Critical Analysis of Frankenstein (Other (Not Listed) Sample)

Student’s Name Instructor’s Name Course Date Frankenstein Question 1: What is significant about the author’s use of epistolary form in the text? Frankenstein contains a series of letters between the arctic explorer and his sister. Here, the letters become an effective method of integrating the readers into the story as they make the readers feel that the writer is addressing them (Ceiley). Furthermore, using an epistolary format helps her advance writer biases. For instance, Shelley intentionally structures Elizabeth’s letters according to the significance of horrific scenes, advancing the theme of horror and the development of the Creature’s character. Therefore, Shelley utilizes the approach to frame the story of Victor’s narrative and advance it. Question 2: Who is Robert Walton and what is his purpose in the text? Robert refers to light often in his letters. Explain the significance of this motif within the text? Robert Walton is an important character in Frankenstein. Walton is the explorer Victor meets in the arctic. He functions as the conduit through which the readers hear Victor’s narratives about his monster, through Walton’s letters to his sister Mary. Robert often refers to light in these letters, which signifies enlightenment, knowledge, and discovery. This motif signifies Walton’s faith in science to bring light by unearthing the dark secrets of the world. Question 3: Why does Victor Frankenstein begin his narrative by describing his family? How is this description a direct contradiction to the man introduced in Robert’s narrative? Victor has a privileged childhood with doting parents who shower him with attention and love him dearly. Victor’s childhood lays the foundation for his belief in his parents’ role in nurturing their children to success. Robert’s narrative introduces contradictions to Victor’s childhood. His character is no longer happy and loving. In contrast, he has sunk into depression and sought revenge against his Creature instead of expressing love and affection a child needs from parents. Question 4: Who is Elizabeth? What is evident about the role of women in the text? Elizabeth is an orphan adopted by Victor’s parents, a devoted sister and daughter who later becomes a loving wife to Victor. The voice of women is missing, painting women as passive (Cambra-Badii et al). The author depicts Elizabeth, Caroline, and Justine as objects of pleasure admired for their beauty. Moreover, these women are submissive and seek their husbands’ permission before taking any actions. Additionally, although women like Safie are more outspoken, her father still controls her actions. Thus, Shelley depicts women as inferior to men, needing their protection and admiration. Question 5: Henry Clerval is an important character. What does he represent in the text? Like Elizabeth, Henry is an idealized character in the story. He represents an appreciation of science and nature, offering a striking contrast to Victor. He depicts the need for ethical merits in society. Henry represents a moral standard for measuring Victor’s and his monster’s actions. Question 6: Explain the significance of Victor’s obsession with science and anatomy, particularly death. Victor’s obsession comes from his desire to achieve great things founded on his perception of higher moral obligation, in which he sees abandoning his extraordinary gifts as a crime. His obsession is significant as it represents Victor’s belief in recreating life as he still mourns his mother. His dream of Elizabeth turning to his mother’s corpse shows his subconscious recognition that he failed to recreate life in a way that could recreate his mother. Question 7: How does Victor describe the Creature? How does he respond to the physical manifestation of the creature? Victor describes the Creature as both “beautiful” and repulsive. His yellow skin was tautly pulled over the body that it failed to disguise the workings of arteries beneath with lustrous black and flowing hair and teeth of “pearly whiteness,” watery eyes, and black lips (Shelley 58). He responds to the Creature’s physical manifestation with disgust, and the Creature’s appearance repels him. He goes into mental distress and falls to bed unable to compose his thoughts to sleep, hoping to forget about his creation, only to wake up and find that it escaped. Question 8: Explain the significance of Victor’s nightmare as well as his recollection of Elizabeth. Victor’s nightmare has a significant meaning. When he imprints his first kiss on Elizabeth, she turns into a corpse. It shows that his love dooms his loved ones to death. The fact that he has this dream immediately after creating the Creature shows that the Creature would be connected to Elizabeth’s death. His recollection of her depicts that Elizabeth was important to him, yet, he would lose her to his creation. Question 9: How does Henry care for Victor? How is this significant? Henry is Victor’s close ally. When he looks for Victor, Henry finds him in distress and nurses him back to health. Henry’s presence brings a wave of fresh breath and memories about his family. Henry’s actions signify the importance of family and friendship ties and the need to appreciate life’s good, yet less rewarding things. After recovery, Henry hands Victor a letter from Elizabeth written during his illness. Question 10: Who is William and what is his purpose in the text? William is Victor’s youngest brother. Victor’s monster strangles him as a way of hurting his creator for abandoning him. William’s death profoundly saddens Victor, increasing his guilt for creating the monster. His death shows how one’s actions can lead to undesired impacts on innocent people. Question 11: Assess the significance of nature in chapters 9 and 10. What does the natural world mean to Victor? Chapters 9 & 10 contain the most sublime accounts of nature in Frankenstein. The natural world has evident impacts on Victor’s moods as the scenic beauty cheers him, and he becomes miserable in its absence. The natural world becomes to Victor a reminder of his actions. Just as it cheers him, the presence of rain becomes a source of melancholy, resurfacing his old feelings and making him miserable. Question 12: What relationship does the Creature have to nature? How does he prove he is a threat? Victor’s creation has connections to nature. Although Victor creates him from the dead, his connection with nature shows his human side. The Creature can appreciate the beauty of nature, acquires human emotions, such as love and solitude, and admits his linking to Victor and the human world. The Creature, however, proves to be a threat to nature as he is the contrast of natural creation. He causes death in the natural world, depicting that human beings cannot play God. Question 13: In the Creature’s narrative, what is made clear concerning his understanding of the social world? The Creature begins to comprehend his place in the social world. His interaction with nature turns him into a sensitive being. His actions show that he understands the meaning of love, affection, and loyalty. Although humans treat him with disgust and hostility, he feels something more than hatred and desires to be appreciated and loved....