Chapter 5-9
6. What do Victor and Clerval begin studying together?
Asian languages or Persian, Arabic, and Sanskrit.
2. Relate how Justine comes to live with the Frankenstein family.
At age 12, Justine lives with the Frankensteins after her own mother mistreats her. When her mother later becomes sick, Justine leaves the Frankensteins to care for her mother, but returns after her mother passes away.
4. Contrast Victor's feelings about the Swiss landscape during the day with how he views it at night.
During the day the mountians as placid and welcoming. At night he feels they are dark and gloomy, and a scence of evil.
4. Explain how Elizabeth defends Justine.
Elizabeth says Justine acted as a mother to William and would not have hurt him. Elizabeth also says that Justine wouldn't have needed to steal locket.
7. Explain what Victor mistakenly believes when he tells Ernest, "The murderer discovered! Good God! How can that be? Who could attempt to pursue him? It is impossible; one might as well try to overtake the winds, or confine a mountain stream with straw."
He believes that his family knows the monster killed William, and that they have captured the monster.
4. Explain why Victor feels that he is the "true murderer" of William and Justine.
He created the being that murdered William.
2. Describe how Victor's dream takes on the mood of a horror story.
He dreams that he sees and kisses Elizabeth. Elizabeth then changes to his dead mother who starts to decay in his arms.
1. Tell how Victor responds to William's and Justine's deaths.
He gets really depressed and extremely remorseful; unable to sleep and wants to be alone.
5. Why is Victor unable to pursue the monster?
He hesitates at first because the monster escaped. He thinks people will think he's crazy and doesn't think he is strong enough to go after him.
1. How does Victor react when his creation comes to life?
He is disgusted and runs screaming from the room.
4. Explain how Victor reacts to Henry Clerval's arrival in Ingolstadt.
He is thrilled to see Henry Clerval. He jumps on furniture and runs around in excitement.
5. Why does Victor claim he is suffering worse than the accused?
He states that he is worse off because he is plagued by guilt and remorse because he created the monster.
2. Summarize what Victor does at night after the rest of his family has gone to bed.
He takes the boat onto the lake and ponders suicide.
5. Explain the favor that Henry asks of Victor.
Henry asks Victor to write a letter to his father and Elizabeth.
9. Mary Shelley wrote Chapter Eight as a commentary on what was, in her opinion, a flawed legal system. Provide examples of how Justine may have received an unfair trial.
Justine is never provided a lawyer; convicted on circumstantional evidence; doesn't receive a trail by jury; bullied into confession; and immediately executed, and not allowed time for an appeal.
2. Why does Elizabeth blame herself?
She gave William a locket with his mother's picture to wear around his neck- she thinks it was what the murderer wanted.
2. Discuss the evidence against Justine.
She provides contradictory answers to questions, cannot account for her where abouts, and does not know how the locket got in her pocket.
10. Why does Elizabeth refuse to believe that Justine is guilty?
She trust Justine and considers her part of the family that she knows really well. She firmly believes she knows Justine is incapable of committing such a crime, especially against William.
7. Tell why Justine confesses to William's murder.
She was hoping to be absolved and to be saved; she was forced into it out of fear of hell and eternal danation
1. Summarize Elizabeth's letter to Victor.
She writes that she is regretful that she was not there to take care of Victor when he was so sick; that his father is doing well; Ernest is now 16 and wants to enter the military; the story of how Justine joined the family; of little William and his new girlfriend of 5 years old; some gossip of the town.
1. Tell why Victor does not announce the real murderer, nor confess to the crime himself.
Since he was not in town at the time of the murder, Victor believes that he will be viewed as a madman if he tells who he believes murdered William.
9. Specify the evidence that is used to charge Justine with the crime.
The locket containing the picture of Caroline Frankenstein is found in Justine's pocket.
3. Show how the passage from Coleridge's "Rime of the Ancient Mariner" applies to Victor Frankenstein.
There's desolation that applies to Victor Frankenstein because he is tormented by his guilt and becomes ill just like the Mariner but doesn't drop dead or isn't left alive to be tormented on the ship like the Mariner.
5. Generalize how M. Waldman and M. Krempe speak of Victor when he and Clerval visit them. What is the irony of this?
They really like him and they think he's a great student. The irony is that Victor used this knowlege and these talents to create a monster that would eventually destroy him.
7. Assess how Clerval affects Victor and his mood.
Through his companionship and attentiveness, Clerval lifts Victor's mood and gets him back to feeling like a normal person and his old self.
3. Analyze how Victor feels after he reads Elizabeth's letter.
Victor realizes that his lack of communication with his family has caused them pain and anxiety, he immediatley exhausts himself writing a letter to them.
3. Show the irony in Victor's desire to "extinguish the life which I [he] had so thoughtlessly bestowed."
When Victor created the being, he sought to create life and dispel death. Now he only thinks of destroying the creature.
1. How does William die?
William was either strangled or his neck was broken- a fingerprint was found on his neck.
3. How long has it been since Victor has been home?
nearly 6 years.
