Chapter 8
1. What incriminating evidence is there against Justine?
2. Why does Justine confess to having committed the crime?
3. What was the effect of Justine’s confession on Elizabeth?
4. Why does Justine admit to committing the crime?
5. Why does Victor feel “such deep and bitter agony”?
6. Why does Justine die in peace?
Chapter 9
1. What had been Victor’s original intention and how has it turned out?
2. What keeps Victor from ending his life, and what does this tell about him?
3. How does Victor feel after the death of Justine, and why do you think he still keeps his secret to himself?
4. How does Justine’s death affect Elizabeth?
5. How does Elizabeth’s pain affect Victor?
6. Why does Victor go to the Valley of Chamounix?
Chapter 10
1. How did nature affect Victor and why does he decide to climb to Montanvert alone without a guide?
2. Whom did Victor encounter at the moment his heart is rejoicing in the wonder of Mount Blanc in its “awful majesty”?
3. What was the expression on the face of the person Victor meets?
4. How does Victor address the companion?
5. What does his creature tell Victor about himself?
6. What does Victor want to do to the creature he has created?
7. Of what does his creature say he is deprived?
8. Why does Victor relent and go to listen to the creature’s tale?
Chapter 11
1. How does the creature describe his first sensations?
2. What are his first experiences of life like?
3. What uses did he make of fire, and why does he leave the fire behind?
4. How did the villagers respond to the creature?
5. Why is it ironic that the creature refers to the “barbarity of man”?
6. What was significant about the three people who lived in the cottage next to the hovel in which the creature took refuge?
7. What did the creature notice about the relationship between the grey-haired man and the two others?
8. How was the younger man different from the others?
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Monday, February 21, 2011
Frankenstein 4-6
Chapters 4
1. How do we know that Victor became completely engrossed in his studies?
2. Why is it that Victor does not visit his family for two years?
3. Why did Victor decide to return home?
4. What particular branch of science most attracted Victor?
5. What knowledge did he pursue and finally attain?
6. Why does Victor refuse to pass on his knowledge to Robert?
7. What did Victor decide to create?
8. From what sources did Victor get his materials?
9. What does Victor know about his family and friends during the time he fails to write to them?
10. What does Victor realize about his undivided attention to his study?
11. By the end of Chapter 4, how does Victor describe himself?
Chapter 5
1. Describe Victor’s monster before he animates him.
2. What was Victor’s attitude toward the creature he had created?
3. What was Victor do when his monster came to his bedside?
4. What had become of Victor’s dream?
5. Why is it significant that the first thing Victor sees the next morning is the church and its high white steeple?
6. What does the arrival of Clerval cause for Victor? What might be the significance of this?
7. How does Victor behave when he and Clerval are in his room, and what does it tell us about Victor’s state of mind?
8. How does Clerval show his loyalty and friendship to Victor?
Chapter 6
1. What changes have occurred in Ernest during the duration of Victor’s absence?
2. How and why did Justine Moritz become part of the Frankenstein family?
3. Why does Justine leave Frankenstein’s family and why does she return again?
4. What is your impression of Victor’s little brother William?
5. How does Victor feel when he introduces Clerval to his professors and they show their instruments to him and talk about chemistry?
6. How did Victor pass the time during the winter he spent with Clerval?
7. What does Victor realize his pursuit of knowledge has been for him?
1. How do we know that Victor became completely engrossed in his studies?
2. Why is it that Victor does not visit his family for two years?
3. Why did Victor decide to return home?
4. What particular branch of science most attracted Victor?
5. What knowledge did he pursue and finally attain?
6. Why does Victor refuse to pass on his knowledge to Robert?
7. What did Victor decide to create?
8. From what sources did Victor get his materials?
9. What does Victor know about his family and friends during the time he fails to write to them?
10. What does Victor realize about his undivided attention to his study?
11. By the end of Chapter 4, how does Victor describe himself?
Chapter 5
1. Describe Victor’s monster before he animates him.
2. What was Victor’s attitude toward the creature he had created?
3. What was Victor do when his monster came to his bedside?
4. What had become of Victor’s dream?
5. Why is it significant that the first thing Victor sees the next morning is the church and its high white steeple?
6. What does the arrival of Clerval cause for Victor? What might be the significance of this?
7. How does Victor behave when he and Clerval are in his room, and what does it tell us about Victor’s state of mind?
8. How does Clerval show his loyalty and friendship to Victor?
Chapter 6
1. What changes have occurred in Ernest during the duration of Victor’s absence?
2. How and why did Justine Moritz become part of the Frankenstein family?
3. Why does Justine leave Frankenstein’s family and why does she return again?
4. What is your impression of Victor’s little brother William?
5. How does Victor feel when he introduces Clerval to his professors and they show their instruments to him and talk about chemistry?
6. How did Victor pass the time during the winter he spent with Clerval?
7. What does Victor realize his pursuit of knowledge has been for him?
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Frankenstein Close Reading Questions
Frankenstein: Reading Schedule February 17
February 17: The four letters in the beginning of the book
February 22: Chs. 1-3
February 24: Chapters 4-7
February 28: Chapters: 8-11
March 8: Chapters: 12-15
March 10: Chapters 16-18
March 14: Chapters: 19-21
March 16: Chapters: 22-23
March 18: Chapters: 24 End
Exam TBA
Letter 1
1. Where is Robert Walton going?
2. What has he been told by other explorers about the place?
3. What does he hope purpose does he hope to accomplish?
4. How did he prepare for this undertaking?
5. Where is he when he writes the first letter, and where does he intend to go?
6. What will he do at the destination when he gets there?
Letter 2.
1. What does Walton say he needs above anything else?
2. What influenced him to choose the lieutenant that he did?
3. What does Walton say sets him apart from other men?
Letter 3
1. What promise does he make to his sister?
Letter 4
1. Why were the men unable to move?
2. What did Walton and his men see?
3. What did the stranger want to know before he came on board the ship?
4. How does Walton describe the stranger’s eyes?
5. Why did the stranger say he had come so far north?
6. What did Walton reveal to this stranger?
7. What do you think the stranger says, “Unhappy man! Do you share my madness?” (Shelley 15).
8. What does the stranger say has happened for him?
9. Why does the stranger decide to tell Walton about his past?
Frankenstein Discussion Questions
Chapter 1
1. What happened to Beaufort and why is this significant in Victor’s life?
2. What kind of person was Caroline Beaufort?
3. Who did Caroline become and what is her relationship to Victor?
4. What seemed to unite Victor’s parents in a very close relationship?
5. How did M Frankenstein treat his wife and why?
6. Why did the Frankensteins travel to Italy?
7. How was Victor treated as a baby?
8. Why did Victor’s mother visit the homes of the poor when they were on the shores of Lake Como?
9. How had the child of different stock come to be living with the poor peasants?
10. Why did the peasants give Elizabeth to the Frankensteins?
Chapter 2
1. How did Victor and Elizabeth differ?
2. What kind of life did Victor’s family lead?
3. What qualities did Victor exhibit as a child?
4. What interested him most?
5. What was Clerval’s interest?
6. What influence kept Victor from becoming a sullen and isolated individual?
7. What caused Victor to choose natural science as his particular area of study?
8. What does Victor’s father unwittingly cause when he denigrates Cornelius Agrippa? Has something similar ever occurred for you?
9. How did Victor come away from his studies?
10. What became Victor’s dream?
11. Why was the thunderstorm significant in Victor’s life?
12. How did Victor feel about his new studies, and what has he later realized about them?
Chapter 3
1. What caused the death of Caroline Frankenstein?
2. Why did Clerval’s father decide that Clerval did not need a university education?
3. What did victor think about M. Krempe and M Waldman?
4. What was the difference between the ancient scientists and the scientist of his time according to M. Waldman?
5. What did M Waldman say the scientist of his time had done?
6. Why does Victor say “Such were the professor’s words – rather let me say such the words of fate – enounced to destroy me” (Shelley 38).
7. What was M Waldman’s opinion of Cornelius Agrippa and Paracelsus?
8. What advice did M. Waldman give Victor at the end of chapter 3?
February 17: The four letters in the beginning of the book
February 22: Chs. 1-3
February 24: Chapters 4-7
February 28: Chapters: 8-11
March 8: Chapters: 12-15
March 10: Chapters 16-18
March 14: Chapters: 19-21
March 16: Chapters: 22-23
March 18: Chapters: 24 End
Exam TBA
Letter 1
1. Where is Robert Walton going?
2. What has he been told by other explorers about the place?
3. What does he hope purpose does he hope to accomplish?
4. How did he prepare for this undertaking?
5. Where is he when he writes the first letter, and where does he intend to go?
6. What will he do at the destination when he gets there?
Letter 2.
1. What does Walton say he needs above anything else?
2. What influenced him to choose the lieutenant that he did?
3. What does Walton say sets him apart from other men?
Letter 3
1. What promise does he make to his sister?
Letter 4
1. Why were the men unable to move?
2. What did Walton and his men see?
3. What did the stranger want to know before he came on board the ship?
4. How does Walton describe the stranger’s eyes?
5. Why did the stranger say he had come so far north?
6. What did Walton reveal to this stranger?
7. What do you think the stranger says, “Unhappy man! Do you share my madness?” (Shelley 15).
8. What does the stranger say has happened for him?
9. Why does the stranger decide to tell Walton about his past?
Frankenstein Discussion Questions
Chapter 1
1. What happened to Beaufort and why is this significant in Victor’s life?
2. What kind of person was Caroline Beaufort?
3. Who did Caroline become and what is her relationship to Victor?
4. What seemed to unite Victor’s parents in a very close relationship?
5. How did M Frankenstein treat his wife and why?
6. Why did the Frankensteins travel to Italy?
7. How was Victor treated as a baby?
8. Why did Victor’s mother visit the homes of the poor when they were on the shores of Lake Como?
9. How had the child of different stock come to be living with the poor peasants?
10. Why did the peasants give Elizabeth to the Frankensteins?
Chapter 2
1. How did Victor and Elizabeth differ?
2. What kind of life did Victor’s family lead?
3. What qualities did Victor exhibit as a child?
4. What interested him most?
5. What was Clerval’s interest?
6. What influence kept Victor from becoming a sullen and isolated individual?
7. What caused Victor to choose natural science as his particular area of study?
8. What does Victor’s father unwittingly cause when he denigrates Cornelius Agrippa? Has something similar ever occurred for you?
9. How did Victor come away from his studies?
10. What became Victor’s dream?
11. Why was the thunderstorm significant in Victor’s life?
12. How did Victor feel about his new studies, and what has he later realized about them?
Chapter 3
1. What caused the death of Caroline Frankenstein?
2. Why did Clerval’s father decide that Clerval did not need a university education?
3. What did victor think about M. Krempe and M Waldman?
4. What was the difference between the ancient scientists and the scientist of his time according to M. Waldman?
5. What did M Waldman say the scientist of his time had done?
6. Why does Victor say “Such were the professor’s words – rather let me say such the words of fate – enounced to destroy me” (Shelley 38).
7. What was M Waldman’s opinion of Cornelius Agrippa and Paracelsus?
8. What advice did M. Waldman give Victor at the end of chapter 3?
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