Discussion Questions (1-12)

1. He realizes that he needs someone like him because people who are more alike tend to be together more often. Then also, he learns that he doesn't need lots of money for happiness because the family he was creeping on were happy and they were very poor. The creature doesn't want Frankenstein to be happy because he basically made him and then abandoned him.

2. He is actually a blank slate when born, then he is discovering the light, he is abandoned, then he's went to the village and he's lonely and cold, then he's shunned in the village because of the way he looks. Then he gets to see happiness when he goes to the Delacey family home and creeps through the window. He understands what he's done in the situation with William, he takes the life of William and says "you were with the enemy". I believe that can be held accountable for this action. Frankenstein feels responsible for the killings because he feels like it is his fault for having not made a partner for the creature. I believe that nurture is more important because there are many people who haven't grown up in nurturing home, and they differ from others who are were. "Why should I pity man, if he's never pitied me?" (132)

3. His reasons were that it was the only thing that would cause him to be happy, and he says "if you do this for me, I'll leave you alone". I think it would've been reasonable if he would've done it before, because if the creature hadn't killed William then he would've probably considered it more often.

4. He agree's because the creature tells him that he will leave him alone if he creates a female. I feel like he shouldn't have agreed to make the creature a mate, but since he did I feel like he should've told him no from the beginning.

5. I think they may have included the perspective of the creature because it shows a different perspective, and it pulls together the nature vs nurture part of the book. It shows that Victor is constantly encouraged by his family and taught many things growing up. Meanwhile, it also shows that the Creature is made an adult and there are many times where he can't really be taught before. Victor becomes the more hideous creature through this section, there are many traits that are being brought forward how heartless Victor can be. He's denied all the creator's requests for help, and he's bailed on the monster and left him entirely alone.

6. He doesn't want to create someone like the creature because of the recent actions that the creature has shown.

7. It could be morality or just innocence, yes, Clerval represents a symbol for this because there are many things that are lacking in Victor's life.

8. He is narcissistic, because there are many times that he is able to come

9/ He kills Elizabeth to get revenge on Victor for not creating a woman for the creature. Yes, if he cared so so much about Elizabeth he would've thought that was what the creature was talking about. As the reader we realize that Elizabeth is going to be killed but

10. I believe that both are the responsible for the deaths because Victor knew they were happening and he doesn't do anything about that and after the killing, the creature understood what he was doing.

11. He cries at the end because he loves Victor and there will never be anyone who has that connection with the creature, which has him feeling even more alone.

Questions over book...

1. V. Frankenstein muses on the topic of fate/destiny quite a bit. What are VF's thoughts? What does he think about his own destiny? (some pages to review early on pp. 12, 27, 35, 37, 38 and then his musings when he returns home) 
1. It gave him affirmation when they agreed on his thoughts about science, and when he returns home he gets worse, and his view on destiny are haunted by the thoughts that the Creature was the one responsible for taking the life of VF's son.
2. What is the role of nature in Frankenstein? Frankenstein comments on his surroundings often--why are they significant (consider his multiple milieus and what he has to say about them?) What about the weather? When does it change? What usually occurs as a result?
1. Every time that VF talks about the Creature, there is violent and bad weather. Even at the beginning of the story, there is clouded fog when Frankenstein arrives on the boat. Most everytime that the Creature comes along he is coming up the mountain near the gl 
3. What is it about the Creature that makes VF so full of violent hatred? Is it the Creature? Is it VF himself? Is it something else?
1. I think that the Creature has many bad character traits that VF is scared of and he's scared that people will know that he's the person who created this problem and I believe that he's scared of himself more than he's scared of the Creature.
4. From the beginning of the story to the end of the Creature's section (Chapter XVII), what questions does Mary Shelley seem to be raising about science?
1. She starts raising the questions about whether or not it's okay to play God, and whether a human should be able create life.
5. Consider the creature's story: he's abandoned by his creator; he attempts to seek comfort with another family, but they drive him away. Through these experiences, what does the Creature learn about family?
1. The creature learns that family loves each other and they will do anything to keep them safe
6. Consider that the Creature learns on his own--he has no guidance--and, really, he's a blank slate when he is "born". And then he kills. Was the Creature ever taught compassion? Can we hold him accountable for his actions? What might Shelley be arguing about nature vs. nurture?
1. I don't think that the creature was able to be compassionate, but there were not very many people who showed him compassion. After his first killing, I believe that he can be held accountable. I think that Shelley is arguing about nature vs. nurture and the fact many people believe that nature developed more.
7. Is it possible to pity the Creature? Why or why not?
1. I believe in the beginning it is possible to pity the creature, but then towards the middle there is really no more pity for him because he is very capable of knowing what he is doing wrong.
8. Is the Creature's request for VF to create a female reasonable? Is it absurd for VF to agree?
1. I think it's reasonable because there are many people that he's seen that are happy because they are together and in love, it's reasonable for the creature to think that if he was able to have a companion then he would be happy as well. I think it isn't absurd for him to agree, but it's absurd for him to back out of the agreement.
9. Why might Mary Shelley have included this section? Why give us the Creature's perspective?
1. Through the creature's perspective there are many things shown, such as the downfalls and dark sides of VF personality and the things that he was struggling with mentally as recognized by the Creature.

Frankenstein Notes, Jan. 10, 2014

Characterization
Captain Walton--Navigator, lonely, looking for companionship,
Frankenstein--

Setting
Emerging themes
Allusions--regret, result of desire,