Week 1: Frankenstein

It was interesting how this novel was laid out - at one point we have the monster's story as told by Frankenstein as told by the captain of the ship in his letters to his sister. This sort of framing device brings up some questions as to exactly how truthful the story is. Frankenstein may be an unreliable narrator, since he at least colors the description with his negative comments on the monster. I did like how we’re left at the end of the story to determine exactly who is most at fault – the monster himself, or the scientist who made him. It seems like every time the monster does something horrible, he has some valid reasons for being that way. Similarly, every time the novel begins to accuse Frankenstein of doing terrible things, the ship captain has some remarks on the beauty of Frankenstein’s character and soul. Over time we’ve sensationalized the horror of Frankenstein’s monster, turning him into a speechless, shambling brute. However, the book seems to be more about the dangers of uncontrolled science and the consequences of abandoning your creations. The writing of the novel is also rather interesting – being a classical gothic tale, it’s full of lengthy description focusing on the sublime wilderness, the power of nature, and man’s struggle against it. Having been written by a female writer, I was expecting a little more emphasis on the few female characters we encounter, but oddly she treated them in the story like little more than icons of themselves for Frankenstein to love and lose. It’s really just a symptom of the times Shelley grew up in. Men were expected to do things, and women were secondary characters, so it’s not too surprising.