been done already, now he must pioneer a new way and unfold the world’s deepest secrets particularly in
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sciences. 11.
At one point, Victor warns Walton not to follow his example. What does he mean by this?
Victor means by warning Walton not to follow his example that by becoming obsessed like he has he has only discovered his own destruction and misery.
12. When Victor’s creation comes to life, how does he react? Why?
Victor is at first very anxious then once the creation was finished the beauty of his dream vanished and horror and disgust filled his heart. He also spends the night in fear and disappointment in his creation because he spent so much time on it and it does not fulfill his effort. The creation’s appearance also horrifies him.
13. Who is Henry Clerval? What is his relationship to Victor and why is he also at the university?
Henry Clerval is a friend of Victor’s and is from Geneva. So, he is a familiar face to Victor and tells him how his family is doing. Henry is at Ingolstadt because he is about to begin studying there.
14. Victor receives a letter from his father regarding what traumatic news?
The letter Victor receives tells him that his youngest brother, William has been murdered.
15. What is revealed to Victor about this tragedy upon returning home?
After Victor returns to Geneva he learns that Justine has been accused of the
murder. 16. What is the nature of the trial which takes place and the outcome? A servant found a picture of Caroline that was in Williams possession in Justine’s pocket so she is irrefutably guilty but Victor suggests she is innocent. Justine confesses to gain salvation but lives in misery and is soon executed. 16. While rowing on a lake near his home, Victor has what impulse? What thought saves him? Victor considers suicide, but the thought of Elizabeth and his father stops him from acting. 17. Where does he retreat for solitude? What happens to him there? Victor retreats for solitude by wandering alone towards the valley of Chamounix. The valley makes cheers him up slightly. He then spots the creature he created and the creature convinces him to talk to him a cave. 18. Chapter eleven marks what change in the narration? Describe the beast. The beast begins to narrate the events of his life inside the cave. The beast is a tall, ugly, ravished creature. He stands eight feet tall, enormously strong, and the mind of a baby. He is assembled from body parts and chemicals. 19. What does he do while alone in the forest? Whom does he observe, and what does he learn about them? How does the monster react to these observations? While alone in the forest the beast begins to figure out basic aspects of life. He then discovers fire and how to cook food. The beast observes his neighbors, a young man, a young woman, and an old man. He learns that his neighbors are in despair because of their poverty that he contributes to by stealing food.
This book had first started out by introducing the readers to what this book is going to sound like, which was the Introduction.
The author starts off his book with a note highlighting the meaning of this book. It is as follows:
There is also a preface and an introduction which exactly explains the author’s purpose for writing the book and how she plans too complete the task.
We begin with Victor’s story, firstly of his past family life and then the build up to his immoral creation, his scientific motives. We see what drove him to this terrible crime, and we are given an insight into his ‘dangerous’ passion. He wanted to create life, to make a human being, and increase his knowledge of science. These am...
One of the most significant connections in the story is that of Henry and Victor’s. They traveled across Europe together, and Henry always worried about Victor. “‘I had rather be with you,’ he said, ‘in your solitary rambles, than with these Scotch people, whom I do not know; hasten, then, my dear friend, to return, that I may again feel myself somewhat at home, which I cannot do in your absence,’” (198-199). This quote from Henry perfectly displays the bond between him and Victor.
Victor uses his knowledge and attachment to science and becomes “thus engaged, heart and soul, in one pursuit” (Shelley 68) and that pursuit is to succeed. He puts his whole heart and dedicates his every hour to the creation, which makes him “neglect the scenes around [him] causing [him] also to forget those friends who were so many miles absent, and whom [he] had not seen for so long a time” (Shelley 68). After putting so much time and effort into the creation, Victor expects the product to be perfect, yet it is the complete opposite, unattractive and frightful. Victor barely gives the monster a chance to speak before he runs off, leaving the monster to fend for
Everything starts to change once Victors ambitions become his life. He leaves to study at Ingolstadt, where his destiny begins to unfold. This is when Victor’s isolation begins. The search for the secrets of life consumes him for many years until he thinks he has found it. For months, he assembles what he needs for his creation to come alive.
... Therefore, the qualities that cause people to detest the creation are all products of Victor’s hands, and out of the creation’s control. Before the creation comes to life, Victor is pleased with its physical appearance; "His limbs were in proportion, and I had selected his features as beautiful" (Shelley 34). Within hours after the creation is alive, Victor recalls a much different story in his mind, saying, "I had gazed on him when he was unfinished; he was ugly then" (Shelley 35). It is in this ignorant fashion that Victor and the other humans the creation meets destroy his identity by rashly inventing the identity of a murderous "wretch," rather than an unfortunate child, which the reader believes he was.
Victor Frankenstein finds himself exploring the world of science against his fathers wishes but he has an impulse to go forward in his education through university. During this time any form of science was little in knowledge especially the chemistry which was Victors area if study. Victor pursues to go farther than the normal human limits of society. “Learn from me, if not by my precepts, at least by my example, how dangerous is the acquirement of knowledge, and how much happier that man is who believes his native town to be the world, than he who aspires to become greater than his nature will allow” (Chapter 4). He soon finds the answer he was looking for, the answer of life. He becomes obsessed with creating a human being. With his knowledge he believes it should be a perfe...
Since a boy, Frankenstein’s passion is to explore science and that which cannot be seen or understood in the field. He spent the later part of his childhood reading the works of commonly outdated scientists whose lofty goals included fantastic, imaginative desires to “penetrate the secrets of nature” (Vol. 1, Ch. 2). While he was told that these authors predated more real and practical scientists, he became intrigued by their ambitions, and devoted himself to succeeding where they had failed. When Victor is criticized at college for his previous studies in obsolete research, he takes after one of his professors, M. Waldman, in studying chemistry. In a lecture, Waldman tells of ancient teachers in chemistry who promised miracles and sought after “unlimited powers” (Vol. 1...
Making Predictions: Based on the context of Victor’s childhood and what you learn about the characters of his mother and father from closely reading this passage, how can the reader assume Victor will treat something that is a creation of his being based on the lessons he learns as a child?
... show the reader that people in the world customarily really do not change. Victor contradicting himself leads Walton to understanding that his pursuit of knowledge may cause the deaths of his crew who have family and friends.
She is always there for Victor as a source of comfort. In contrast, Victor leaves Elizabeth to explore his passion. For instance, after Victor goes to university, he doesn’t come back for two years. During this time, he expects Elizabeth to wait for him as if she was his property. Moreover, Elizabeth is not the only female character who is under Victor’s control....
A. Introduction-Title and author of the book and three paragraphs of a summary of the book
Victor has a lack of respect for the natural world that leads him on the path to becoming a monster. In creating the monster Victor is trying to change the natural world. He is trying to play the role of god by creating life.