Frankenstein

Thinking activity on Mary Shelly's "Frankenstein"

Here is the answer of the given task and also the link of the task 

 http://milanparmar94.blogspot.in/2017/12/worksheet-screening-movie-frankenstein.html?m=1

Mary shelly wrote gothic novel named “Frankenstein – The modern Prometheus”. This novel is about galvanism and it is science fiction also. This novel is published in 1818 and the setting on the novel is early 19th century.

1) What are some major difference between movie and the novel Frankenstein?

There is also movie adaptation by Kenneth Branagh but there are some difference between movie and the real novel.
First major difference we can find is that in movie Frankenstein’s friend Henry meet him at the university while in actual novel they both are childhood friends and Henry never visit that university.
Second major difference that in movie when Frankenstein create lady monster, the lady monster commit suicide while in actual novel Frankenstein himself kill the lady monster.
The third major difference which I found is that in movie at the end monster commit suicide and destroy himself on pile of Frankenstein while in novel monster went far away.
There are some minor difference also but these are the three I found major one.

2) Did this movie help you in understanding the plot of the novel?

Yes, definitely the screening of movie help me to understand the plot of novel because the novel has frame narrative and by reading and listening it will become confusing the movie helps in that area. Though there are some difference between movie and the novel but all over it is very helpful to understand the whole structure of novel.

3) Who do you think is real monster?

As per my opinion Victor Frankenstein is the real monster. Some thinks that monster is real monster but this is not the case because monster becomes monster and the reason is society and situations. The situations are taking place in such a way that monster is ready to become cruel to society. It is may be monster’s pay back to society as society give him rejection, sorrow and loneliness. In the case of Victor he himself chooses to become monster. I don’t think that society plays any role in case of Victor. Victor has false pride on his knowledge. He wants to be demi god. He wants to challenge the rules of nature, he wants to make dead one alive again. Though many people suggest him to not to go on that way but he didn’t listen and by collecting the body parts from different dead bodies he create one man. Which is totally a disaster. Victor himself become frightened by the look of his creation. After that also he said that he will burn his creation tomorrow if he burn it at that moment when he disappointed then may be there is no monster but he didn’t. He also step back from his responsibility of his creation. We can say that he wants to become like God but don’t posses the quality of becoming like God. He rejects his own creation and that is why monster is alone and become what society made him. If Victor would take responsibility of his creation and taught it how to live then may be the situation is not worst like this and may be monster will never become monster. So as per my thought Victor is real monster.

4) From where Mary Shelly get the idea for the novel Frankenstein?

It is told that at once, Mary, her lover Percy Shelly and Byron, these three are on holidays and Byron give challenge to write one novel to see who is best and from this Mary get the idea of writing “Frankenstein”.

5) Do you think the search for the knowledge is dangerous and destructive?

No I don’t think that the search for knowledge is dangerous or destructive, I think that the use of that knowledge make it dangerous or destructive. We can take example of Dr. Faustus who posses great knowledge but he just remain a mere musician as he don’t know that how to use that knowledge in appropriate way. Same thing happen with Frankenstein also, he possesses the knowledge but he don’t know how to use it. He uses his knowledge against the law of nature and that resulted in destructive way. So I think search for great knowledge is not dangerous but in which way that knowledge is used that becomes dangerous. We posses knowledge but one should also know the limits of human, one can not go against the nature and if anyone does that then it will lead us to the dangerous end same as Frankenstein.

6) What are some myths used by Mary Shelly in the Frankenstein?

There are several myths which are used by Mary Shelly like the myth from bible – the story of creation which is connected to Frankenstein created the monster same as God created the Adam. The difference is the creation of God is perfect while on the other hand the creation of Frankenstein is dangerous. Second myth Mary uses is of Narcissus who has obsessed with his own reflection in water and fall in love with it and decide not to leave that place and he just sit there and die by watching his own reflection. Same happen with Frankenstein as he is obsessed with his creation or the work of create something that he rejects all and live alone. The third myth which is used by Mary is, myth of Prometheus, who is angle and stole fire from heaven for human kind and got punished by God in same manner Frankenstein also wants to do good of society by make a man who is more powerful and more intelligent but it ultimately ends tragically. So these are some myth used by Mary Shelly.

7) Write about the narratology of Frankenstein.

The narrative style of “Frankenstein” is frame narrative or box with in the box. Narratology is study of narrative and Gerard Genette give term narratology. In this type of narrative style there is story with in the story and there can also be more than one narrator. In this novel there is three narrator one is Captain Walton who told story to his sister through letters. Second is Victor Frankenstein who telling the story to Walton and third is monster who is telling story to the Frankenstein. This is the narrative style of Frankenstein.

Thank you.