1. Mary Shelley and Frankenstein: Introduction
ENG12B
U2LL1

2. WHO IS FRANKENSTEIN?

3. WRONG!
DR. FRANKENSTEIN IS THE CREATOR, NOT THE MONSTER

5. When?
In the summer of 1816, 19 year old Mary Wollstonecraft Godwin and her lover, the poet Percy Shelley, visited the Lord Byron at his villa beside Lake Geneva in Switzerland.

6. The Motivation
Stormy weather frequently forced them indoors, where they and Byron's other guests sometimes read from a volume of ghost stories. One evening, Byron challenged his guests to each write one themselves. Mary's story, inspired by a dream, became Frankenstein.

7. Her Family’s Influence
Her father, William Godwin,was a political thinker and writer.
Her mother, Mary Wollstonecraft, was a feminist.

8. Her Love – Percy Shelley
Met when she was 15.
He was married. 1st wife drowned.
They married two years later. She had already had 2 of his children by this time.
He was a famous poet.

9. The Baby and The Dream Mary’s daughter had died.
Mary dreamed that her daughter was brought back to life through vigorous rubbing and being held near a warm fire.
This inspired her to write Frankenstein.

10. More Bad News Her sister committed suicide
Her son (William) died from malaria
Her daughter died from dysentery.
Lots of bad luck!!!

11. Mary’s Contest Submission
Not intended to be a tale of the supernatural – she even made her main character a scientist so that his building of a man would seem logical.
Was a combo of Gothic elements and science
Might be considered early sci-fi

12. What was Science Up to at this Point?
During Mary’s time, scientists and physicians were fascinated by the elusive boundary between life and death.
Experimented with lower organisms, performed human anatomical studies, attempted to resuscitate drowning victims, and performed experiments using electricity to restore life to the recently dead.

13. The Structure of the Story
The novel is constructed of three concentric layers, one within the other:
outermost--Robert Walton's letters to his sister;
middle--Frankenstein's story as he tells it to Walton;
innermost--Monster's description to Frankenstein of the development of his mind at the deLaceys'.

15. Letters 1-4 recap Walton writing to his sister, Mrs. Margaret Saville
He is in Russia and will set sail for the north pole
Letter 2
Sailing, says he desperately wishes for a friend
Letter 3
Feels he will be gone from home for many years
Letter 4 (most important letter)
Found Dr. Frankenstein outside on a dog sled, Frankenstein decides to tell him his story about the monster he created
**Chapter 1 begins and Victor Frankenstein is now telling his story

16. THIS UNIT There is no Discussion assignment. It has been skipped.
There is no portfolio or Unit test.
You will be writing your research paper on Frankenstein!
Multiple resources are available on my class website to help with your reading comprehension
Follow the weekly planner to know which chapters to read
There will be an extra credit opportunity
We will watch the movie in LL once we finish the novel

17. Resources
Resources to help with reading the novel are on the class website
Graphic novel
Abridged version
Sparknotes.com
Audio reading with text on youtube

18. Looking ahead… Next LiveLesson Alarms
Wednesday, February 6 at 1:30
No school on Friday the 16th OR Monday the 19th for President’s Day
By next LiveLesson, you should have chapter 13 finished
Alarms
Make sure you are staying out of alarm
Contacts: call a teacher (me!)
Attendance: get 28 hours a week and enter daily
Participation: go do a lesson!
Stay behind if you have any questions