Post Number Une- Mary Shelley's Frankenstein

Katy Misel

I am reading Frankenstein, a classic by Mary Shelley. I have read to chapter 5. This might not seem like far but the first pages are filled with introductions telling about the time period in which Mary Shelly lived and wrote the book. An some in site about what is going to happen in the book. Then it gives the preface which is these letters written by Robert Walton to his sister. The letters were very confusing at first but now as I am going though the book, a bit more, I can see that they are almost a kind of metaphor to the beginning of the book Frankenstein. So Far I have read about Victor Frankenstein's childhood and early life. How his father married his mother and about how the family acquired his adopted sister, (who Victor becomes convinced he will marry) and his leaving his home to go of to collage. Shortly before he leaves, though, his mother dies from a plague. This is really the beginning of much hardship endured by Victor. When he goes off to collage he becomes interested in natural sciences. This is where he begins to study about reanimation of life. For months he neglects everything he knows to create his final master piece. He becomes very sickly. On a stormy night Victor finally completes his master piece. But he is horrified at his creation, and runs out of the apartment. The next day he meets up will an old friend, and when Victor becomes ill later that day his friend takes care of him for several weeks. When he is well again their is a letter awaiting him from Elizabeth(sister). I do like the book so far. It was confusing at first and I wasn't sure if it would even make since to me. But as the actual chapters started it made more since. If I had to name one theme in the book so far its that even though Victor had a grate childhood you can't always bank on the future being the same way. You have to work for it. Really the only character is Victor. He has changed in many ways going from a happy go lucky kid to a angry, depressed young adult. A cool quote was "I will pioneer a new way, explore unknown powers, and unfold to the world the deepest mysteries of creation." This is important because it shows what Victor was thinking what he was doing, something good and worth while to better man kind. I have really no questions at this point in my book.