Frankenstein Chapter 4-8

With his physical recovery, how does Victor now feel about life in general?

After his physical recovery, Victor begins to feel more enthusiastic about life and is able to forget his misery.

Why does Elizabeth feel William's murder is her own fault? Does anyone else feel the same?

Elizabeth feels the murder is her own fault because she let William wear a locket. She thinks that William was murdered because the murderer wanted to steal the locket from around his neck. No one feels the same.

What news does she impart about his two brothers, Ernest and William?

Ernest has turned sixteen years old and wants to join a foreign service. William is now five years old and is doing well.

What is Victor's creation like?

Frankenstein's monster comes to life with dull, yellow eyes that appear watery, a large frame, and the ability to move his arms and his legs. Frankenstein describes him as having black lips and yellow skin that is transparent and reveals his muscles and other bodily parts that are inside of him.

What raised him in the university's esteem and admiration?

He became Professor Waldman's protege and even Professor Kempe has taught him well. He grew to love laboratory work. After two years of this, he banished the thought of going back home to Geneva when he became fascinated with anatomy and the decaying of the human body.

When Victor arrives at his home, why does he not immediately relay his convictions about the murderer?

He doesn't want to seem like a madman after telling such a weird story.

How does he react when his creature begins to move? What actions follow? How is he surprised by this?

He is horrified by his own creation and runs to hide. He is surprised to find that, after rushing to his bedchamber, that his monster is watching him with a smile and begins to speak intelligible words. He didn't think his monster would be able to speak so soon or know who he is.

What became Victor's sole occupation?

Studying natural philosophy and chemistry

Elizabeth's letters tells Victor of Justine Mortiz' inclusion in the family. How does this come about?

Justine Mortiz' returns to the family as a servant after being forced to take care of her mother until her death.

At her trial, how does Justine account for the circumstantial evidence against her?

Justine appears calm in the court room. However, she gave a hard to understand excuse when questioned and went into hysterics after seeing William's body. What's worse is that the locket that William was wearing was found in Justine's pocket.

What circumstances devastate Elizabeth? When she confronts this piece of information, what is Justine's response? Why had she confessed in the first place?

Justine calls for Elizabeth to be a witness. Elizabeth states that she will never believe that Justine could do something so cruel, given she was so loved by the Frakensteins. However, Justine confesses to the murder to avoid the Frankenstein family ignoring her and keeping from talking to her in her time of death.

Who has been accused of William's murder? Upon what proof?

Justine has been accused of William's murder due to the missing locket being found on her on the night of the murder.

Elizabeth's impassioned pleas refuse to move the judges. What is Justine's sentence?

Justine is sentenced to death

How does Victor feel now about his previous course of study? What course does he choose to study? Why?

Once Victor starts feeling better, Henry moves him into a new apartment and takes away all of his scientific tools. Victor decides that he wants to abandon his scientific studies and begin studying Oriental languages after being convinced by Clerval.

Upon Victor's recovery, what does Clerval give Victor?

Upon Victor's recovery when he is able to speak coherently again, Clerval gives him a letter sent by Elizabeth and requests that he sends a letter back in his own handwriting.

Victor now believes that "a human being in perfection ought always to preserve a calm and peaceful mind, and never to allow a passion or transitory desire to disturb his tranquility". Did he think pursuit of knowledge an exception? Why not?

Victor believed that one should be peaceful when pursuing knowledge, otherwise they become obsessed with it. Therefore, studying becomes a thing that doesn't benefit the human mind. He thought this based on his own experiences through his studies of anatomy and how he wanted to nothing else.

What could Victor have done to help Justine? Why didn't he? What does this say about Victor?

Victor could have confessed that William's death was his fault. He didn't want to seem like a madman. This proves Victor's selfishness.

Why can't Victor share his secret with his listener?

Victor discovered how to generate life through an epiphany but doesn't share it with his listener because he didn't want to cause misery, confusion, fear, and destruction in the reader or listener's mind.

What does Victor intend to create?

Victor intend to create a body and bring it to life by his new discovery.

What emotions had Victor expected to feel for his creation?

Victor is excited about his new discovery, but feels as if he is doing something wrong and unholy.

Whom is Victor surprised by in town? How is the new arrival in turn surprised by Victor's appearance?

Victor is surprised to see Henry Clerval who has come to study in Ingolstad as well. Clerval is surprised to see Victor so ill and malnourished.

That night before Victor arrives in Geneva, he spends the night in the village of Secheron. What does he see in the thunderstorm? What does Victor become convinced of in regard to the monster? Upon what proof?

Victor sees a flash of lightening and then his own creation walking in the distance. He becomes convinced that his own creation murdered William because only a monster could be cruel enough to murder a child.

What terrible news soon greets him in a letter from Victor's father? What does Mr. Frankenstein ask his son to do?

Victor's father writes to him to tell him of William's murder. He asks his son to cheer up his wife by coming home soon, Elizabeth, since she is not taking the news so well at all.

When Victor and Clerval return to Victor's room, where is the monster? What overtakes Victor? How does Clerval respond?

When Victor and Cherval return to Victor's room, the monster is no longer in the apartment. Victor begins to lose his mind and jump over chairs, acting like a lunatic. He screams "Help me!" over and over. Clerval has no idea what to do to stop him besides putting him to bed rest and nursing him.

Serenity

calmness

Remorse

deep regret

Irrevocably

in a way that cannot be undone; unalterably

Pensive

in deep thought

Sublime

inspiring awe or admiration through grandeur or beauty