Frankenstein: Vol 2, Chpts 1-4

1. Check books and vocab

3. Review vocab and architecture

A little pre-writing ...

In what ways does Victor's guilt affect his health? What is Shelley's purpose in this recurring plot device?

Discussion questions

1. At the close of chapter 1, in what ways has Victor changed? How does Shelley use Victor's fascination with nature to remind us of his actions against nature?

2. Close reading: p. 100 ("The ascent is precipitous, ...) — how does the tone express Victor's remore for his actions?

3. "You accuse me of murder, and yet you would, with satisfied conscience, destroy your own creature. Oh, praise the eternal justice of man!" (103). Victor believes in an eye-for-an-eye. Is that justice or revenge?

4. How does the tone and language change from chapter 3 to chapter 4? What does this reveal about the creature's development?

NOTE: track the language of the creature. Pay close attention to when it is overtly negative and overtly positive. What's the correlation between his language and his sense of self? And the correlation between nature and Victor's sense of self.

Frankenstein SPA #1: C Block

Welcome to the second best day of your life. Today is the day you're going to make an argument, back it up with textual evidence, relate it all to the thesis and big picture, and blow me away with amazing insight. Sounds awesome. Sure does. No pressure, but you got this.

Question:
How is Victor a sympathetic character?

Format:
*Double spaced.

*A note about in-text citation: you are going use parenthetical notation after each piece of evidence.

Resources:
Use your pink packet of awesome. Refer to the SPA handout (you can also find that structure on the right side of the blog -->).

Handing the essay in:

1. Save the document as a PDF with the following file name: Frank1C_Name.pdf
1. Word users: FILE --> SAVE AS --> PDF (make sure to unclick the "hide extension" box)
2. Pages users: FILE --> EXPORT --> PDF (make sure to unclick the "hide extension" box)
3. Google users: FILE --> DOWNLOAD AS --> PDF
2. Go to dropitto.me/mcollie to send paper to Mary.
3. Password: EnglishRocks
4. As time permits, start on other homework. Look good. Relax. High-5 yourself. Day dream about fun things you'll do this weekend.

Frankenstein SPA #1: B Block

Welcome to the second best day of your life. Today is the day you're going to make an argument, back it up with textual evidence, relate it all to the thesis and big picture, and blow me away with amazing insight. Sounds awesome. Sure does. No pressure, but you got this.

Question:
Is Victor's thirst for knowledge an honorable pursuit? Why or why not?

Format:
*Double spaced.

*A note about in-text citation: you are going use parenthetical notation after each piece of evidence.

Resources:
Refer to the SPA structure (you can also find that structure on the right side of the blog -->).

Handing the essay in:

1. Save the document as a PDF with the following file name: Frank1B_Name.pdf
1. Word users: FILE --> SAVE AS --> PDF (make sure to unclick the "hide extension" box)
2. Pages users: FILE --> EXPORT --> PDF (make sure to unclick the "hide extension" box)
3. Google users: FILE --> DOWNLOAD AS --> PDF
2. Go to dropitto.me/mcollie to send paper to Mary.
3. Password: EnglishRocks
4. As time permits, start on other homework. Look good. Relax. High-5 yourself. Day dream about fun things you'll do this weekend.

Frankenstein: Vol 1, Chpts. 7 & 8

1. Check books and annotations and review architecture

2. Review vocab words

From last class (C block)

• Chpt. 5: Close reading of passage on pp. 58-59 beginning with "How can I describe". Review connotation (an idea or feeling that a word invokes in a person in addition to its literal/primary meaning) and denotation (the literal/primary meaning of a word, in contrast to the feelings or ideas that the word suggests).
• Step 1: read passage out lout.
• Step 2: read silently and circle/underline all words with negative connotations/denotations.
• Big question: What kind of tone is Shelley trying to create around the the Creature's creation and creator?

Discussion questions
What discussion questions do you have? Think theme, gothic/romantic elements, characterization, etc ...
Step 1: Generate five discussion questions alone.
Step 2: Working with a partner, whittle list to 3 questions.
Step 3: Share with class.

B Block:
What does the creature symbolize to Victor?
How is curiosity destroying Victor?
How do the deaths in Victor's life affect his fear of dying?
What are some of the reasons for Victor's short temper?
Is Victor's thirst for knowledge an honorable pursuit? Why or why not?
Does the creature change Victor? How?
Why is Victor's relationship with Elizabeth mirrored in Walton's relationship with Margaret?
What makes Victor so eager to convey his story?
How does Victor try to convince Walton that his creation was not an act of insanity? Discuss the impact on the reader in your conclusion.
How is the theme of guilt displayed after William's death?

1. Who is at fault for William's death? Is anyone other than the murderer responsible for what happened?

2. In chapter 7, what statement suggests that Victor views the creature as part of himself?

3. In what ways does Victor's guilt affect his health? What is Shelley's purpose in this recurring plot device?

Frankenstein: Vol 1, Chpts 4-6

In house field trip. Volunteers? Tues/Wed lunch in Founders 200.

1. Check books, review vocab, complete architecture
2. Free write for five minutes: Looking at the passage on p. 54 ("Learn from me ... than he who aspires to become greater than his nature will allow.) In what ways does Victor's warning relate to all mankind?

Discussion questions

• Romanticism
• Victor and God: p. 54
• In what ways does Shelley display Victor's hubris? Look particularly at the contrast in Victor's desire to conquer nature yet ignore its beauty.
• Chpt. 5: Close reading of passage on pp. 58-59 beginning with "How can I describe". Review connotation (an idea or feeling that a word invokes in a person in addition to its literal/primary meaning) and denotation (the literal/primary meaning of a word, in contrast to the feelings or ideas that the word suggests).

• Step 1: read passage out lout.
• Step 2: read silently and circle/underline all words with negative connotations/denotations.
• Big question: What kind of tone is Shelley trying to create around the the Creature's creation and creator?

• Chpt. 6: Contrast with prior chapter. Nature.
• What Gothic and Romantic elements have we seen thus far?

Frankenstein: Vol 1, Chpts. 1-3

1. Check books
2. Check and review vocabulary
3. Architecture fun

VICTOR

• In what ways does Victor's statement that "the world was to me a secret which I desired to divine" (38) serve as characterization? What is characterization? Think about Walton!
• Is Victor's fascination with the elixir of life an admirable one? Look closely at the passage on page 42: "Under the guidance of my new preceptors, I entered with the greatest diligence into the search of the philosopher's stone and the elixir of life; but the latter soon obtained my undivided attention. Wealth was an inferior object; but what glory would attend the discovery, if I could banish disease from the human frame and render man invulnerable to any but a violent death!" What is Hubris?
• What does Victor's search for a like-minded thinker tell us about human nature? Why might Shelley have portrayed this characteristic in both Victor and Robert? How are Victor & Robert alike in ideation (formation of ideas/concepts) and language?

HENRY

• In what ways do Henry & Victor differ? Why might Shelley be setting them up as foils? (**A character in a work whose behavior and values contrast with those of another character in order to highlight the distinctive temperament of that character (usually the protagonist)) (Bedford St Martins Press).

ELIZABETH

• In what way does Shelley characterize Elizabeth when she writes "the saintly soul (who) shone like a shrine-dedicated lamp in our peaceful home?" (39). What role does this characterization set for Elizabeth?

GOTHIC ELEMENTS: what's come up so far?

Frankenstein: The Letters

1. Check books
2. Check and review vocab
3. Let's fill in the architecture

A little writing: What is wonder? "This appearance excited our unqualified wonder" (25). Think about the denotation (actual definition) and the connotation (the idea or feeling the word evokes).

Romanticism. What it is. What principles find their way into Frankenstein.

Discussion questions: use text evidence to support your claims

1. What is Walton's attitude toward his quest? What does his attitude reveal about his character?

2. Why do you think Walton feels lonely even though he is on board a ship with a full crew? Why do you think Walton is attracted to the stranger?

3. What details suggest that both Walton and the stranger are willing to make big sacrifices in the search for knowledge? Look at similarities and differences. Does knowledge promise immortality?

4. Why do you think Shelley chose to lead into the stranger's story by starting with a frame story about Robert?

Rhime of the Ancient Mariner: written by Samuel Taylor Coleridge, a leading poet of the Romantic era. In the poem, an old sailor, or mariner, tells the story of a horrific sea voyage that changed his life. Sailing in stormy seas near the South Pole, the mariner’s ship is surrounded by ice. When the crewmen spot an albatross, a huge seagull-like bird, flying through the fog, the ice splits open, freeing the ship. Then, unexpectedly, the mariner shoots the albatross. After this act of cruelty, the ship is cursed. Driven north, it becomes stranded in a hot, windless sea. All of the crew except the mariner die. Ever since, the remorseful mariner has traveled the world to tell his story and to teach others to revere God’s creatures.

Welcome back and Happy Frankenstein!

1. Let's get into Frankenstein!

• What do you think of when you hear the name Frankenstein?
• What images and words come to mind?
• What about when you hear the word Gothic?

Image 1 (Benjamin West, "Saul and the Witch of Endor").
Image 2 (Henry Fuseli, "The Nightmare").
Image 3 (John Hamilton Mortimer, "Carrion Crows hovering over a Skeleton on a Seahorse).

Elements of Gothic Genre

2. Mary Shelley Redux
3. Architecture of Frankenstein
4. Vocab list and vocab worksheet
5. Nightly expectations (annotations!)
6. Look at syllabus

Now ... for some writing fun!

By yourself: What do you think spurs people to explore the unknown?

In small groups: List ways in which people throughout the ages have explored the unknown. Identify some reasons why individuals devote themselves to a life of exploration and discovery. Does such devotion involve sacrifices? Examples?