Thursday, January 23, 2014

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.

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