Frankenstein (Yuli Coronado)

Reading Control 3 

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley 

Mary Shelley and Frankenstein

Characters in these chapters: 

Victor Frankenstein: Impulsive scientist whose plan was creating a new human being starting off from unusual elements to fulfil the necessity of knowing the mystery side of life.

Elizabeth: Victor's sister whose past was complicated but always supported Victor.

Henry Clerval: Victor's old friend with a talent for poetry and a different personality than Victor's. He stayed with him in complex situations.

Ernest: Victor's young brother who is not close to Victor.

The creature of Frankenstein: Victor's creation after using human organs in an experiment.

Alphonse Frankenstein: Victor's father with a totally different personality than him. 

Felix: Monster of Frankenstein’s neighbor. He stayed in the other cottage where the creature is hiding himself.

Felix’s family: Small family that used to have a better life after being arrested unfairly.

Safie: Felix’s wife and singer.

Safie’s father: Man of Turkish origin, whose problems with the government affected his life.

Walton: Victor’s old friend who he encountered Victor again and is in charge of giving an important detail at the end of the novel. 

CHAPTERS 14-24

The time Victor spent with the creature was revealing for him. The monster continued telling him about the people next door. He said the woman’s arrival, Safie, brought happiness to one member of the family, Felix. He fell in love with her despite the story behind them. It was about the woman’s father, who was hated by the government. He had been arrested and condemned to death, though he was innocent. But politicians wanted him dead for his religion and wealth. Then, the night before his execution, he found the way to quit prison and, in the morning, he was far away from there. Felix accepted to help by getting a passport for him. Nonetheless, Paris government wanted the man back to prison, thus, they kept an eye on him. This caused Felix’s family arrestment. Despite that, after some months, the family could assuredly be released from prison. In exchange, they had to give their fortune to the government and leave France. This made them moved to a cottage in Germany. 

During the stay of Felix’s family, the monster not only listened to their conversation, but also read their novels. He felt more connected to them by reading “The sorrows of the Werther”, which made him comprehend the desire of love of human beings. Also, he read “Plutarch’s lives” and “Paradise Lost”. They generated on him a feeling of sensitiveness for life. He began asking himself which was his destiny in the world. In winter, the creature decided to meet the family in person. Luckily, Mr. De Lacey (Felix’s father) was who received him at home.  Being blind conceded Mr. De Lacey the understanding of the creature’s feelings. Wretchedly, when the rest of the family appeared, Felix menaced the creature to abandon the cottage. Soon, the family had fear of having the presence of a strange specimen close to them.

Frankenstein’s monster renounced to stay there for more time, he began touring the surroundings. Until one night, he found a luxurious house where a child, playing outdoors, saw the creature and screamed. The monster just by analyzing his words, realized that he was part of Victor’s family, thus he killed him. This left Victor’s speechless and stunned in their encounter in the cottage. He knew the monster would try to convince him of doing a favor. He demanded the realization of a female specimen to accompany him in the discovery of life. However, Victor conditioned him explicitly to never affect any person as any member of his family again. The creature agreed to Victor’s plan. Nevertheless, the monster made his own condition, he would spy Victor in order to make sure of his progress. And for this, the scientist had to take a journey to England to document himself with any detail to create Frankenstein’s female specimen. As soon as Victor arrived in company of Clerval, he started his second creation, but through the process, he realized that the new creature was more malignant. He had to eliminate her. The monster fulfilled his promise of spying Victor and when he entered the laboratory, he saw the unfinished project. He menaced him destroying Victor’s weeding night, after knowing he was planning to get married. Sadly, Victor believed he was capable. The next day, he put all the evidence in a basket and later threw it into the sea. However, the monster took revenge of it…

When Victor returned to the island, a crowd of people got closer to him accusing him of murder. The next day he went to the court; a witness stated that his boat had been seen just before the finding of the body. The magister, Mr. Kirwin desired that Victor should be taken to see the body. As he saw the corpse, his temper decreased in sadness. It was Clerval’s body. Unfortunately, Victor had to stay in prison, but the good thing was that he had access to a physician and a nurse.  Time passed and, one day, Victor received letters from his father who was coming to visit him. Thankfully, with his father’s help, he obtained the permission to go back home. During the voyage, Victor felt guilty for the people he had lost. Nonetheless, his father thought he was emotionally affected by the tragedies.

No sooner they arrived to Geneva, Elizabeth and Ernest were waiting for them. Moments later, Victor’s father mentioned about their marriage. The following ten days, they made all the preparations for the ceremony. Victor knew he had to be aware of Frankenstein’s actions. Therefore, in order to be cautious, Victor carried guns with him. Although, things got darker in a short period of time…

In the honeymoon, when the night fell, Victor started feeling anxious; no sooner had Elizabeth saw him acting desperately than she recommended Victor to be alone to clear his mind. But, few minutes later when he entered the room, Elizabeth’s dead body was lying in the bed. He freaked out the whole night. He only focused on coming back home to Geneva. He needed to know that his father and brother were safe. Unfairly, his father passed away after not recovering from Elizabeth’s death.

Victor, with the last resources in his own hands, went to see Geneva’s magister to confess the existence of the monster he had created. He said how he destroyed his family as warned people of his evil. Considering Victor’s mental issues, the magister determined that everything were delirium effects being manifested on him.  

The scientist life became meaningless, consequently, he did not rest in any moment. His only desire was to catch the monster and in his attempt of doing it, he encountered his old friend Walton, who did not refuse to believe him. He stayed with Victor until the moment his health collapsed and died. Walton finally saw the monster; he was asking for forgiveness. Nevertheless, Walton did not what to do, he promised Victor to kill the monster. However, the monster promised to end his life by throwing himself in the water, leaving Walton in the boat without hurting him.

END 

how the main events are developing

how the situations are being solved (Providing evidence)

any switch the story or the characters have suffered

Which character I admire the most?

Definitely, I would choose Victor’s father, Alphonse. He never abandoned his family and besides the issues that his older son caused to the family, he did not hold a grudge to him towards the unexpected experiences and moments that occurred. In addition, he knew how to manage his work and his role as a father. The most important achievement was to protect his son despite the issues around him.