BLOG 2
My original thoughts before reading the novel, Frankenstein, was that of a scary mad scientist who brings monsters back from the dead. After reading the beginning of Frankenstein, my assumptions were quite accurate. A point occurred when I turned to my roommate and asked her, “is this really the book about scary green monsters?” She laughed and replied “well not exactly…” Mary Shelley, who was the original author of this classic novel, begins the story with an introduction followed by four letters. The letters introduced an explorer by the name of, R. Walton, who wrote to his sister, Margaret, while he was on a voyage in the North. During Walton’s exploration, he comes across a wounded man who is then helped aboard the ship. After the stranger is able to talk and he is heeled, he tells Walton that he will now explain his story. Thus, these letters were of great significance because they are setting up the narration of this novel from this stranger’s perspective. Chapter one then begins.
Throughout the first pages of chapter one the narrator, later known as Victor, talks about his parents and how they met and then married. Later in the chapter, Victor explains how during his childhood when he was close to five years old in Italy, when he and his mother came across a young foster girl, Margaret. Victor’s mother ends up adopting Margaret and wishing one day that Victor and Margaret would one day be together. Margaret and Victor become close friends as they grow old. In Chapter two, there are two quotes that stand out to me. The first quote is when Victor was about thirteen he came across and become interested in the works of Corneluis Agrippa. Victor quotes that, “my father looked carelessly at the title page of my book and said, “Ah! Cornelius Agrippa! My dear Victor, do not waste your time upon this; it is sad trash.” Victor continues to read with great avidity. Another quote that stands out is when Victor suggests, “ my father was not scientific, and I was left to struggle with the child’s blindness, added to a student thirst for knowledge.” He becomes interested in natural philosophy. At the end of this chapter, Victor experiences electricity when he witnesses a storm that causes a tree shatter. Victor comments that he “never beheld anything so utterly destroyed.” In Chapter three, Elisabeth catches scarlet fever and then proceeds to give it to Victor’s mother. On her death bed, Caroline (his mother) pleads for them to one day be together, and no sooner does she pass away. Because of his mothers death, his departure for Ingolstadt where he was going to attend school was delayed. Finally, the time comes for Victor to leave and both Elisabeth and Clerval (a schoolmate and good friend) share the last evening with him. The next morning he leaves for his school and later meets his Chemistry professor named, Waldman. He is intrigued by the lecture, and decides to persue his studies in natural philosophy, but particularity chemistry. In chapter four, Victor comments that, “ to examine the causes of life, we must first recourse death.” He becomes aquainted with the science of the human body. He shuns himself from friends and family, and becomes close to being obsessed with his work.
As I read Chapter two, I began to see similarities between Birkerts and Victor. There are two quotes that scream Birkerts name to me when I read them. As I stated above, the first quote was, “my father looked carelessly at the title page of my book and said, “Ah! Cornelius Agrippa! My dear Victor, do not waste your time upon this; it is sad trash.” You may ask how the hell does this relate to Birkerts? Well in my eyes I see both Birkerts and Victor as young passionate readers. In a sense, I feel that both Birkerts and Victor’s fathers had a negative influence on them regarding reading and or writing. For instance, Birkerts comments that his father wanted him to go outside and play and use his time more wisely. On the other hand, Victor’s father urges him to put down the works of Corneluis Agrippa. In both situations I think that the negativity from their fathers only intrigued them to read or learn more. Another quote in Frankenstein also reminds me of Birkets. This is because in both situations their fathers lack the knowledge they wanted to possess. For example, Birkerts comment to his father was a man out in the world, a problem-solver…not so much a reader. In Frankenstein, Victor “ my father was not scientific, and I was left to struggle with the child’s blindness, added to a student thirst for knowledge.” Because Victor’s father was not scientific made Victor want to learn more. Thus, I found many similarties between both Birkerts and the character Victor in Frankenstein.
Although I do not have many questions regarding the novel, Frankenstein, I would ask, Mary Shelly if there was a reason she uses the word “undertaking” five times in the first letter. I realize that it is a difficult word to substitute, but I feel that every time she uses “undertaking” it was said with significant emotion. Does it have a deeper meaning? Or does it symbolize something hidden? Also, I would ask her where she came up with the name and title, Frankenstein. I know in the novel it is Victor Frankenstein, but did Mary know someone named Frankenstein in real life who may have resembled this mad scientist type image in her mind?
