Frankenstein

Frankenstein: or the Modern Prometheus  What human qualities does Prometheus posses?  What is Prometheus’s “crime”? What is the punishment for his “crime”?  What is the central idea conveyed in the myth of Prometheus?  Who is Frankenstein?  Does he posses any of the qualities that Prometheus possesses?  Based on the knowledge you have of the story so far, can we apply the central idea conveyed in the Prometheus myth to the story of Frankenstein?

“Trifle Chart”

Narrative Structure narration

Epistolary Form  An epistolary novel is a novel written as a series of documents. The usual form is letters, although diary entries, newspaper clippings and other documents are sometimes used.  Bram Stoker's Dracula (1897)  The Diary of Anne Frank (1947)  The Perks of Being a Wallflower (1999) by Stephen Chbosky  Diary of a Wimpy Kid (2007) by Jeff Kinney  The novel Frankenstein is written in epistolary form, documenting a correspondence between Captain Robert Walton and his sister, Margaret Walton Saville. Walton is a failed writer who sets out to explore the North Pole and expand his scientific knowledge in hopes of achieving fame. During the voyage the crew spots a dog sled mastered by a gigantic figure. A few hours later, the crew rescues a nearly frozen and emaciated man named Victor Frankenstein. Frankenstein has been in pursuit of the gigantic man observed by Walton's crew. Frankenstein starts to recover from his exertion; he sees in Walton the same over-ambitiousness and recounts a story of his life's miseries to Walton as a warning.

Writer’s Notebook – Use the Epistolary Style  An epistolary novel is a novel written as a series of documents. The usual form is letters, although diary entries, newspaper clippings and other documents are sometimes used. The novel Frankenstein is written in epistolary form; Captain Robert Walton documents his expedition through the Arctic and his encounter with Frankenstein (and the Creature) through correspondence (letters) with his sister, Margaret Walton Saville.  Use the epistolary style to record your expedition – your experience reading Frankenstein. Your entries can include reactions to the text (events, characters, style), questions you have, insights or new ideas you discovered, etc. Your series of documents can take on a variety of forms:  A series of letters/ s to a friend  A series of “Tweets” or Blog posts  A series of diary/journal entries  A series of Facebook posts

Themes  With great power comes great responsibility.  When society rejects individuals or individuals’ ideas, the consequences can be tragic.  Revenge destroys both the victim and the avenger.  Lack of sympathy, compassion, and understanding can destroy individuals.  Forgiveness is the greatest liberator.  What individuals choose to do will have an effect on others. Narrative Techniques/Writing Strategies  Conflict  Characterization  Setting  Point of View  Mood  Imagery  Figurative Language  Irony  Diction  Sentence Structures  Allusion  Antithesis  Symbolism

Symbols  The color white symbolizes knowledge  Water symbolizes knowledge, communication, tranquility, and immortal life. Water becomes a symbol for danger when it becomes ice.  In Frankenstein, light symbolizes knowledge, discovery, and enlightenment.  The dangerous and more powerful cousin of light is fire; it creates light in the darkness of the night, but it also causes harm and destruction.  Lightning is a symbol for nature’s great elusive power. Electricity replaces Promethean fire as a gift with both beneficial and destructive consequences.  Nature symbolizes tranquility and inspiration.

Antithesis  Antithesis usually means a contrast of ideas expressed within a sentence or statement. It can also indicate a contrast of characters, ideas, themes, settings, or moods in a longer piece of writing.  Passion/reason  Natural/unnatural  Known/unknown  Civilized/savage  Beautiful/ugly  Good/bad  Light/dark  Heat/cold