Skip to main content

What are some ideas for an essay addressing the following question? "With reference to Frankenstein, discuss how physical locations are represented...

You might discuss the effects of nature on Victor (and on his creature); they respond with a great deal of emotion to their natural surroundings. After the deaths of William and Justine, the Frankenstein family goes to the valley of Chamounix, and Victor says that "These sublime and magnificent scenes afforded me the greatest consolation that I was capable of receiving. They elevated me from all littleness of feeling; and although they did not remove my grief, they subdued and tranquillized it." Again and again, he describes the natural beauty of their surroundings as "sublime," as having an effect on his mind and heart which is the result of nature's overwhelming grandeur and power. Further, he says, "The sight of the awful and majestic in nature had indeed always the effect of solemnizing my mind, and causing me to forget the passing cares of life." It is as though Victor's spirit and his heart are refreshed and renewed by nature.

However, the scene in which he next sees his creature is as volatile as the emotions the sight of him engenders. The "icy and glittering peaks shone" as the monster "bounded over crevices in the ice" with "superhuman speed." The "cold gale" blowing down from the mountains chills Victor's skin just as the sight of his monster chills his heart. Here, the violence of Victor's antipathy toward the creature matches the violence of the natural setting: it is harsh and bitter, just like Victor's emotions at this moment.


Back at home, in Geneva, Victor's health is "much restored," as it declined somewhat after his confrontation with the monster on the ice. He says that "the fresh air and bright sun seldom failed to restore me to some degree of composure [...]." His father pressures him to marry Elizabeth now, and Victor must beg for time so that he can fulfill his promise to create a mate for his creature. He leaves Geneva to travel, but as "the slave of [his] creature," he is insensible to the charms of the natural beauty around him as he and Clerval see Europe. When Victor is healthy, and unsaddled by grief, he is able to enjoy nature; more than that, nature seems capable of elevating him spiritually and emotionally. However, when he is burdened or guilt-ridden, the beauty of nature seems to only make him feel worse.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Can you analyze the poem "Absolution" by Siegfried Sassoon?

Sure! Siegfried Sassoon fought in World War I and was wounded in battle; he spent much of his life speaking out against war, and these pacifist feelings are easy to see in his poems. This one, "Absolution," was published in 1917, the same year that Sassoon was hospitalized for what we know today as post-traumatic stress disorder. "Absolution" is a short poem that contains three stanzas of four lines each. The word "absolution" means "forgiveness," and... Sure! Siegfried Sassoon fought in World War I and was wounded in battle; he spent much of his life speaking out against war, and these pacifist feelings are easy to see in his poems. This one, "Absolution," was published in 1917, the same year that Sassoon was hospitalized for what we know today as post-traumatic stress disorder. "Absolution" is a short poem that contains three stanzas of four lines each. The word "absolution" means "forgiveness," and the v...
Post a Comment
Read more

How and why does James Gatz become Jay Gatsby? Describe the young Gatsby/Gatz.

James Gatz, a poor Midwestern boy of probable Jewish lineage, becomes Jay Gatsby, a presumed WASP and wealthy socialite, when he moves to New York City and acquires his fortune. It is wealth that has allowed Gatz to transform himself into Gatsby. However, those who know his background (e.g., Daisy and Tom Buchanan) never allow him to forget that he is nouveau riche -- that is, an upstart who has just recently made his fortune,... James Gatz, a poor Midwestern boy of probable Jewish lineage, becomes Jay Gatsby, a presumed WASP and wealthy socialite, when he moves to New York City and acquires his fortune. It is wealth that has allowed Gatz to transform himself into Gatsby. However, those who know his background (e.g., Daisy and Tom Buchanan) never allow him to forget that he is nouveau riche -- that is, an upstart who has just recently made his fortune, whereas they arose from well-to-do families. Gatz became Gatsby through determination and discipline. At the end of the novel, the narr...
Post a Comment
Read more

In chapter one of The Great Gatsby, what advice does Nick's father give him? How does this make him a good person to tell this story?

Nick says that his father advised him that, before "criticizing anyone," he "remember that all the people in this world haven't had the same advantages" as Nick.  As a result, Nick claims that he is "inclined to reserve all judgments," presenting himself to the reader as a fair and dispassionate arbiter of character, and thus, a reliable narrator.   The problem is that Nick immediately reveals himself as anything but reliable, as he then launches... Nick says that his father advised him that, before "criticizing anyone," he "remember that all the people in this world haven't had the same advantages" as Nick.  As a result, Nick claims that he is "inclined to reserve all judgments," presenting himself to the reader as a fair and dispassionate arbiter of character, and thus, a reliable narrator.   The problem is that Nick immediately reveals himself as anything but reliable, as he then launches into a discussion of how pe...
Post a Comment
Read more