1. Pre-AP English II August 23, 2017
As you come in take out your journal or a sheet of paper and respond to the following:
In Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, the creature is repeatedly rejected; first by his creator, then by society. This rejection has an enormous impact on his thoughts and actions. Describe a specific situation in which a person might feel he or she is being repeatedly rejected by others. What emotional response might the person have? Why?

2. Yesterday We…
Discussed the historical context surrounding the writing of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein
Events in Shelley’s life
Cultural responses to The Enlightenment
Scientific & medical experimentation
Discussed the differences between the 1818 and 1831 versions of Frankenstein and what may have caused Shelley to make those changes

3. Objectives
Students will continue their analysis of Frankenstein by focusing on the characteristics of sub-genres associated with the novel. They will make complex inferences and draw conclusions about how those characteristics impact the plot, characters, settings, and themes of the novel. They will analyze the novel’s form and narration. They will demonstrate their understanding of mood, tone, diction, syntax and apply that knowledge to their understanding of the novel.
TEKS: E2(2), (5)(A, C, D); CCRS: ELA (II.A.2, 3, 7)(II.C.1,2,3)

4. Characteristics of Romantic Literature
Began in the late 1700s and continued and flourished in the early to mid 1800s
Not just literature – also included music and other arts; new wealth, social stability, progress during The Enlightenment
Though the Romantic period is over, its styles and values continue on
Feelings, emotions, imagination take priority over knowledge and facts
Youth as the “golden age”; child-like innocence
Nature as beauty and truth
Heroic individualism
“Outsiders” sometimes referred to as “freaks”
Nostalgia for the past
Desire or “will” as motivation
Excesses and extremes celebrated
Common man idealized
Idealized and abstract settings

5. Roses are red, violets are blue Frankenstein is Romantic, it’s true
Finding the Romantic in Frankenstein
Love of Nature
“...I feel a cold northern breeze play upon my cheeks, which braces my nerves, and fills me with delight.“ (Letter #1)
"I have often attributed my attachment to, my passionate enthusiasm for, the dangerous mysteries of the ocean, to that production of the most imaginative of modern poets.“ (Letter #2)
Belief in the Power of the Individual
“Six years have passed since I resolved on my present undertaking. I can, even now, remember the hour from which I dedicated myself to this great enterprise.” (Letter #1)
Desire to Explore the Unknown
“…when shall I return?…If I succeed, many, many months, perhaps years, will pass before you and I may meet. If I fail, you will see me again soon, or never.” (Letter #1)

6. Roses are red, violets are blue Frankenstein is Romantic, it’s true
What are some more examples of how the Romantic Period is manifest in Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein? Can you name other Romantic novels? Authors? Composers?

7. Characteristics of Gothic Literature
There is a lot of overlap between Gothic and Romantic literature
Horace Walpole’s The Castle of Otranto is accepted as the first Gothic Novel
Elements of a Gothic Novel
Setting in a castle
Atmosphere of mystery and suspense
An ancient prophecy
Omens, portents, visions
Supernatural or unexplainable events
Extreme emotion
Women in distress
Gloom and horror (metonymy)

8. Gothic, not Goth Monsters don’t wear all black
Finding the Gothic in Frankenstein
Gothic settings
Rain and darkness, “It was a dreary night of November…” (Ch 4)
Gothic themes
“You will rejoice to hear that no disaster has accompanied the commencement of enterprise which you have regarded with evil forebodings…” (Letter #1)
The creature himself
Victor’s creation is a violation of nature and the natural order
Using body parts from dead bodies alludes to horror; supernatural consequences

9. Gothic, not Goth Monsters don’t wear all black
What are some more examples of the gothic in Frankenstein? Can you name any other Gothic novels?

10. Epistolary Novel
Epistolary novel: a novel written in the form of a series of letters
What impact does this form have on the story?
What “person” is the story written in? Does this matter? Why?

11. Mood & Tone In the literary sense, what are mood and tone?
Mood: the literary element that evokes certain feelings in the reader through words and descriptions; it creates the emotional situation that surrounds the reader
Tone: the attitude of the writer toward the subject or audience; conveyed through word choice or viewpoint

12. Mood and tone…not how loud your mom screams when she’s mad
What is/are the mood(s) present in Frankenstein? Give examples of how Shelley establishes mood? What is/are the general tone(s) of the novel? What can we infer about Shelley’s attitude toward the story? Her readers (audience)?

13. Questions?

14. Tomorrow We Will… Look more deeply at the characters in Frankenstein
Who are they?
Who is the hero? The villain?
And why does Mary Shelley tell so many stories that don’t seem to belong?
Learn about tropes, motifs, and archetypes and why you’ll recognize a lot of literary characters from other stories in Mary Shelley’s characters

15. Homework Work on your group study guides
If you want to come to my room during tutorials to work, please get a pass BEFORE YOU LEAVE, check in with your teacher and get permission before coming here.
Work together! You will be working with this group on an extension lesson after we finish our discussion and exam.