Frankenstein Chapters 17-24 Questions
What is Victor's greatest fear as he leaves for England? Describe the irony in his decision to continue.
When he left for England, Victor was scared for his family. He was scared that something would happen to them while he was away, unable to protect them from the creature. In chapter 18, on page 132, it says, "During my absence I should leave my friends unconscious of the existence of their enemy, and unprotected from his attacks, exasperated as he might be on my departure." Here, Victor is showing the reader that he is nervous about leaving, and going to England. This is ironic because he is going to England in order to protect his family from the monster.
For Victor and his father, what purpose would a quick marriage to Elizabeth serve? Discuss the impact on Elizabeth. What role does she continue to play? Does her death alter or perpetuate that role?
A quick marriage between Victor and Elizabeth would bring Victor and her father together again. The quick marriage between them two would mend Victor's relationship with his father and bring them back together again. In other words, the marriage was supposed to fix the relationship between Victor and his father. Elizabeth played the role as a "healer" of the family. During the relationship between Victor and Elizabeth, Elizabeth doubt her relationship with Victor. She thinks that Victor had another love waiting for him. Since, Elizabeth thought this she was anxious and nervous. Yes, Elizabeth's death does perpetuate the role. Elizabeth wanted to better the relationship between Victor and his father. After Elizabeth dies, the reader can see the impacted that Elizabeth had on them. Alphonse had suffered too much pain of losing her that he dies. Victor was also impacted by Elizabeth, because all Victor wanted to do is to destroy the creature. In chapter 23 on page 166, Victor says, "For a moment only did I lose recollection; I feel senseless on the ground." Victor says this after the death of Elizabeth, this quote shows the reader that Victor was affected by the death of her.
When Walton listens to his men and turns his ship homeward rather than risk their lives, is he accurate in his statement that he has "lost (his) hopes for glory?"
I think that Walton's statement is not accurate. He thinks that the only way to find glory is to risk the lives of other people. What he doesn't realize is that there are many ways to find glory. Not all of them require people to risk their lives. If Walton wouldn't have turned the ship around, he and the other men, would have, more than likely, died. On page 181, in chapter 24, in one of Walton's letters, it states, "I am returning to England...I have lost my friend." Walton turned around and headed back towards England because he was sad. When Victor died, Walton was devastated, and it had a major effect on the rest of his adventure.
To what famous Romantic symbol is Shelley alluding when she has Victor think, "Could I enter into a festival with this deadly weight yet hanging round my neck and bowing me to the ground?"
The Romantic symbol Shelley is alluding to is the Albatross. Victor is feeling guilty about creating the creature. Victor is also feeling this before he starts to create the second creature. The quote means that Victor is feeling the punishments from creating the creature in the first place. Now, the creature wants him to make another creature, so that he has a friend. On page 130, in chapter 18, it says, "I must perform my engagement, and let the monster depart with his mate, before I allowed myself to enjoy the delight of a union from which I expected peace." This is where Victor makes his decision on what to do about the creature's request for him to make another creature.
Why does the creature choose to die at the end of the novel? What does his choice suggest about his connection to Frankenstein?
The creature chooses to die at the end of the novel, because he had nothing left to live for. The creature had no companion, no friends, no family, and no creator. The creature officially had no one. Through the hate relationship that Victor and the creature had, when the creature saw that Victor was dead he cried over Victor's body. In chapter 24 on page 186, the narrator says, "He sprung from the cabin- window as he said this, upon the ice- raft which lay close to the vessel. He was soon borne away by the waves and lost in darkness and distance." This quote tells that reader that the creature had chosen to take his life. His choice suggests that the creature did care for Frankenstein, even though he had killed many of his loved ones. When the creature was found crying over Frankenstein, it showed the love and care the creature had for Victor. In chapter 24 on page 174, the creature says, "On hearing this information, I suffered a temporary access of despair. He has escaped me; and I must commence a destructive and almost endless journey across the mountainous ices of the ocean." This quote shows the reader that the creature did care for Frankenstein.
After hearing of Clerval's murder, Victor falls ill once again. In agony, he wonders, "Why did I not die?" What would your answer be? Is there a reason for his continued anguish?
The creature did not kill Victor, because he wants Victor to suffer the same loss the creature had to. The creature wants Victor to suffer, because Victor had promised the creature he would make a female companion. The creature wanted the female companion, because he had no one to love or care for like the other humans did. Victor did not keep his promise and he did not make the monster; therefore, this is why the creature killed Henry. The creature killed the Henry, because Henry is another person the Frankenstein care for and he was Victor's best friend. Victor continues to anguish, because he losses another close person to him. In chapter 24 on pages 154 and 155, Victor says, " Sometimes they were the expressive eyes of Henry languishing in death, the dark orbs nearly covered by the lids, and the long black lashes that fringed them; sometime it was the watery, clouded eyes of the monster as I first saw them in my chamber at Ingolstadt." This quote shows the reader that Frankenstein continued to anguish over Henry's death.
After watching his female companion torn to bits, the creature makes an eloquent defense and vows Victor will "repent of the injuries (he) inflicts." Is the creature justified in his feelings? Why or why not? What is Shelley's purpose in his defense?
The creature is justified in his feelings because of the emotions and injuries that Victor caused, by creating him. If Victor had not have made the creature, there wouldn't be any problems. The creature wants to make sure that Victor feels the same pain that he felt. He wants Victor to be able to wish that he hadn't made the creature in the first place. The creature got more frustrated when Victor took away the one thing that could've possibly made him happy. In chapter 20, on page 142-143, the creature tells Victor, "I have endured incalculable fatigue, and cold, and hunger; do you dare destroy my hopes?" The creature was frustrated with Victor when he destroyed the other creature he was making.
Discuss the irony in Victor's statement to the magistrate: "Man, how ignorant art thou in thy pride of wisdom!"
This statement is ironic because when the magistrate sees how Victor responds to the death of Clerval, the magistrate doesn't see his guilt. This is similar to Victor and his ignorance to create the creature in the first place. Victor realized that he was ignorant because he said, in chapter 23, on page 170, " 'Cease; you know not what it is you say.' I broke from the house angry and disturbed and retired to meditate on some other mode of action." After Victor realized his mistake, he was mad and frustrated with himself. He didn't understand how he could've ever thought that it would be a good idea to make a creature of that nature.
What is the purpose of Shelley's irony when Walton recognizes he has found the friend he is looking for only to watch him die?
Victor and Walton both have the same personalities. They both like to adventure and look for new things. In the book, when Shelley has Victor killed, she was trying to teach Walton that chasing new things isn't always the best option. She wants him to realize that when you chase after something, bad things can sometimes happen along the way. On page 182, in chapter 24, Walton states, "My tears flow; my mind overshadowed by a cloud of disappointment. But I journey towards England, and I may there find consolation." This quote shows that, after Victor died, Walton was devastated and decided to travel back home to England.
How is Victor's view of the Scottish Orkneys a reflection of his emotional state?
Victor views the Scottish Orkneys as miserable and views everything on the island like himself, miserable. On page 139, in chapter 19, it states, "On the whole island there were but three miserable huts, and one of these was vacant when I arrived. This I hired. It contained but two rooms, and these exhibits all the squalidness of the most miserable penury." Victor also thinks that his life is miserable. He doesn't have any self confidence, and looks down on himself.
What is the motivation behind Victor's vow to find and destroy his creature? Has he learned any lessons?
Victor wants to find and destroy the creature, because he is so angry of what the creature had done. The creature had taken away many of Victor's family members. Yes, he had learned his lesson. By the end of the Frankenstein, Victor was known of his actions of creating the monster. He knew what he had done was wrong and this is why Victor wanted to find and destroy the monster. Victor wanted to destroy the monster, because he had caused Victor much damage and diverse health problems. In chapter 24 on page 176, Victor says, "Hear him not; call on the names of William, Justine, Clerval, Elizabeth, my father and of the wretched Victor, and thrust your sword into his heart. I will hover near and direct the steel aright." This quote tells the reader that Victor wanted the creature to be destroyed.
What evidence suggests Victor feels responsibility for the murders? What evidence illustrates that he still blames the creature?
When someone dies Victor feels responsible, because he gets physically sick. If Victor does this everytime someone dies, then he must feel guilty. Victor feels guilty because he was the one who created the monster. He needs to be aware of his actions and by the end of the story he knew what he had done. Victor blames the monster, because the creature is the one causing him pain. The creature is taking the ones Victor loves away. In chapter 21 on page 150 and 151, Victor says, " when I saw the lifeless form of Henry Clerval stretched before me. I gasped for breath; and throwing myself of the body.... A fever succeeded to this, I lay for two months on the point of death: my ravings, as I afterwards heard, were frightful; I called myself the murderer of William, of Justine, and of Clerval." These quotes shows the reader that Victor did feel responsible for the murders. In chapter 21 on page 155, Victor says, "Cleveral, my friend and dearest companion, had fallen a victim to me and the monster of my creation." This quote shows the reader the Victor still blames the creature.
Is the creature's demand for a female companion a valid request? List the pros and cons of Victor's compliance. Consider evidence provided by both Victor and the creature.
Yes, the creature demands for a female companion. He demands this, because he is lonely and does not have family like other humans do. The creature had been observing how the others had family and relationships. The pros of Victor's compliance are; the monster would leave, victor would not be stressed anymore over the monster, and victor would make his family safe again. The cons of Victor's compliance are, there would be two monsters and they would be able to create more monsters. In chapter 18 on page 129, Victor says, "Day after day, week after week, passed away on my return to Geneva; and I could not collect the courage to commence my work." This quote tells the reader that Victor did not want to create the female creature, but he knew he should because if he did not his wedding night would not end well. To create the female companion, Victor would have to do several months of devoting research.
