Tag: frankenstein

Community versus University (Frankenstein 1-6)

In the text, victor goes back and forth for some time about not wanting to leave home to go to school, and wishes he could stay home and learn like a close friend of his (Shelley 27). His first encounter with one of his professors at university of Ingolstadt involves Victor’s interest in natural philosophy is completely bogus and he needs to lean about the new sciences such as chemistry. As he begins to look closer towards chemistry Victor starts to loose focus on his family and friends back home which can be taken as foreshadowing of him losing himself. He admits to getting lost in the pursuit of discovery, and does not visit home or write home for two years (Shelly 31).

College is about becoming who you are, working on becoming an emerging adult and reaching toward independence. If Victor had stayed in Geneva do you think he would have had access to chemistry and experimenting like he did in Ingolstadt? Would staying home swayed him from creating his monster at all, or just delayed the inevitable?

The trouble with Alchemy is…

In Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, our narrator for the beginning section is Victor. Victor is a brought up in a wealthy home, where is can be educated on different subjects but found a love for what he believes is the sciences. Victor fell in love with alchemy, a mixture of science and magic. When he told his father, he replied “My dear Victor, do not waste your time upon this; it is sad trash” (Shelley 22). This was not an explanation to Victor about how alchemy had been disproven years ago, so Victor continued in this study. When Victor was sent off to the university of Ingolstadt, he meets two professor, M. Krempe and M. Waldman. M. Krempe ridicules Victor for having “really spent your time in studying such nonsense” (Shelley 28), while M. Waldman shows Victor that while alchemy is no longer practiced that chemistry grew out of those failures and discoveries. It was because of M. Waldman the Victor found his love for science again when he wanted to quit.

 

How do you think things could have changed for Victor if his father would have explained the issue with his studies sooner? Do you think it is important to correct someone’s academic mistakes early or do you allow them to try and figure it out themselves?

What if you did it for you?

In Frankenstein there is a part at the beginning where the narrator is explaining his life, he says ” Our studies were never forced…It was by this method, and not emulation that we were urged to application.” (Shelley 21). He says this meaning that he learned things that he wanted to learn and there was no pressure to be the best. He got to learn and study at his own pace, doing what he wanted for himself.  His parents didn’t force things on him and his friends were supportive but also studied their own things. Without the competition between friends, the narrator was able to truly enjoy his childhood for himself without worrying about doing what makes his friends and family happy.

The things you are currently doing/studying in your life, do they make you happy? Do you find enjoyment in them? Or are you doing it for somebody else, if so does doing it for them make you happy.