Frankenstein

[Lisa, the usurper]

This is the October group read! Please post discussion comments here.

[Lisa, the usurper]

Just as a fun side note, August 30th is Mary Shelley's birthday! She was born in 1797. So happy birthday to Mrs.Shelley!

[Lisa, the usurper]

I found this today on Yahoo and thought that it was an interesting side note to the upcoming book. I had heard something similar to this on the History Channel, but it was discussing the Little Ice Age and it was talking about how cold and dreary it was the summer. I think it was considered "the year without a summer", but I could be wrong. Anyway, thought this was interesting.

news.yahoo.com/scientist-sky-confirms...

[Trisha]

I really loved this novel, not for the "horror" aspect, but for it's ethical aspect. Dr. Frankenstein was so obsessed with finding out if he could that he never stopped to consider whether he should (homage to "Jurassic Park"). I side with the "monster" in this novel! I hope we can get a good discussion going on this :-)

[Lisa, the usurper]

I have noticed in my reading of this, granted I'm not very far along, but the ice, cold and the snow have become a major theme. It seems every letter has reference to the cold and ice, I'm guessing he is going to the Arctic?

[Amy J.]

I was a bit torn when I read this. I didn't find it very horrific and I thought the plot resolution was too convenient (he need information and just happens to come across the exact books he needs), but as Trisha said the ethical aspects of the book were interesting.

I too found myself siding with the "monster".

[Debbie]

I've read it twice already and loved it for the ethical lesson. I look forward to reading everyone's comments.

[Mark]

Theodore Roszak called Frankenstein the symbolic novel of our time. I agree. I am a scientist, I know many scientists, and I am forever dismayed at how many are working on technology projects "for their career" without ever thinking about the social or environmental consequences. For me, the crucial moment in the novel is when Dr. Frankenstein is about to bring the "bride" to life and he finally has a worthy thought.

I was thinking about this novel recently when I was talking to a college student. She was experimenting with nano-technology to keep our socks from stinking. When I asked what happens when these little bits of silver-somethings-or-other end up in our livers and kidneys or in frogs and fish, she shrugged her shoulders and replied, "I don't know. I never thought about that."

I agree with Trisha and Amy. I side with the "monster" and all the other nameless victims of thoughtless technology. I wonder if he ever found love.

[Lisa, the usurper]

Mark wrote: "Theodore Roszak called Frankenstein the symbolic novel of our time. I agree. I am a scientist, I know many scientists, and I am forever dismayed at how many are working on technology projects "for ..."

I think that falls under the "unintended consequences" category.

[Lisa, the usurper]

In just beginning to read this story, I noticed that Shelley's' style is different from some of the other writers that I have read recently. Did anyone else notice this?

[Kerri, the sane one]

What do you think about how the monster is presented in the book as compared to many movie versions?

[Marie]

I watched a 2004 version of Frankenstein today. They talked about stem cell research and had cell phones. No one screamed when they saw the monster. I was very disappointed in the movie.

[Kerri, the sane one]

Classic example of how the movie's don't always capture the suspense and beauty of the book.

[Zuzana]

I found the themes this book explores, especially ethical aspects of scientific progress, very interesting. But I was really dissapointed by the execution. I found the plot rather sloppy. There were too many coincidences to my liking. To name but few:

(view spoiler)[ the child the monster meets and decides on the spot to abduct happens to be Frankenstein's brother, after returning home to Geneva Frankenstein runs into the monster on the spot where his brother was murdered, on vacations Frankenstein climbs up the moutain only to find the monster waiting for him on the top and what a coincidence the monster actually lives there in a cosy little cave, the monster murders Clerval and leaves the corpse on an Irish beach, coincidentally near where Frankenstein finds himself washed up after a storm, etc. (hide spoiler)]

I watched a 1994 version of Frankenstein last week, and I noticed that Kenneth Branagh tried to fix some of the things I mentioned above.

[Kerri, the sane one]

Zuzana wrote: "I found the themes this book explores, especially ethical aspects of scientific progress, very interesting. But I was really dissapointed by the execution. I found the plot rather sloppy. There wer..."

I agree that there were a lot of convenient coincidences.

[Julia]

Mark wrote: "Theodore Roszak called Frankenstein the symbolic novel of our time. I agree. I am a scientist, I know many scientists, and I am forever dismayed at how many are working on technology projects "for ..."

Mark, thanks a lot for this comment!!! Especially coming from a scientist, this is a really worthwhile contribution......Isn't it the same with nuclear power ( we don't even know what to do with the waste, but we keep on going despite of Tchernobyl and Fukushima....) And we still let mega-computers run the wall street even though we're right in a huge financial crisis....
Sorry for rambling, but these things came up during the read, and this makes Frankenstein a very modern novel for me....

[Kerri, the sane one]

Did anyone else think about how Frankenstein's physical and mental health seemed to go hand and hand?

[Mo]

I enjoyed the book much more than I thought I would. I think I originally read it in high school, which was some time ago! The ethical dilemmas Frankenstein faced and how he responded to them fascinated me. Recently, I read Les Misérables and couldn't help but compare Jean Valjean and Frankenstein. Valjean is much more sympathetic and Hugo's writing is more prosaic, but I would still give Frankenstein four stars.

[CJ.]

I'm with Mo - Les Misérables has an excellent correlation to Frankenstein... I'm re-reading it because the "Frankenstein" that society has grown to know is so vastly different than the original book... I'm a technologist by trade and a historian at heart. I love the underlying ethical and moral dilemmas that are spoken out against in this book.
The book is timeless because while society and technology changes - the correlations are easily relate-able to today's society!

[LK]

I read this several years ago and was delighted to find it was much more than I expected.

Following Mark's comment, if I were a teacher, I'd use this to correlate to today's cloning technology. It is indeed very scary and like Frankenstein's monster, it creates issues we "don't think about" (with a shrug as though it doesn't matter). It was precisely making that point.

[Lisa, the usurper]

What does everyone think about the revenge aspect of this book? After just reading The Count of Monte Cristo, I was wondering if you thought the "monster" was justified in his revenge?

[Kerri, the sane one]

While it is difficult for me to condone revenge, I think you do understand why the monster acts as he does, just as you can see why the Count seeks revenge in TCMC. I think it is also interesting how the monster is like a mirror to Frankenstein. I mean who is the real "monster" here? Frankenstein's selfishness, irresponsibility, and inhumanity seem to cause a lot of the problems in the first place. I actually even felt bad for the "monster" when he didn't get the mate that Frankenstein promised.

[Debbie]

I take a little more of a religious view of the story. Victor was devastated by the death of his mother, so he decided to play God and figure out a way to keep death at bay. Even though Victor had good intentions, the results were disastrous. The lesson I get is that we can't be God.

I do agree that he also didn't think things through and wonder about what would happen in the future.

[Rena]

Wow, I'm glad I decided to read this book - I had never read the Shelley version and had only seen the classic Boris Karloff movie. What a different story and am just now reading the part where the creature confronts the creator. Will be so interested to see how this all goes.

[Lisa, the usurper]

Rena wrote: "Wow, I'm glad I decided to read this book - I had never read the Shelley version and had only seen the classic Boris Karloff movie. What a different story and am just now reading the part where th..."

I have to agree with you Rena. It was so different from the movie and the entire story was a surprise.

[Rena]

Lisa wrote: "Rena wrote: "Wow, I'm glad I decided to read this book - I had never read the Shelley version and had only seen the classic Boris Karloff movie. What a different story and am just now reading the ..."

Just finished the book and was pleasantly surprised at the depth and substance of it! Much more than a cheap thrill, Shelley expertly draws upon our most basic human emotions to flesh out this tale of horror. I love when a book allows you to see all sides of an issue or look at a character from more than one perspective. No mere black and white morality tale, this. Too bad it took me 60 years to get around to reading the "real" Frankenstein.....

[Brooke]

I think if I were a teacher I would also bring up the "child-parent" aspect of the story and discuss with the class what their thoughts were there. To some extent I'm sure every parent at some point sees that in the child they've "created" that they've created a monster. What are Shelley's implications for the more simple familial relationships expressed in the book? I felt sorry for everyone in the story, but the most for the innocent characters (Elizabeth, Clervel, etc.) who only loved life but were sucked up in the malestorm of Frankenstein's conceit.