The Great Debate
A. There is an ongoing debate called Nature vs. Nurture. It addresses the questions: Are we born with certain characteristics (nature) or do we develop characteristics as a result of our environment (nurture)? Considering what we know about the Creature, what side of the debate do you think Shelley falls on? Do you agree with her? Use specific textual details to support your answers.
B. You learn lots of facts, events, equations, etc., in school that will not only make you book smart, but you will also develop general characteristics that will help you function in society. Consider what you learn in school besides the facts. What are all the "facts" the Creature learns from the time he is a "baby" to the time he takes his final leap into the icy sea? What does he learn besides the facts? Use textual details to support your answers.
C. Where (and when) does the theme of justice/injustice occur in the novel? Some instances may be less obvious than others. What points do you think Shelley is making about human beings and society? Use textual details to support your answers.
D. The characters of Victor Frankenstein and the Creature are at first antithetical to each other-that is, they possess qualities or characteristics that are contradictory. During the course of the novel, however, the two grow increasingly similar. Trace the development of their characters. Cite specific examples from the text.
E. Discuss the development of the character of the Creature. Is his destructiveness evident at his creation? If not, how does it come into existence? Cite specific examples from the text.
A. There is an ongoing debate called Nature vs. Nurture. It addresses the questions: Are we born with certain characteristics (nature) or do we develop characteristics as a result of our environment (nurture)? Considering what we know about the Creature, what side of the debate do you think Shelley falls on? Do you agree with her? Use specific textual details to support your answers.
B. You learn lots of facts, events, equations, etc., in school that will not only make you book smart, but you will also develop general characteristics that will help you function in society. Consider what you learn in school besides the facts. What are all the "facts" the Creature learns from the time he is a "baby" to the time he takes his final leap into the icy sea? What does he learn besides the facts? Use textual details to support your answers.
C. Where (and when) does the theme of justice/injustice occur in the novel? Some instances may be less obvious than others. What points do you think Shelley is making about human beings and society? Use textual details to support your answers.
D. The characters of Victor Frankenstein and the Creature are at first antithetical to each other-that is, they possess qualities or characteristics that are contradictory. During the course of the novel, however, the two grow increasingly similar. Trace the development of their characters. Cite specific examples from the text.
E. Discuss the development of the character of the Creature. Is his destructiveness evident at his creation? If not, how does it come into existence? Cite specific examples from the text.
Frankenstein Prompt
Directions: Several quotes from the novel are listed below. You must compose a literary paper that has a developed thesis (can be found in the introduction), follows a progression of analysis, and uses at least three pieces of textual evidence provided below. You may choose to only use a portion of a quote. If ellipses are needed to break up a quote, be sure to use them correctly. MLA format must be followed in composing this paper. Paper length must be between 2-4 pages.
Directions: Several quotes from the novel are listed below. You must compose a literary paper that has a developed thesis (can be found in the introduction), follows a progression of analysis, and uses at least three pieces of textual evidence provided below. You may choose to only use a portion of a quote. If ellipses are needed to break up a quote, be sure to use them correctly. MLA format must be followed in composing this paper. Paper length must be between 2-4 pages.
- “I have no friend, Margaret: when I am glowing with the enthusiasm of success, there will be none to participate my joy; if I am assailed by disappointment, no one will endeavour to sustain me in dejection.”-Robert Walton
- “You seek for knowledge and wisdom, as I once did; and I ardently hope that the gratification of your wishes may not be a serpent to sting you, as mine has been.”-Victor Frankenstein
- “Learn from me, if not by my precepts, at least by my example, how dangerous is the acquirement of knowledge and how much happier that man is who believes his native town to be the world, than he who aspires to become greater than his nature will allow.”-Victor Frankenstein
- “All men hate the wretched; how then, must I be hated, who am miserable beyond all living things! Yet you, my creator, detest and spurn me, thy creature, to whom thou art bound by ties only dissoluble by the annihilation of one of us.”-The Monster
- “I am alone and miserable: man will not associate with me; but one as deformed and horrible as myself would not deny herself to me. My companion must be of the same species and have the same defects. This being you must create.”-The Monster
- “You can blast my other passions, but revenge remains--revenge, henceforth dearer than light of food! I may die, but first you, my tyrant and tormentor, shall curse the sun that gazes on your misery.”-The Monster
- “Was there no injustice in this? Am I to be thought the only criminal, when all human kind sinned against me?”-The Monster
- “Seek happiness in tranquility and avoid ambition, even if it be only the apparently innocent one of distinguishing yourself in science and discoveries.”-Victor Frankenstein
"Father Of Mine"-Everclear
Father of mine
Tell me where have you been
You know I just closed my eyes
My whole world disappeared
Father of mine
Take me back to the day
When I was still your golden boy
Back before you went away
I remember the blue skies, walking the block
I loved it when you held me high
I loved to hear you talk
You would take me to the movie
You would take me to the beach
Take me to a place inside that is so hard to reach
Father of mine
Tell me where did you go
You had the world inside your hand
But you did not seem to know
Father of mine
Tell me what do you see
When you look back at your wasted life and you don't see me
I was ten years old
Doing all that I could
It wasn't easy for me to be a scared white boy in a black neighborhood
Sometimes you would send me a birthday card
With a five dollar bill
I never understood you then and I guess I never will
Daddy gave me a name
My dad he gave me a name
Then he walked away
Daddy gave me a name
Then he walked away
My dad gave me a name
Father of mine
Tell me where have you been
I just closed my eyes
And the world disappeared
Father of mine
Tell me how do you sleep
With the children you abandoned
And the wife I saw you beat
I will never be safe
I will never be sane
I will always be weird inside
I will always be lame
Now I am a grown man
With a child of my own
And I swear I'm not going to let her know
All the pain I have known
Then he walked away
Daddy gave me a name
Then he walked away
My dad gave me a name
Then he walked away
Father of mine
Tell me where have you been
You know I just closed my eyes
My whole world disappeared
Father of mine
Take me back to the day
When I was still your golden boy
Back before you went away
I remember the blue skies, walking the block
I loved it when you held me high
I loved to hear you talk
You would take me to the movie
You would take me to the beach
Take me to a place inside that is so hard to reach
Father of mine
Tell me where did you go
You had the world inside your hand
But you did not seem to know
Father of mine
Tell me what do you see
When you look back at your wasted life and you don't see me
I was ten years old
Doing all that I could
It wasn't easy for me to be a scared white boy in a black neighborhood
Sometimes you would send me a birthday card
With a five dollar bill
I never understood you then and I guess I never will
Daddy gave me a name
My dad he gave me a name
Then he walked away
Daddy gave me a name
Then he walked away
My dad gave me a name
Father of mine
Tell me where have you been
I just closed my eyes
And the world disappeared
Father of mine
Tell me how do you sleep
With the children you abandoned
And the wife I saw you beat
I will never be safe
I will never be sane
I will always be weird inside
I will always be lame
Now I am a grown man
With a child of my own
And I swear I'm not going to let her know
All the pain I have known
Then he walked away
Daddy gave me a name
Then he walked away
My dad gave me a name
Then he walked away