Frankenstein questions chapters 5-18
1. What happens to the De Lacey family after the events of chapter 15? How does the creature respond, and what does he do to the cottage?
After the events of chapter 15, the De Lacey family left the cottage for good and the creature never saw them again. The creature responds by feeling stupid despair, revenge, hatred and his mind bent towards injury and death. He cried, which seemed to sooth him, but then he was filled with anger again. At night time, the creature set the house on fire.
1. What is Frankenstein's reaction to the request, at first? What does he expect from the creature? What does the creature say he will do if Frankenstein does not act as he wishes?
At first Frankenstein says no way. He refuses to make anything like that of the creature ever again. Frankenstein expects the creature to torture him, but Victor says that he will never consent. The creature says that if Frankenstein does not act as he wishes he will cause fear and especially towards Victor.
4. Where is he at the end of the chapter?
At the end of the chapter the creature is in a hovel right next to a cottage with human neighbors. He is observing the family and loves watching them because of their loving relationships with each other.
3. How does he try to help them?
He tries to help the poor family by clearing the path from the snow, collecting wood for them, doing Felix's work, and by not stealing their food.
2. How does her appearance change things for the cottagers? The creature?
Her appearance greatly changes things for the cottagers. The whole family becomes happier and everyone loves Safie's appearance. Their sorrows seemed to disappear. The creature also seems happier. From Felix teaching Safie, the creature also learns the language and is actually better at it than Safie is. Safie makes the creature cry when she sings and plays the guitar. She brings out emotion in the creature.
5. When Victor visits the site of William's death in chapter 7, he says "I had turned loose into the world a depraved wretch, whose delight was in carnage and misery." After reading the creature's version of events, do you agree?
I somewhat agree with victor's statement. However, I find fault with the part that says that the monster finds delight in carnage and misery. The monster did find delight in compassion and love until he was abandoned by many and realized that he was not accepted by anyone. He changed because he was not accepted the way he was. However, I do agree with the part where Victor says that he brought the creature into the world, which started all of the problems.
3. Victor calls himself a slave to his creation more than once. What do you think of this?
I think Victor is right in calling himself a slave to his creation because the creation is dictating his life and controlling everything that he does. Victor is filled with sadness and gloominess, while his friends, such as Henry, are living their lives to the fullest. Victor has no control over his life and will have a giant burden on his back until the female monster is produced.
3. What does the creature say he will do if Victor fulfills his request? What will he be doing in the meantime?
If Victor fulfills his request the creature says that he will leave Europe, he will never return, he will never seek humans again, and he will have no contact with anyone besides the monster woman. In the meantime, the monster will watch their progress with anxiety and will appear as soon as Victor is done. He quickly set out into the waves of the sea of ice.
1. How does Victor respond in the days after Justine's death? How have Elizabeth's views changed?
In the days after Justine's death Victor feels full of remorse and guilt. He cannot sleep and blames himself for everything that has happened. He went into solitude and shunned the face of man. Happiness and joy was torturous to him. Elizabeth now she sees the evil in men. She was always sad and never sees happiness or delight in anything anymore. Elizabeth does not see the good in anything, unlike the old Elizabeth before William and Justine died.
1. How does the creature survive in the first few days after leaving Frankenstein's laboratory? Find a few examples of how he is much like an infant.
In the first few days after leaving Frankenstein's laboratory, the creature survives by laying by the side of a brook and resting from fatigue. He was extremely hungry and thirsty so he picked berries and ate those and he drank from the brook. Then he rested and slept. The monster was very cold so he wrapped himself up in a cloak to keep warm. The monster is much like an infant because he was almost unable of supporting himself. He said he was poor, helpless and miserable. If he was under the care and guidance of someone he would have felt differently. Also, he cried like babies do when he was upset and he could not speak or imitate the noises that the birds were making. Also, he was fascinated about new things that he never saw before, such as fire and was interested in finding out what they did.
1. What does the Being find in the woods?
In the woods, the being finds a leather portmanteau with several articles along with books.
Take another look at the stanzas (there are two although they are formatted as one) and see if you can offer an explanation for why Mary Shelley would use her husband's poetry in this particular part of her novel. What is mutability? What does it have to do with Frankenstein?
Mutability is something that can be changed or varied. Mary Shelly might have used this poetry in this particular part of the novel because something important is going to happen soon (seeing the monster) and it is emphasizing the point that there is going to be a big change occurring and that nothing is stable and things can change in a heartbeat. Within the blink of an eye, Frankenstein's life completely changed when he brought the monster to life. Also, another change in his life is going to occur now, when he runs into the monster. After hard times, Victor has become joyous again and now seeing the creature will change everything.
1. What does Alphonse express to his son regarding marriage?
Regarding marriage, Alphonse said that he thought Victor was going to marry Elizabeth, but that he has found another option. Alphonse says that it is Victor's choice and that he is not forcing it on him.
1. Who is Safie?
Safie is a beautiful Arabian women who arrived at the cottager's house on horseback and asked for Felix. Everyone loved her, including the creature. She was always gay and happy. She came to be taught the language that the cottager's spoke, and through that, the creature also learns the language.
1. What is Safie's story?
Safie was the daughter of a Turkish man who got arrested. The De Lacey family, the cottagers, wanted to help the Turkish man in France out, but they got caught. The father and Agatha were sent to jail and then were forced to leave France and move to the cottage in Germany. Felix was trying to help the man out when he met Safie, and they became lovers. Felix went back to the cottage in Germany. Safie then came from Italy, with an attendant and a few of her things, to Germany, where she is now with Felix.
4. What does the Being hope for, and how does his endeavor play out?
The being hopes for friendships with the cottagers and that they accept him for his virtues, instead of rejecting him for his personal deformities. He finally decides to go to their house when only the father is home and is talking to him about these people who he is scared to introduce himself to. The father tells him that he should introduce himself and then the creature builds up the courage to tell him that he is talking about his family. While he is telling him the rest of the family walks in. Agatha fainted, Safie ran away, and Felix begins whacking the creature with a stick. Obviously it did not work out as he had planned.
4. What effect does the change of tense/time have for the reader?
The change of tense gives you a sneak peak of what is going to happen later on. It foreshadows the death of Clerval and makes the reader want to continue reading so that they can find out the plotline. It leaves you with curiosity to find out what led up to an event.
3. What else does the creature read and what does he learn from it?
The creature also reads papers that he found in the pocket of the dress that he found in Victor's laboratory. He learns how he was made and how Victor was filled with disgust after he was made. The creature is filled with agony.
4. What does the creature ask of Victor? What does the creature say to Victor? How good is Victor at performing the role of creator for his creature?
The creature asks that Victor acts as a creator and makes his creation happy along with listening to the monster's story. The creature says that he was benevolent and virtuous, until misery came along and ruined him. Victor is not very good at performing the role of creator for his creature because he is not nurturing, he shows absolutely no love, and he abandoned his creature because he was ugly and wanted nothing to do with him.
2. What does the creature begin to learn from them?
The creature begins to learn language from them. He gets to know simple terms and can apply them, such as bread and wood. He knows other words but cannot yet apply them or understand them.
6. What does the creature demand from Victor?
The creature demands that Victor makes another being like the creature that has the same defects and is the same species and he says that they cannot part unless Victor agrees.
2. What proof does the creature have that he is telling a true tale?
The creature has copies of the letters that Safie sent to Felix in order to prove that the creature is telling a true tale.
2. How does the creature travel? What/who else travels in such a way?
The creature only travels at night and he travels through the woods so that he is not seen by any humans. Some animals travel like this along with werewolves. Also, this is how slaves escaped slavery on the underground railroad.
3. In this chapter, we finally hear the creature speak for the first time. What does he say? Is this what we expect from the creature?
The creature says that he is filled with loneliness and he is hated by mankind, including his creator. He says that if Victor does his duty towards him, he will do his duty for Victor and the rest of mankind. If Victor complies, he will be peaceful, but if not, he will continue with his evil ways. This is sort of what we expect from the creature. It is understandable that the monster wants revenge for Victor deserting him and that he is also acting crazy and evil because we already know that he murdered someone. However, it is not what we expect because the reason he is doing this stuff is because he wants Victor back. He is upset and lonely because Victor abandoned him. He is retaliating as a result of not having any family or love in his life.
2. What is his reaction to fire?
The creature was overcome with delight and warmth and was filled with joy. He threw his hand into the fire and quickly realized that it was painful and removed it. He finds it strange that the same thing caused such opposite reactions. He found pleasure in fire and made his own to keep warm and cook food.
5. What will cause the creature to change? Keep in mind his statement "I was benevolent and good; misery made me a fiend. Make me happy, and I shall again be virtuous." What sort of psychological understanding is Shelley showing here?
The creature will change if he is shown love and Victor treats him nicely. He will go back to his good ways if he is shown love and compassion. Shelley is showing that people will practice what they preach. If they are shown goodness and love and compassion, then they will return that kindness. But, if they are not, they will be just as mean back to the person. Good things come from other good things.
2. How effective is the creature's argument? What is your reaction to it?
The creature's argument is obviously very effective if he can get victor to change his mind. Victor's troubles started the day that the creature's eyes opened and for him to agree to make another being that has the ability to end his life shows that the creature had an extremely effective argument. I am surprised that Victor agreed to help out the creature due to all of the problems the monster has caused in his life. He either feels guilty or threatened because he would not agree otherwise.
1. Describe the family he begins to watch, their jobs, their names, their demeanors, and their relationship to one another?
The family he begins to watch has very gentle manners. The young boy or brother, whose name is Felix, constantly worked outdoors, while the young girl or sister, named Agatha, had many jobs inside the house. The old man, who is only ever called Father used his time on his instrument or for contemplation, because he was blind. They were very loving and enjoyed each other's company and speech. Although the creature thought they had every luxury, the family was often miserable because they were poor. Agatha was usually very cheerful and respectful of her old man, but sometimes she was seen with tears in her eyes. While Felix always seemed sad and appeared to be suffering more than the others. He often read to the father and Agatha.
2. What are the three books that the creature reads, and what does he learn from each?
The three books that the creature reads are Paradise Lost, a volume of Plutarch's Lives, and the Sorrows of Werter. All three books brought him happiness. The Sorrows of Werter teaches him about thoughtful despair and gloom. A volume of Plutarch's lives taught the being about high thoughts. They included men involved in public affairs, governing, and massacring others. Paradise Lost made the being have stronger and deeper emotions. It was about an all knowing God fighting with his creation. It also taught about man himself.
4. Describe Victor's homecoming: his appearance, his family's reaction to him, is reaction to them.
Victor returned to Geneva with a haggard and wild appearance. His family was intensely alarmed and they felt worried. Victor barely spoke to them and felt that he would never fee companionship with them again. He still loved them and promised to make the monster in order to protect them.
2. Whom does Victor see? How does he respond?
Victor sees a figure of a man which is the monster he created, running at a speed like no other. Victor trembled with angriness and horror and he is ready to participate in mortal combat.
2. What journey does Victor undertake, and when? What places does he travel through? Where does he stay?
Victor takes a journey to the valley of Chamounix in the Swiss mountains in August two months after Justine dies and six years after Victor's boyhood. He travels toward the Alpine Valley, through the Ravine of Arve, the bridge of Pelisser, Servox, and Chamounix. Victor stays at the Village of Chamounix, after a great length of traveling.
2. Where does Victor travel toward? Why? With whom?
Victor travels toward England so that he can create the monster and then finally return to his family in peace and happiness. His father has arranged for Henry Clerval to go with him to Strasbourg. Victor plans to end up in London.
3. What are the reactions people have when they see him?
When people see him, their reactions included screaming, running away, fainting, and beating the poor monster up with rocks and other weapons such as missiles.
4. What event happens when the creature is near Geneva? Who is the boy? Who is the woman?
When the creature is near Geneva a beautiful child approaches and the creature decided to take the little boy and make him his friend. The creature took the boy and the boy started screaming and going crazy and he told the monster that his father was Frankenstein. When the monster heard this he killed the boy and said he was his first victim. He then took the necklace of the beautiful woman off of the boy and went into a barn. In the barn he saw a woman sleeping and planted the necklace in her pocket so he could not be convicted of murder. The boy was William and the Girl was Justine.
9. What is waiting for Victor when he returns to his apartment? What news does his father have for him? And what is his father's name? How does Victor respond?
a. When Victor returns to his apartment he finds a letter from his father. His father, whose name is Alphonse, has written that William has been murdered. Elizabeth blames herself because William was wearing something that Elizabeth gave him that probably compelled the murderer to kill the boy. Victor responds by heading to Geneva, along with Clerval.
3. When the creature reflects upon himself, what does he think? How is this question related to the formation of identity?
When the creature reflects upon himself, he does not know where he belongs. After hearing all the stories from history, including war and science, such as biology, he wonders if he is a monster and what he is. He knows that he is not of the same nature of a man and does not even remember his childhood, if he even had one. This question is related to the formation of identity because it makes the creature realize that he is a monster and he is different from everybody else. It makes him realize that he is not like the family, and agony takes over his life. It turns him from a loving person into someone who doesn't know where they belong. He cannot recall his nonexistent youth, which also makes him very upset. Someone's childhood is a major part of their life and the creature did not even get to experience that, which turned him into a monster.
4. What does he think of himself when he sees his reflection?
When the creature sees his reflection he believes he is a monster and he is terrified. He was filled with "despondence and mortification". At first he did not even believe that the reflection was himself.
3 What event during the creature's travels confirms his hatred of humans?
When the creature was traveling through the woods he heard humans and one girl passed him and was running. She slipped and fell into the river, when the creature saved her and started bringing her back to life. Then, a man came along and saw the monster, which made the man take the girl and run away with her. The creature ran towards them and then the man shot the creature. Since then on he vowed eternal hatred to all of mankind.
6. Whom does Victor meet arriving in a coach the next morning? How does Victor respond? What does Victor discover when they go to Victor's apartment? How does Victor respond? What happens to him and for how long? Is there any more news of the creature?
a. Victor meets Henry Clerval, who is his childhood best friend. Victor responds by finally feeling joyfulness and happiness after months of sadness. Seeing Clerval made Frankenstein think about his family back at home and their wonderful times together. When they go back to Victor's apartment they discover that the monster is nowhere to be found. Victor is extremely happy because he does not want Clerval to know about his creation. He clapped his hands and was relieved when the monster was not there anymore. Clerval becomes curious to why Victor is acting so strange and Victor falls into a nervous fever for which he is stuck with for several months. Henry nurses him during his sickness. There is no more news about the creature during this time.
12. What happens at Justine's trial? How does Victor respond?
a. At Justine's trial many people testified against her. Elizabeth spoke and believed Justine to be innocent. Justine also spoke and tried to defend herself by saying that she was coming home from visiting her aunt's house and she heard William was missing. She went searching for him and ended up sleeping in a barn, where she believes the actual murderer tried to plant the evidence on her. Victor responds by not saying anything but feeling anguish and despair along with guilt because he believed that he was indirectly the cause of her death.
1. Do you recognize the opening words of chapter five? Remember that Shelley gave them as the starting point of her story.
a. In the author's introduction Mary Shelley stated that after she witnessed her dream that gave her the inspiration for Frankenstein she began the day with the words "It was on a dreary night of November". These are the same words that are at the start of Chapter five.
11. Who has been identified as the murderer, and on what evidence? How does Victor respond to this news? Why doesn't he say anything about the real murderer?
a. Justine Moritz has been identified as the murderer due to the fact that she had the picture of Caroline in her pocket which is said to be the temptation of the murder. Victor replied by saying that Justine is not the murderer. He does not say anything about the real murderer because he believes that he will be looked upon as mad and no one would see him as rational.
7. Who is Justine and what is her story? What comments does Elizabeth make about her position in Swiss society? What religion is Justine?
a. Justine is clever, gentle, and extremely pretty. She reminds Elizabeth of her dear Aunt Caroline. The Frankenstein family took her in as a servant at twelve years old after she was treated very poorly by her mother. She was one of Victor's favorites and she was always happy. After she was ignored by everyone once Caroline got sick, she went home to her mother. Since then, her mother died and she returned to the Frankensteins. Elizabeth says that the servant's role in Swiss society is much more dignified and they do not have any ignorance, unlike servants from other nations. Justine is Roman Catholic.
13. The next day, why does Justine say she has confessed to the murder of William? How does Victor respond to Justine's situation and to Elizabeth's anguish?
a. Justine says she has confessed to the murder of William because her priest threatened to excommunicate her. She hoped by confessing that she would obtain absolution. Victor responds to the situation by sitting in the corner. He felt despair and anguish along with deep and bitter agony. Victor felt guilty and believed that the monster he created was the murderer of William and Justine.
5. What does the creature do? How does Victor respond?
a. The creature comes into Victor's room, holds up the bed curtain, looks at victor, grins and possibly mutters something. Victor responds by escaping and going downstairs, away from his creation.
2. Given all the mad doctor and monster movies we've seen, including perhaps versions of Frankenstein, what is unexpected about the description of the actual creation of life here? How much do we learn of the actual procedure?
a. Unexpected elements about the description of the actual creation of life include the fact that in the book the awakening of the monster is much less dramatic than in the movies. The actual procedure included Victor collecting the instruments of life around him, and infusing a spark of being into the monster to make it come to life. Eventually, the creature opened its eyes at one o'clock in the morning. The monster breathed hard and its limbs were nervous. The monster sounds surprisingly good looking despite its portrayal in most movies. The being is described with his limbs being in proportion, having yellow skin, not having any arteries or organs showing, having nice black hair and white teeth. However he is said to have eyes that almost look white and a bad complexion with black lips.
4. What does Victor dream? How does the dream grow out of, comment on, even explain what Victor has done and been through?
a. Victor dreams that he embraces Elizabeth and kisses her, and while kissing her she turns into their dead mother. The dream explains what Victor has done and been through by creating a parallel by taking something that was good, like his thirst for knowledge, and ruining it, such as creating a monster from his knowledge.
10. How long has Victor been away from home? What happens the night he returns to Geneva? How does he respond?
a. Victor has been away from home for six years. The night he returns to Geneva there is a great, beautiful storm. Victor says that it is William's funeral and nature's way of honoring his death.
3. How does Victor respond to the actual creation of life? What surprises him about the way the creature he has brought to life looks? What does that do to Victor's response?
a. Victor responds to the actual creation of life by immediately being horrified by what he has created. He is filled with disgust and horror and what he had hoped to be a beautiful creation is actually horrible with its black lips and almost-white, watery eyes. Victor realizes that he has deprived himself of health and has gone into isolation. Also, he rushed out of the room and went into his bedroom and could not fall asleep.
8. Who is William and how old is he? Have we heard of him before?
a. William is the Frankenstein's cousin who is very tall, has blue eyes, dark eyelashes, and curly hair. His exact age is not given, but he is probably a little boy because it states that one of his "wives" is five years old. We did hear of him before because he is actually Victor's younger brother. (page 25)