Ideas (Blog Prompt #3)

Now that the world of Victor Frankenstein has come to a tragic close, there exists much room for contemplation and serious ponderings. Mary Shelley painted a tragic portrait of innocence lost, both for the protagonist and the antagonist (if there was, in fact, a protagonist and antagonist). One main idea that remains central throughout the entire story is that of the base evil of human nature. Without this factor, there would not be a story to tell. Victor’s natural ambitions turning awry led to the creation of the monster, at which point his base instinct of judgment based on first appearances led to the banishment of the monster, who was led down a path of destruction by way of the De Laceys’ same judgment, and so on and so forth. The monster himself acknowledges human nature by sarcastically praising the benevolence of men in his treatise to Frankenstein. It seems that the element of humanity remains central to the book.
Another point of curiosity is the recurring theme of unchecked ambition. Victor tells Walton his unfortunate tale to serve as a warning never to let his ambitions corrupt him. Frankenstein himself counts the creation of the monster as a product of his unhindered dreams running wild and growing corrupt. In spite of this, though, he remains adamant in his belief of his innocence.
Frankenstein also repeatedly exhibits a childlike sort of hypocrisy, expressing sentiments of responsibility of parents towards their children and warning Walton of chasing his ambitions, yet continues to live that against which he warns. A great point of irony in the novel occurs at the end of Frankenstein’s tale. He goes to great lengths to tell of the fruitless journey that took place due to his ambitions, yet he encourages Walton to continue his own journey when he is dead. It seems that there is a biting irony that exists within these last few pages.

Free Writing About Frankenstein

The ending of this tragic tale could be my favorite part of the story. Such an unhappy close seems so very unconventional, especially in our world of flowery, motivational films and novels. Something that I find unique about Shelley's work is that neither the protagonist nor the antagonist find a happy end in the novel. Victor Frankenstein meets an untimely demise after witnessing the death of all he loves while the monster condemns himself to an unhappy existence in the polar icecaps, never to achieve the happiness for which he so longed.

Overall, the monster strikes me as something to be pitied. Given, it is hard to feel pity for the monster, as there is no justification for his actions, but cannot the reader feel a sense of anger toward the wretched humans who brought him to that point of madness? After all, is he not more than an innocent child made hideous by the ways of the world? It seems, then, that the novel is driven mostly by way of exploitation of human nature's innate flaws. Frankenstein's lust for achievement led to the birth of the monster, while his and the De Laceys' shallow perceptions drove the monster to commit his heinous crimes.

Each time I read this story, there will always exist that element of frustration that wishes it knew what would have happened had Victor been more compassionate.

Themes within Frankenstein (Blog prompt #2)

As with any work, Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein possesses many underlying themes. One of the main ones seen during the development of Victor Frankenstein’s character is that of the abuse of knowledge. As Victor grows more knowledgeable, he desires to become like God, creating life from inanimate matter. He succeeds, but is disgusted by what he has created, and runs in terror from the work of his hands. Frankenstein himself says, “The form of the monster on whom I had bestowed existence was for ever before my eyes, and I raved incessantly concerning him.” (74) Within this, Shelley displays a common element of human nature, in which we are doomed always to desire more than what we already have. Ambition tends to get the best of the ambitious.
Another interesting motif is the fact that the creature has not been named. This creates within the story an air of impersonality, but allows for a sense of pity to be bestowed upon Frankenstein’s monster. His lack of name gives way to the fact that he is a misunderstood being with whom the world wants nothing to do.
Finally, the greatest theme that has revealed itself thus far (at least, in my opinion) is that of innocence lost. It is seen first in Victor Frankenstein’s development from childhood to mad scientist as he attempts to create a living being with his own hands. Later on, however, it is seen in the monster itself as it watches the De Lacey family while in the woods. He embodies a sense of hope that they will see past his hideous exterior and accept him for who he is. However, he soon discovers that human nature is shallow and tends not to see past first impressions. As he leaves the presence of the horrified De Laceys, his spirits are crushed and he is left with a bitter grasp on the reality of humanity. As such, he seeks vengeance on humans, specifically his creator. As he details to Frankenstein, “For the first time, the feelings of revenge and hatred filled my bosom, and I did not strive to control them;” (165). At this point we begin to see the sad unraveling of this dark tale.

Frankenstein, Vol. 1

It is an impressive feat to take the creation of an unpleasant winter's night and turn it into one of the most well-known and beloved horror stories of all time.

Something I love about this first volume is the effort that Mary Shelley puts into creating background for what is about to happen. It is typical to dive right into a story, which is not necessarily a bad thing. However, Shelley's work demands patience and a sincere interest in exactly why the events in the novel are taking place. Whereas novels today (such as Thomas Harris's Hannibal Lecter series) demand background and explanation in later volumes, Shelley sets the stage for what is to come, which in turn provides a fuller, richer view of why certain events are taking place.

It's always exciting to see where novels like this go.

The Machine Stops

In 1909, E.M. Forster imagined a world in which man had developed vastly advanced technologies, ones which made the earth seem vastly smaller with instant communication from across the world, and ones which made work and effort a thing of the past. Although this had its upsides, Forester imagined a harsher reality where the maturation of technology led to the death of free thought as machines became sentient entities. Another important factor in his future is how these advances led to an imminent weakness which emerged from human reliance on machines. Although this future has proven a reality in some ways, it is not as grim as Forester predicted.

In today’s world, the world has indeed shrunk, as we are capable of communicating face-to-face with people from different corners of the world. At the push of a button, I am capable of communicating with a dear friend in Ratingen, Germany, from the comfort of my own home. Man is now able to cross vast distances in mere hours … distances which once would have required months or years of effort now only require a few dollars in gas or a flight ticket.

Unfortunately, this has created a desire in man to rely solely on machines whenever possible. We have, in fact, grown weaker and wiser, relying on mechanical arms to build our houses and microwave ovens to heat our meals. In Forster’s work The Machine Stops, Vashti, Kuno’s mother, spends the majority of her time confined to a resting position in which all her desires are met through the push of a button. She is incapable of visiting the outside world because her body has become so weak through lack of exposure. In fact, strength is discouraged. Although there is not so great a dependence upon technology as Forster may have predicted, his assumptions were nonetheless surprisingly accurate.

It is a common theme in modern fiction that machines will eventually become sentient beings capable of free thought and aware of their own existence. The same can be said concerning the loss of free thought in futuristic societies. This has most recently been enacted in the 2008 film “Eagle Eye.” Clearly, none of these have been fulfilled, as I am expressing to the reader my opinion on the aforementioned work. There is no “Machine” which dictates our way of life.

To be honest, it is somewhat frightening to look back a full century ago and see how horrifyingly accurate the predictions of one man were. It is fortunate, however, to say that his foresight was somewhat blurred by a vast imagination.

Goals for the course (English 1102)

Unfortunately, my goals are not so special. I am an avid writer, and as such, I plan on furthering my skill and precision in the communication of my ideas. As I am a language major, the communication of ideas is a main area of focus in what I plan on doing and should carry on throughout the rest of my life, in and out of work. Of course, I also plan on developing better and faster reading capability and comprehension.

Although my aspirations are somewhat run of the mill, they suit me quite well, I think.