CHAPTERS. 11-18 of Frankenstein

De Lacey

A blind old man who lives in exile with his children Felix and Agatha in a cottage and a forest. As a blind man, he can't perceive the monster's wretched appearance and therefore does not recoil in horror at his presence. He represents the goodness of human nature in the absence of prejudice.

What was the reaction of the rest of the De Lacey family when they saw the creature?

Agatha fainted, Safie fled, and Felix hit him with a stick until he left the cottage.

Mr. Kirwin

An Irish magistrate.

How did Frankenstein react to this request?

At first he refused, but as the creature continued his argument, Frankenstein felt compassion for him, and finally agreed to create a female.

Agatha

De Lacey's daughter. She represents an ideal of womanliness: kind, gentle, and devoted to her family.

What evidence is there that the creature is still essentially good despite this momentous disappointment?

He admits that his anger was so great he could have burned down the cottage and killed the inhabitants, enjoying their screams of anguish, but he does not. Instead, he devises a new plan to befriend them.

What did the creature ask Frankenstein to do, and why?

He asked Frankenstein to create a female for him. He said that he was malicious because he was unhappy, and that if he were content he would not bother any more humans.

How did the creature feel when he first felt life?

He felt confused because of all of the new sensations.

What does the creature learn to do, and how does he learn this?

He learns to speak, and then to read, by observing and listening to the cottagers. He found a portmanteau that had several books in it, and he read them. He then read the letters that were in the pocket of the coat he had taken from Victor Frankenstein.

What did the creature tell Frankenstein about the locket?

He said he found the locket on the boy, and took it. Later when he saw Justine sleeping, he put it in her pocket, intending that she should take the blame for the murder.

What observations did the creature make about the people in the cottage?

He saw that they cared for each other, that the two younger people treated the older man with great respect, and that they were often sad and hungry.

What paradox does the creature see in humankind through his study of human history?

He sees that man can be so "powerful, so virtuous, and magnificent" while being so "vicious and base."

What discovery did the creature make when he approached another human?

He seized a small boy, and discovered that he was William Frankenstein.

What did the creature do to the cottage when he returned and found that the De Laceys had moved out?

He set fire to it in a rage.

Where did the creature take shelter?

He stayed in a lean-to attached to a cottage.

What did the creature do to this person?

He strangled the boy.

How does the creature feel about the Sorrows of Werter? In what ways is he different from the characters in the book?

He thinks that the characters are very noble. They remind him very much of the cottagers. He, however, is dependent on no one, and related to no one.

What was the reaction of the man whose daughter was saved from drowning by the creature?

He took the girl from the creature's arms, and shot the creature when he pursued the pair.

How did the creature feel after his deed?

He was delighted that he was able to create despair for his creator.

What is the creature's reaction to Paradise Lost? According to the creature, how is he both similar to and dissimilar from Adam?

Like Adam, he has disappointed his creator. Unlike Adam, he was not created by God, has no partner, and is unhappy with his existence. Adam is created, cared for, and communicates with a loving creator. The creature was abandoned by Victor, his creator, and feels lonely and bitter.

Explain the irony of Safie's father not wanting her to marry Felix, a Christian.

Safie's father fell in love with and married a Christian Arab, but he will not allow Safie to marry a Christian.

Why is the creature's appearance relevant? What "science" is Shelley discrediting?

Shelley is discrediting the science of physiognomy, the belief that goodness or evil could be read in a person's appearance. Hence witches, demons, evil step-mothers and step-sisters were ugly while good people were beautiful. By this reasoning, if the creature is ugly, it must be evil, but Shelley is establishing how its innate nature is good.

What evidence does Shelley provide of the creature's innate goodness?

The creature instinctively likes the cottagers and is moved by their shows of apparent sorrow. Once he recognizes that their lives are a struggle, he performs tasks for them to make their lives a little easier.

Infer what the creature learns of the human spirit from Volney's Ruins of Empires.

The creature learns that humans can be virtuous and vicious, kind, and evil. He learns about history, including the Romans and Christianity and how the original people of the Americas were forced out of their native land. He also learns of the division of property, wealth and poverty, rank, descent, and nobility, leading him to conclude that humans value wealth and power.

What, according to the creature, is the cause of his wickedness and what will be the remedy?

The creature's loneliness and isolation are the causes of its wickedness. When it has the mate, it will be happy, good, and together they will leave humankind alone.

What was the elder De Lacey's reaction when the creature entered the cottage and began speaking with him?

The elder man was blind, and therefore could not see how hideous the creature looked. He invited the creature in and agreed to listen to his story.

Felix

The son of De Lacey and brother of Agatha. He falls in love with Safie and marries her in exchange for helping her father escape from prison. When the monster enters his family's cottage in Germany, he pelts it with rocks and chases it away.

Safie

The young Turkish "Arabian" whose beauty captivates Felix. Though raised as a Muslim, she longs for a freer and happier life with Felix, a Christian.

What was the reaction of the villagers the creature encountered?

They shrieked, and threw rocks and other things at him, and drove him away from the village.

In what ways do the creature's experiences mirror those of a human infant/child? In what ways do his experiences differ?

Very similar - but he does not benefit from parental guidance. Most babies are cute, cuddly and loved. He is shunned.

Contrast how the creature feels when reading The Sorrows of Werter and Plutarch's Lives.

When reading The Sorrows of Werter, the creature ponders his place in the world and how he fits in—he was left feeling despondent and depressed. Plutarch's Lives teaches him about history and people outside of himself and his world; he learns to respect and admire the men before him.