Thursday, April 21, 2011

Frankenstein: Conclusion

"Scoffing devil! Again do I vow vengeance; again do I devote thee, miserable fiend, to torture and death." pg 152
If I had read this quote in an earlier chapter, I probably would have assumed it was the words of the monster. Although Victor has desperately wanted to undo his creation and all the consequences that came with it, I don't think there was ever a point in the story that he has been filled with such hatred as he is in the final chapter of the novel. I think after the deaths of his family, best friend, and wife Victor has had enough. But this time he doesn't turn delirious, he simply seeks revenge. The way in which he follows the monster's every move reminded me of the way the monster followed Victor around. It is almost like their roles reversed by the end of the story. Victor, as well as Monty, begin the story as such kind beings. However, the evil natures of humans such as jealousy, shallowness, and revenge overtake them both. For once, I actually really liked a story I read in class because I think this story has a lot of meaning behind it. Although it was clearly not realistic in any way, it revealed the characteristics of humans and how easy it is to succumb to them. One thing I didn't quite understand though is why the monster is so upset at seeing Victor's dead body. Monty spent most of his existence making Victor hate life so much that he would have preferred death. But at the end of the story Monty sort of feels sorry for him. I don't really get it.

Frankenstein: The Nature of the Monster

"I asked, it is true, for greater treasures than a little food or rest; I required kindness and sympathy; but I did not believe myself unworthy of it." Pg 94
Alright, so this wasn't as sad as Mr. Costello believed, but it was a little depressing. So, the whole time I am reading Frankenstein I have the image of the Halloween, creepy, zombie-like figure that everyone has seen. Therefore when reading this story I envisioned the monster.. or Monty.. to be an evil being. He obviously does not start out this was as we learned in the previous chapters. However, it isn't until chapter 15 where things really start to go bad. Monty explains that all he has really wanted is some companionship which he is constantly being denied. On of the worst scenes of the novel is the one in which Felix begins to beat Monty because he believes that he is evil. It is somewhat sad that simply because of his appearance he is feared not only by his creator, but by complete strangers as well. All he really wanted was a friend! But, since he was denied that (on multiple occasions) he becomes a creepy, obsessive, stalking murderer.

Frankenstein: Parallelism

"You must create a female for me, with whom I can live in the interchange of those sympathies necessary for my being. This you alone can do; and I demand it of you as a right which you must not refuse to concede." pg 104
Early on in the novel the reader feels a sense of sympathy for Robert as well as Victor. Robert, while writing letters to his beloved sister, mentions that he so desperately desires a friend in which he can confide in and share stories with. All he wants is a BFF. Victor, when introduced to the story, describes his entire life as one of depression which is filled with long periods of loneliness and isolation from society. From early on in the story, the reader recognized the need of people to be around others and to communicate with others. I think that is why when Monty voices his sadness on being so alone, the reader is easily swayed to feel sympathetic towards him. I think that there is a lot of parallelism in these different situations. However, Robert and Victor have both brought this loneliness upon themselves. Monty however, has no control over his isolation from society. Even when he does his best to learn the De Lacey's language, they reject him. The author does a good job of making Monty in the likeness of a human. I think this is especially seen in the fact that after he tries to befriend people and realizes the shallow nature of them, he becomes extremely jealous of his creator. It is very natural for a person to feel jealous- and obviously Monty did when he realized Victor ripped up his only chance at having a lady friend and yet Victor was going to be married.

Frankenstein: Elizabeth

"I will be with you on your wedding night." pg 139
Thus far, Victor has expressed the immense amount of regret and stress that the monster has put upon him. The monster demands that Victor create a female creature so that he may also have someone to love and care for- just as humans do. Victor at first complies with this request. However, after awhile he begins to reconsider. The only concern Victor has is that of his dear cousin Elizabeth. Victor knows that she is likely to be the monster's next victim. However, he is not sure whether or not prolonging their marriage will change her fate. By now I believe that the monster will kill Elizabeth before the conclusion of the story. In her letter to Victor, Elizabeth expresses her sincere love for him. However, she informs Victor that if he does not feel the same way she does not want him to feel obligated to marry her because their arrangements had been made by their parents years before. I really did not think this story was scary at all. However, the scene in which the monster creeps up on Victor in his hut was pretty freaky. I think the scariest component of this whole story is the fear and uncertainty that Victor lives in. It would be agonizing to be unsure of the condition of someone you love especially to think that their life was in danger because of you.

Frankenstein: Agonizing Fear and Guilt

"Why did I not die? More miserable than man ever was before, why did I not sink into forgetfulness and reest? Death snatches away many blooming children, the only hopes of their doating parents: how many brides and youthful lovers have been one day in the bloom of health and hope, and the next a pray for worms and the decay of the tomb! Of what materials was I made, that I could thus resist so many shocks, which, like the turning of the wheel, continually renewed the torture?" pg 130
Victor says this directly following the scene in which he finds he dearest friend, Henry Clerval, dead. Although Victor did not physically kill Clerval himself (as falsely accused by the native people), he feels yet again completely responsible for his death. Victor knew by the way that Clerval was murdered that it was by the monster. This, being the monster's third mrder, sends Victor into shock. He becomes so incoherent that the people living in the town declare him mad. He spends months locked up in prision where he has crazy dreams and outbursts of insanity. I believe one of the major messages of this story is the consequences of one's actions. Clearly the creation of the monster has not only affected Victor, but also the people he loves. In the above quote, Victor not only displays the regret he has from creating the monster, but also the physical, mental, and emotional stress it causes him. He is constantly living in fear and regret not knowing who will be next to die or when his next encounter with the creature will be. He goes as far to compare it to chinese water tourture (i think that's what it's called anyways).

Thursday, April 14, 2011

Frankenstein: The Monster's tale

"Listen to me Frankenstein. You accuse me of murder, and yet you would, with a satisfied conscience, destroy your own creature. Oh, praise the eternal justice of man! Yet I ask you not to spare me: listen to me; and then, if you can, and if you will, destroy the work of your hands." pg 69

So, in these last couple of chapters the tables sort of turn. Now, rather than feeling guilty for creating the monster, I think Victor starts to feel guilty for fearing him so. The next couple chapters are told from the monster's point of view (Gosh, I really wish it had a name so I didn't have to keep saying "the monster".. but whatever). The monster has become increasingly intelligent (which I find really hard to believe.. but okay). He has spent his days observing other people and trying to determine his place in society. He says, "By degrees I made a discovery of still greater moment. I found that these people possessed a method of communicating their experience and feelings to one another by articulate sounds". So, the monster, by watching this family learned to speak. The monster did not want to reveal himself until he had decided that he completely mastered their language. I did not really like the last couple chapters as much, when Frankenstein finds the monster because I feel like they are not that believable. Although interesting, they sort of took away from the "scary Frankenstein" that we have come to know from Halloween. However, it is pretty interesting that this monster, living on his own, has been able to learn so quickly. It reminded me of the cavemen the way he talked about his discovery of fire. Because the monster did not have anyone to teach him how to live, he had to learn everything on his own or by secretly observing others since he was too afraid to reveal himself to humans.

Frankenstein: Fear of the Monster

"Two years had now nearly elapsed since the night on which he first received life, and was this his first crime?" pg 50.

This is when I really started to feel bad for Victor. At first when he describes the monster he has created I thought that maybe if he had actually taken the time to learn about and study it he might have discovered that he wasn't such a scary creature after all (he shoulda known!). I think what is the most frightening thing about him at first is the uncertainty and not knowing just what he is capable of. This quote really struck me because I had not thought about the possibility before. Victor allowed this eight foot monster to roam freely. It's obvious that Victor felt extreme remorse for what he had caused (especially since it was his own brother who died). However, what is the worst part of the whole incident is that he felt that it was his fault but he had no way of proving Justine's innocence. If he were to explain what he thought to be true, people would consider him crazy. However, I still do not understand why Justine is so nonchalant about the whole thing. She is described as appearing calm and collected in court even though the evidence against her seemed overwhelming. I felt like Elizabeth and Victor cared more about her innocence than she did. Regardless, it is terrible, especially for Victor, to believe that the monster is still lurking out there- able to kill again. Another quote I really liked that manifested Victor's fear and regret for what he had done was, "Alas! I had turned loose into the world a depraved wretch, whose delight was in carnage and misery; had he not murdered my brother?"

Frankenstein: Victor's Realization

"How can I describe my emotions at this catastrophe, or how delineate the wretch whom with such infinite pains and care I had endeavored to form? His limbs were in proportion, and I had selected his features as beautiful. Beautiful!" pg 35

I thought it was strange how Victor's opinion of the monster changes so drastically within a few short pages. In the previous chapter Victor expresses how excited he was to finally discover the secret to life. On page 32 he says, "No one can conceive the variety of feelings which bore me onwards, like a hurricane, in the first enthusiasm of success. Life and death appeared to me ideal bounds, which I should first break through, and pour a torrent of light into our dark world". To me, it seems as if Victor believes he will be credited with some great and wonderful discovery. He goes as far to say that he will be viewed as the creator of a new race in which people will thank him. Victor is so overwhelmed with his creation due to all of the hours of research in the graveyards and labs that he did looking at decaying bodies. He completely shuts out his family and best friend Clerval in order to fulfill his experiment. However, the minute he finally succeeds, he seems terrified of his creation. He rushes down the stairs and goes outside. He sleeps outside all night out of fear. I think Victor tells Walton this story to warn him that the consequences of the action are often forgot due to all of the excitement and work put into the experiment itself. Victor truly wants to help Walton avoid making the same mistake he did. Victor wanted so desperately to create the living creature that he didn't think about anything else. Partly, I don't think that he realized it could actually be done. Therefore he not only surprised himself, but he also scared himself with his creation.

Frankenstein: Family

"'When I mingled with other families, I distinctly discerned how peculiarly fortunate my lot was, and gratitude assisted the development of filial love.'" pg 19
"Two years passed in this manner during which I paid no visit to Geneva, but was engaged, heart and soul, in the pursuit of some discoveries which I hoped to make." pg 29

Both Walton and Victor have strong ties to at least one person in their family, specifically their sisters. Although not a great deal is mentioned about Walton's family life, it is easy to see that he has a close relationship to his sister. In his letters he writes things such as "my dear, excellent, Margaret" and "I love you tenderly" which implies that he has a loving relationship with his sister. Victor, on the other hand directly speaks about his close relationship with his sister, whom he calls "cousin". Throughout chapters 2 and 3 Victor spends a great deal of time describing the strong relationship he had with his family. However, in both the case of Victor and Walton it seems as if they both turned their backs on their families in order to pursue their journey. Walton writes to his sister still, but several months pass between each letter that he sends. Victor, while off at Ingolstadt. While there he completely turns away from his family in Geneva in order to focus on the human body in which he worked so diligently to assemble. I find it very interesting that both of these main characters mention the loneliness and sadness that they have endured when they were lacking a person to communicate with. However, both men made a conscious decision to turn their backs on their families in an effort to pursue their goals. I think this was especially hard for both of them because they both had such strong (and somewhat creepy) relationships with their sisters.

Frankenstein: Guilt / Duty

"'I thank you,' he replied, 'for your sympathy, but it is useless; my fate is nearly fulfilled. I wait but for one event, and then I shall repose in peace. I understand your feeling,' continued he, perceiving that I wished to interrupt him: 'but you are mistaken, my friend, if thus you will allow me to name you; nothing can alter my destiny; listen to my history, and you will perceive how irrevocably it is determined.'" pg 13

Thus far, I feel that Victor shows a great sense of guilt for his creation. When he explains to Walton exactly what it was that has caused his life to feel so lonely and depressing he expresses that it is the result of his own actions. In the quote above I believe that Victor feels that he has an obligation to find and kill the monster before any horrific events may occur. Not only does he want to take care of the monster in which he created, but I feel like he also feels a duty and necessity to share his story with Walton. thorough his mistakes he hopes to keep Walton, who like himself is very interested in science, from letting his goal turn to obsession. It was out of obsession and eagerness to do the impossible that Victor forgot about the consequences of his actions. Ultimately his creation led him to live in fear and guilt because he was unsure of what the monster was capable of. He then felt that it was his duty to not only find the monster and finish what he had started, but also to impress upon Walton the importance of not allowing your goals to consume you.

Wednesday, April 6, 2011

The End.

"I found myself on Gatsby's side, alone."
It seems like no matter what book it is, I am bound to hate it as long as it is a school assignment. I did not like this novel because I really don't like sad endings. Not one thing ends on a good note. Jordan and Nick break up. Gatsby dies. Myrtle dies. And who knows what the heck happened to Tom and Daisy. I think what upset me most about the entire story was the fact that no one attended Gatsby's funeral besides some crazy owl man and Nick, a man who hardly knew anything about him to begin with. It is so strange to think that people were so interested in his life that they attended his parties and passes along interesting gossip about him, but when it came down to it, no one really knew him or had any type of relationship with him besides Daisy. And even she did not know the full truth about his character. I think this has a lot to do with the theme of the novel. No one really knew or cared to know Gatsby. Those who made an attempt however were deterred by his ambiguity and lies. Gatsby was never able to have a relationship with another person because he never let anyone in. Another reason I did not like the end of this novel is because two people died. In a way though I feel as if they almost deserved it. Both Gatsby and Myrtle were tearing apart Tom and Daisy's relationship. Now that Gatsby and Myrtle are both dead, I believe the Buchanans will finally be able to be content with their marriage to won another.

Local Color

Local Color - a term applied to fiction or poetry which tends to place special emphasis on a particular setting including its customs, clothing, dialect, and landscape.
"Nowadays people begin by sneering at family life and family institutions, and next they'll throw everything overboard and have intermarriage between black and white." pg (130)

Although this quote is very opinionated, it give a great deal of insight. Not only does this quote reflect the personal lives of the main characters, but it also describes the "local color" or social customs of the times. The Great Gatsby takes place in America in the 1920's. Although I was not around for the 1920's, I feel that I have a bit of insight on the typical relationship during this time. Throughout the novel, there is not a single relationship described that does not have a lot of adultery or issues. It seems that life in these times was very laid back. People, such as Tom and Daisy, frequently moved from place to place. Money was often squandered on unimportant things such as fancy homes or grand parties. People lived more for the now. This is obvious in the marriages described within our story. Tom, Myrtle, and Daisy are all having affairs. None of these people worry about what will happen in the future. I think this has a major effect on the story as a whole. Many of the actions taken by the characters in the story are actions out of lust and desire with no regards no responsibility. Because Daisy chooses to be with Gatsby, she leaves the city with Gatsby in his car. Because Myrtle wants to be with Tom she attempts to flag down Gatsby's car. And finally, Because Gatsby felt his life was not worth living without Daisy, he was willing to take the blame for hitting Mrs. Wilson. Every outcome was the result of people acting out of forbidden love.

Conflicts

Internal
"She wanted her life shaped now, immediately-and the decision must be made by force- of love, of money, of unquestionable practicality- that was close at hand." pg (151)
The internal conflict in this story lies withing the heart and mind of Daisy Buchanan. As a young girl, Daisy fell in love with a man named Jay Gatsby. However, they were separated for several years. During this period of time Daisy was overcome by greed and impulse and decided to get married to Tom Buchanan rather than to wait for her lover, Jay. The conflict did not end there however. Years after Daisy had made her mind, she was reunited with Gatsby and presented the same dilemma which she faced many years ago. Throughout the novel, Daisy must find it in herself to determine the man she truly loves. This internal conflict is what drives the external conflict between Gatsby and Tom.

EExternal
"'You're crazy!' He exploded. 'I can't speak about what happened five years ago because I didn't know Daisy then- and I'll be damned if I see how you got within a mile of her unless you brought the groceries to the back door. But all of the rest is a God damned lie. Daisy loved me when she married me and she loves me now.'" pg (131)

This scene takes place five years after Daisy makes her decision with regards to her own personal conflict. Daisy chooses to marry Tom. However, when she is reunited with T Gatsby she feels like she has been in love with him ever since the day they met. The inner conflict that Daisy made 5 years before stirred up an external conflict between Gatsby and Tom. Because of this fight, Daisy gets worked up on her way driving home and hits Myrtle. Because of Daisy's inner conflict there was an external conflict between Tom and Gatsby. Because of this external conflict, Myrtle and eventually Gatsby are killed.

Anecdote

"They had never been closer in their month of love, nor communicated more profoundly now with another, than when she brushed silent lips against his coat's shoulder or when he touched the end of her fingers, gently, as though she were asleep." (pg 150)

In chapter 8 Nick spends a great deal of time trying to understand the events that had unfolded previously. He mentions that he could not sleep and therefore had the urge to go speak with Gatsby. When Nick arrives at Gatsby's house he stays awhile smoking a cigarette and talking about Gatsby's past. It is here that Gatsby enlightens him on his love affair with Daisy (previously it was Jordan Baker who recounted their love affair). In this chapter the author provides a short anecdote in which Gatsby describes the first time he met Daisy and how his feelings for her grew with each passing day. Gatsby describes his longing to find her for so long. I think the inclusion of this anecdote is essential to the understanding of the story. Because the reader is provided with support for why Gatsby is so attached to Daisy, the audience feels more sympathetic towards him. The difference lies in Gatsby's explanation of the time he spent writing to Daisy, waiting for her, and searching for her.Although he was a home wrecker, this anecdote at the least provides the reader with a bit of justification.

Plot

"What kind of a row are you trying to cause in my house anyhow?" (pg 129)

Throughout the novel The Great Gatsby, there really isn't a single moment that i would consider the climax or main point of action in the story. Essential, the plot of this novel was the devotion Jay Gatsby had for the love of his life, Daisy. The dilemma in this story lies in the fact that when Gatsby returns from the service he has not been in contact with Daisy for several years. This novel recounts the way in which Gatsby finds Daisy and attempts to make a new life with her. I think this story has a good plot, however, I did not feel that there was much action within the story. In fact, most of the action that takes place occurs in the last few chapters. In chapter 7 Tom finally confronts Gatsby about the affair he suspects that he is having with Daisy. I felt that this was extremely hypocritical because Tom was having an affair himself. This scene ion which Gatsby and Tom argue over Daisy's love is ultimately what drives the rest of the novel. Due to this fight, Daisy leaves the city all shook up and therefore she runs the car into Myrtle Wilson. In turn, Myrtle's husband seeks revenge by shooting Jay Gatsby. I did not like the plot of the story because it contained little action. It was centered around broken relationships and what happens in those types of situations.