Reading Blog

Justin Enriquez

Period 6

January 24, 2014

A Career Sparked By Death

Throughout the duration of the third chapter in Frankenstein there were many events that occurred. The most important event is Elizabeth being exposed to the illness of scarlet fever. Fortunately for Elizabeth, she recovers. However, Victor’s mother is whom she passes it to thus leading to the death of Caroline Frankenstein. On her deathbed, she reveals to Victor and Elizabeth that she wants them to get married. Victor and Elizabeth carry out Caroline's plan and become a married couple. An additional event that occurred is Victor leaving to study at a university called Ingolstadt. Upon arriving, he discovers a place to live and starts socializing with professors. Among these professors is Mr. Krempe, who teaches natural philosophy and has dropped alchemy as a course entirely. Following this event, Victor realizes that all he has prepared for has been a waste of energy and time due to the university's failure in providing a course he is interested in. Luckily, Victor meets an appealing chemistry professor named Waldman, who persuades him to study science instead. 

The images contained in this chapter are the chimera, eye and mechanism. The chimera is worthy of knowing due to the fact that it symbolizes a collection of Victor's knowledge and all he has accomplished. The mechanism compares Victor's soul to a machine, making emphasis on Victor’s actions embodying those of a machine. His infatuation with his discovery and creating life has lead to him to act as a machine, single-paced and refusing to stop unless programmed to do so.

In addition to important events and images portrayed throughout the duration of this chapter there are some forms of Victorian Literature. For example, forms of homoerotic sayings & emphasis on difficult lives, and affection.  Emphasis on difficult lives can be observed in Victor's mother's death via scarlet fever and the family's grievance. Moreover, this situation portrays the affection between Victor and Elizabeth showing that they are able to overcome this obstacle in their lives and also later becoming married. In Frankenstein, Victor says, "We could not tear from each other not persuade ourselves to say the word 'farewell'!” This quote embodies a homoerotic saying that Victor utilizes on many occasions. 

Finally, this chapter contributes to the storyline because after witnessing his mother’s death due to scarlet fever, Victor is sparked with a desire in achieving a career as a scientist. Largely due in part to the death of his mother, Victor becomes infatuated with saving lives in humanity, which he will try to accomplish by way of his expertise in the field of science.

Justin Enriquez

Brit. Lit. /Comp.

READING BLOG: Compare the story told by Robert Walton in his letters to his sister to that of the narrator in chapter 1. Focus on character development, relationships (family, friendship, etc.), and societal roles/expectations.

16 January 2014

Two Scientists: Both Geniuses, One Mad

            In Frankenstein, Mary Shelley illustrates two characters in which she shows the true nature of both, as scientists and as regular people involved in real life. By comparing the two, it becomes obvious to the reader that Victor is the evil of the two. On first impressions, the two can be seen as almost identical by the reader due to the many similarities the two have. Eventually, one can see that the two have totally different noble causes in plan as one will better the world while the other will just bring upon another burden to it.

Robert Walton and Victor Frankenstein hold many similarities that can be seen. For example, both scientists are in route to accomplishing their own respective noble causes. For Robert Walton, it is exploring the North Pole and imprinting his foot where no other man has done so before while for Victor Frankenstein, it is relieving humanity of death and suffering. Both men show that their sisters are of great significance. This can be seen by both men pursuing their goals and still being capable of maintaining a close relationship with their sisters, of all people hence the letter writing and who they’re directed to. In addition, both men are self-motivating and obsessed with achieving their goals. Moreover, both have desires of having their names etched into history. In Walton’s first letter this is clearly seen as he states,”I shall satiate my ardent curiosity w/ the sight of a part of the world never before visited, and may tread a land never before imprinted by the foot of man”.

As seen both men hold similarities but with these often times come differences. Robert and Victor differ in their motives as Rob is concerned w/ improving existing life while Vic is concerned with almost identical motives but ultimately diluted ones largely due in part to his wild boundless imagination that leads to his unrealistic thoughts. Victor led himself to believe he was “capable of bestowing animation upon lifeless matter” which will ultimately lead to his demise. Another difference that can be drawn from reading the letters is Rob’s nature of being is totally different than that of Vic’s. For example, Rob often illustrates people as inferior to him and in need of a male companion with the same capacity of intelligence as him. Therefore, the two are different in many ways allowing readers to draw parallels.

My analysis of the two characters from the letters is that Mary Shelley is trying to introduce both sides of scientists that readers can relate to. Firstly she introduces Rob, a scientist whose aim is to improve life, in order to portray the “good” of scientists. Lastly, she introduces Victor who soon becomes a horrible scientist not because of his nature but because of the motives he has and the ultimate consequences they bring. Ultimately, the reader determines which scientist they desire relating to be it the good (Robert Walton) or the evil/mad scientist (Victor Frankenstein).