Final Frankenstein Dialectical Journal PDF

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Final Frankenstein Dialectical Journal...

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Bushra Mujeeb

12D

12/22/19

Frankenstein Pages 104 - 165 Dialectical Journal 1. Quote: “You must create a female for me with whom I can live in the interchange of those sympathies necessary for my being. This you alone can do, and I demand it of you as a right which you must not refuse to concede” (Shelley, 104). Paraphrase/Commentary: Here, the monster demands that Frankesntein create another monster that is a girl. He states that Frankenstein “must not refuse to concede” as believes that the least that Frankenstein can do is give him a companion after leaving him all on his own. In doing so, the theme of companionship is once again clear amongst the monster. Given that he has been rejected countless times by society, he seeks a companion that is like him and can be accepted from. 2. Quote: “Shall I create another like yourself, whose joint wickedness might desolate the world? Begone! I have answered you; you may torture me, but I will never consent” (Shelley, 104). Paraphrase/Commentary: Here, Frankenstein rejects the monster's demand to create another monster. While Frankesntein does have the dangerous knowledge to create another monster, he refuses to use it as he believes one monster is enough. In doing so, it is clear that Frankenstein does not care for the monsters well being despite putting him in the world by himself. The monster continues to be treated like an abandoned child. 3. Quote: “Once commenced, it would quickly be achieved, and I might be restored to my family in peace and happiness. My promise fulfilled, the monster would depart forever.” (Shelley 110). Paraphrase/Commentary: In this moment, Frankesntein begins to reevaluate his decision to create a companion for the monster. He believes that if he ends up making another monster, he will be free from the monster. Given that Frankesntein believes creating a monster will set him free, he seeks to make it happen. However, this goes to show that Frankesntein continues to abandon the monster and isolates himself from any company as much as he possibly can. 4. Quote: "For an instant I dared to shake off my chains, and look around me with a free and lofty spirit; but the iron had eaten into my flesh, and I sank again, trembling and hopeless, into my miserable self" (Shelley, 117) Paraphrase/Commentary: In other words, Frankenstein reflects on his life in the moment. Although he attempts to release his negative energy, it seems that he is unable to let it go. The monster has taken over him and the only way to exit his control is to continue pursuing his

demands. However, it is clear that Frankenstein put himself into this mess rather than being put into it himself. For this monster to, in a sense, blackmail Frankenstein is the only way he is able to cope with the bad that society has set him with. 5. Quote: “For my own part I was not sorry. I had now neglected my promise for some time, and I feared the effects of the demon's disappointment. He might remain in Switzerland, and wreak his vengeance on my relatives. This idea pursued me and tormented me at every moment from which I might otherwise have snatched repose and peace” (Shelley, 118). Paraphrase/Commentary: Once again, this quote demonstrates the power that the monster has obtained over Frankenstein. While there is a way for Frankenstein to be set free from the monster and create a companion for him, it also makes Frankenstein guilty as he is victimizing society. Frankenstein states that he has snatched “repose and peace” as he believes that him creating the monster has robbed society of their safety. Thus, he feels a sense of guilt for society, not the monster. 6. Quote: “Had I right, for my own benefit, to inflict this curse upon everlasting generations? I had before been moved by the sophisms of the being I had created; I had been struck senseless by his fiendish threats; but now, for the first time, the wickedness of my promise burst upon me; I shuddered to think that future ages might curse me as their pest, whose selfishness had not hesitated to buy its own peace at the price, perhaps, of the existence of the whole human race” (Shelley, 121). Paraphrase/Commentary: When Frankesntein contemplated his creation, he realized that he has to protect humanity from the monster that he created. Now, he is convinced that in order to do so, he has to sacrifice his safety in order to protect humanity from his dangerous knowledge. This quote continues to shed light on the idea that dangerous knowledge goes much farther than the extent one might imagine and it leaves responsibility in the creator's hands. 7. Quote: “You have destroyed the work which you began; what is it that you intend? Do you dare to break your promise... do you dare destroy my hopes?’’ (Shelley, 122). Paraphrase/Commentary: While making the female creature, Frankenstein contemplated on his creation and foreshadowed the consequences. Eventually, he decides to destroy the female creature which leaves the monster furious. When he sees this through the window, he feels betrayed as Frankenstein breaks his promise. Once again, Frankenstein continuously betrays the

monster and fails to make him feel a part of society. Despite the monster’s promise to leave Frankenstein alone if he fulfills his promise, Frankenstein continues to betray him. 8. Quote: “The human frame could no longer support the agonizing suffering that I endured, and I was carried out of the room in strong convulsions,” (129). Paraphrase/Commentary: Here, Frankenstein thinks of society and how it will be threatened with another monster. However, he fails to pay any mind to his creation, the monster. Instead of taking responsibility of the monster and remain from abandoning him, he does just that and only seems to value the safety of society. Thus, it is evident that Frankenstein depicts the monster much more than the physical monster. 9. Quote: "If for one instant I had thought what might be the hellish intention of my fiendish adversary, I would rather have banished myself forever from my native country and wandered a friendless outcast over the earth than have consented to this miserable marriage. But, as if possessed of magic powers, the monster had blinded me to his real intentions; and when I thought that I had prepared only my own death, I hastened that of a far dearer victim" (Shelley, 139). Paraphrase/Commentary: Here, Victor discusses how he feels ashamed of his creation and also reflects on his disappointment towards his marriage with Elizabeth. He states that he wishes he could banish himself from existence as he deems he has failed those around him. In other words, the theme of isolation is prevalent within Frankenstein, He fails to make a relationship with anyone such as his creation and even his wife. He is the complete opposite of the monster and can not deal with any sort of companionship.

10. Quote: "Such was my sentence, and on that night would the demon employ every art to destroy me and tear me from the glimpse of happiness which promised partly to console my sufferings” (Shelley, 139) Paraphrase/Commentary: In this quote, Frankenstein discusses how the monster would do everything in his power to destroy him and diminish his happiness. While Frankenstein seems to play the victim here, it is no surprise that the monster makes such a situation. Considering that the monster has entirely been excluded from society as well as abandoned from his creator, he is bound to hate whoever put him in the world. Thus, Frankenstein is bound to have such a relationship with the monster.

11. Quote: “Well, be it so; a deadly struggle would then assuredly take place, in which if he were victorious I should be at peace and his power over me be at an end. If he were vanquished, I should be a free man. Alas!" (Shelley, 139). Paraphrase/Commentary: Here, it is once again evident that Frankenstein wants absolutely nothing to do with the monster. He could care less about him and fails to give him any attention or value. This once again demonstrates that Frankenstein is a monster given that he isolates himself from those that are closest to him. He will do anything to remain away, as well as free, from the monster despite creating him himself. 12. Quote: “As I heard it, the whole truth rushed into my mind, my arms dropped, the motion of every muscle and fibre was suspended; I could feel the blood trickling in my veins and tingling in the extremities of my limbs" (Shelley, 144). Paraphrase/Commentary: Here, Frankenstein encounters the death of Elizabeth. While he stares a Elizabeth’s dead corpse, it all begins to make sense to Frankenstein. Frankenstein realizes that the monster has been killing those who are close to him leaving his wife for last. Rather than killing Frankenstein, with no pain, he chooses to kill his closest companion to have Frankenstein encounter true misery. In doing so, the monster is able to have Frankenstein experience what he has been experiencing for so long. 13. Quote: “I saw at the open window, a figure the most hideous and abhorred. A grin was on the face of the monster; he seemed to jeer, as with his fiendish finger he pointed towards the corpse of my wife” (Shelley, 145). Paraphrase/Commentary: Here, Frankenstein is grieving and the last thing he wants to see is the monster. However, the monster grins through the window and points to Elizabeth's corpse. In response, Frankenstein is reminded that this was the monster's way of revenge. At this point the monster leaves Victor in despair just like the way the monster felt when he was alone. Ultimately, it is clear that the monster gets revenge on Frankenstein consistently abandoning him. 14. Quote: "What then became of me? I know not; I lost sensation, and chains and darkness were the only objects that pressed upon me" (Shelley, 147). Paraphrase/Commentary: In this moment, it is clear that Frankenstein has lost all the control that was once in his hands. Given that the monster’s goal all along was to make Frankenstein as miserable as he was and he succeeds, Frankenstein is left in despair. This is all due to

Frankenstein betraying the monster to begin with. Had this not happened, Frankenstein would be in a much different situation. 15. Quote: “The die is cast; I have consented to return if we are not destroyed. Thus are my hopes blasted by cowardice and indecision; I come back ignorant and disappointed. It requires more philosophy than I possess to bear this injustice with patience” (Shelley, 160). Paraphrase/Commentary: This is a quote comes from Walton's last letter. He describes how he is disappointed and only returning home because of his crew. This quote is significant as it demonstrates that Walton realizes that he would much rather have safety and life than knowledge unlike Frankenstein. While Frankesntein pursued knowledge and was left in misery, Walton hopes to value safety and his life. Conclusions 1. Ultimately, it is clear that dangerous knowledge is a clear theme throughout the book. It all begins when Frankesntein chooses to value dangerous knowledge and hold godlike powers. When he succeeds, he is able to construct life out of death. While he believes this is reversing “corruption,” he is rather playing around with what he should have never played with. As a result, he is left with a monster that he is afraid of and feels guilty for letting free into society. Eventually, the monsters kills his brother and even his wife. He kills all of his loved ones to demonstrate the pain he has experienced ever since he was let into the world such as abandonment and rejection from society. Thus, dangerous knowledge leads one to the worst circumstances and provides them no mercy. 2. There is an apparent theme of companionship as well as isolation throughout the book. While the monster desires companionship, Frankesntein wants nothing to do with it. This contrast demonstrates that isolation breeds a downfall within oneself. Considering that Frankesntein continues to isolate himself from everyone around him, he ends up being lonely and left with no help from those around him. However, the monster ends up having control as he continuously desires companionship. It is clear, that companionship wins over isolation throughout the book....