“Rime of the Ancient Mariner” – Samuel Coleridge
&
Frankenstein – Mary Shelley
English 12 Unit – Mr. Sullivan & Ms. Schroeder
Name:
Due Date:
February 2014 – English 12 “Rime…Mariner”– Sullivan & Schroeder
January 27
Intro to class 2nd sem
Notes on “Gothic
Elements”
January 28
Resume DUE (w/peer
review sheet attached)
Samuel Coleridge
“Rime of the Ancient
Mariner” pts I-IV
HW: Read Coleridge Bio
& Take notes
Feb 3 (Resume returned)
“Rime of the Ancient
Mariner” Pts V-VII
In-Depth ?s
4
from Paradise Lost – the
fall of Lucifer + synopsis
all of Paradise Lost
HW: “Rime of the Ancient
Mariner” - Reflection
10 (Resume returned)
pg 29-46 A.R.?s DUE
HW: Read Shelley Bio &
author’s intro pgs. v-x
11
Pg 46-60 A.R.?s DUE
January 29
January 30
Gleaming a Better
Understanding Questions
for Part I-IV
5 11:45 dism + Assemby
Final Typed Resume DUE
Frankenstein
Intro Questions
“Rime of the Ancient
Mariner” Pts I-IV
In-Depth ?s
6
Letters A.R.?s DUE
In-depth discussion ?s on
“The Letters”
January 31
Samuel Coleridge
“Rime of the Ancient
Mariner” Pts V-VII
HW: Down with
Neoclassicism….
7
pg14-29 A.R.?s DUE
Walton Character
Analysis
HW: P. 1-14 & A.R. ?s
HW: P.14-29 & A.R. ?s
12 – Cohort Day –Resume 13
Pg 76-97 A.R.?s DUE
Pg 61-76 A.R.?s DUE
Creature Character
Prometheus story
Analysis
HW: P.29-46 & & A.R. ?s
14
Pg 97-114 A.R.?s DUE
HW: P.46-60 & & A.R. ?s
HW: P.61-76 & & A.R. ?s
17 Mid-Winter Break
18
Mid-Winter Break
(NOTE: READING OVERLAPS 2 VOCAB & 3
HW: P. 76-97 & A.R. ?s
19 Mid-Winter Break
A.R. SECTIONS. DO EACH
HW: P. 97-114 & A.R. ?s
20 Mid-Winter Break
ON SEPARATE SHEETS OF
HW: P. 114-166 & AR?s
21 Mid-Winter Break
PAPER!)
HW: Read p. 114-166 &
Active Reading ?s
24
Pg 114-166 A.R.?s DUE
HW: Read p. 114-166 &
Active Reading ?s
26
Ch 19-24 In-depth ?s DUE
HW: Read p. 114-166 &
Active Reading ?s
27
HW: Read p. 114-166 &
Active Reading ?s
28
Victor Frankenstein: The
Beginning
Quiz pages 114-166
Review reading over
break
3
Gothic Elements in
Frankenstein
In-depth discussion
questions ch.1-8
HW: Read p. 114-166 &
Active Reading ?s
25
In-depth discussion
questions ch.19-24
Romantic Pictograph
Victor, Walton &
Creature Analysis
In-depth discussion
questions ch. 9-18
PACKETS DUE
Vocab Test
HW: Finish In-Depth ?s
4
Theme Analysis
HW: FINISH Pictograph
5
Assign essay
Due Thurs, March 13th
Editing Day Tues, Mar 11
Intro to Les Misérables
H.W. Study Vocab
“Rime of the Ancient Mariner” & Frankenstein Unit
In this packet you will find the calendar, daily active reading questions/responses and
section analysis questions for the unit. You will be responsible for consulting the calendar
to keep up with due dates for reading and for assignments.
To supplement your understanding of the poem & novel, expect to be prepared to
participate in daily discussion regarding particular motifs and themes throughout the unit.
We will also have several other daily assignments to be done in class that are not
included in this packet. Check calendar for those dates and be ready to come to class
prepared to participate in these assignments.
While this unit will undoubtedly cover plot and character analysis, we will be paying
special attention to particular motifs presented by Samuel Coleridge & Mary Shelley in our
quest to discover the many themes of the poem & the novel and the overall writer’s
intent with each story.
Within “Rime of the Ancient Mariner,” the motifs that we will be particularly looking for are:
 Use of supernatural
 Imagination vs Order, Control and Logic
 Nature/Natural Man vs “Civilized Man”
 Spiritual Growth
Within Frankenstein the motifs that we will be particularly looking for all of the above PLUS:
 Nature vs Nurture
 Value of intellectual pursuits
 Value/place of science in society/world
 Treatment of the disenfranchised
 Pressures of the class system
You will be expected to actively read & flag your text for evidence of the above motifs.
This will be assessed daily.
Overall requirements for this unit:
Daily active reading flagging
1) Daily active reading questions & observations on above motifs (see active
reading sections of packet)
2) Section analysis questions (see section analysis questions)
3) Daily class work as indicated by calendar
4) Final essay to be assigned on March 5th – due March 13th.
Elements of Gothic
Art
Painting
Architecture
Literature
Samuel Coleridge – Notes
Born/died (include how):
Occupations:
Social Status:
Focus of Romanticism:
Major works:
“Rime of the Ancient Mariner” Vocab
Give definition, pg #, copy sentence from the piece and line #, create your own original
sentence.
averred– def:
Pg# & Line:
Original sentence:
sere – def:
Pg# & Line:
Original sentence:
wan– def:
Pg# & Line:
Original sentence:
wont – def:
Pg# & Line:
Original sentence:
corses – def:
Pg# & Line:
Original sentence:
penance – def:
Pg# & Line:
Original sentence:
seraph man – def:
Pg# & Line:
Original sentence:
perforce – def:
Pg# & Line:
Original sentence:
shrieve – def:
Pg# & Line:
Original sentence:
smote – def:
Pg# & Line:
Original sentence:
“Rime of the Ancient Mariner” – Active Reading
Fill in the appropriate information as we read through the poem
Part I
Setting:
Characters:
Plot Summary:
Main Conflict:
Theme:
Part II
Setting:
Characters:
Plot Summary:
Main Conflict:
Theme:
Part III
Setting:
Characters:
Plot Summary:
Main Conflict:
Theme:
Part IV
Setting:
Characters:
Plot Summary:
Main Conflict:
Theme:
Part V
Setting:
Characters:
Plot Summary:
Main Conflict:
Theme:
Part VI
Setting:
Characters:
Plot Summary:
Main Conflict:
Theme:
Part VII
Setting:
Characters:
Plot Summary:
Main Conflict:
Theme:
Part I-IV – Gleaning Better Understanding
1. Describe the mood conveyed by the “engraving” on page 815 of the text book.
What details contribute to this mood?
2. Look at lines 63-78, what two good things happen after the albatross appears?
3. In lines 63-78, why does the crew welcome the albatross each day and offer it food?
4. Look at the “engraving” on page 817, in what way do the mariners’ facial expressions
reflect their feelings toward the albatross?
5. Re-read lines 123-126, identifying examples of onomatopoeia. In what way do these
words contribute to the mood of the scene?
6. What details from lines 79-82 suggest that the mariner has feelings of guilt about
shooting the albatross?
7. Look at lines 149-180, what is the mariner’s reaction to the ship?
8. Again, in lines 149-180, why must the mariner bite his arm and suck the blood? What
does this say about his overall condition at this point in his voyage?
9. In lines 185-198, Life-in-Death and Death gamble for possession of the mariner. What
does the appearance of these two figures suggest about the mariner’s guilt and the
severity of the crime?
10. Who is speaking in lines 224-225? Why does the speaker fear the ancient mariner?
11. In lines 224-239, what is the mariner’s reaction to being the only survivor of the tragic
voyage?
12. Storytellers of traditional ballads often repeated words to help make their works
memorable. What ideas in lines 232-235 does Coleridge want his readers to
remember?
13. Within lines 248-256 suggest about the mariner’s feelings of guilt? What does this
suggest about his overall character (at this point)?
14. Using the first four parts of this poem, create a general statement about the mariner’s
developing comprehension of nature. Use specifics from the poem to support your
statement.
“Rime of the Ancient Mariner” – In-depth reflection
With a partner or two, thoroughly discuss and answer the following reflective questions on
Coleridge’s “Rime of the Ancient Mariner.” Understand that each of these questions could be full
essay questions, so your responses should delve into the greater aspects of this poem. For the
purpose of this assignment, it is not expected that you write an essay for each question, but it is
expected that your responses show your ability to analyze and look deeply into the greater
meaning of the poem and go well beyond plot summary. (Each of you will need to submit this
sheet)
1) Coleridge first published several poems, including "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner" in
Lyrical Ballads, (a book he shared publication of with William Wordsworth). In that
work Coleridge’s task was to take unreal situations, supernatural situations, and
somehow make them psychologically real. How does Coleridge take an unreal
ghost story and make it express truths about human nature?
2) The story the Mariner tells is gripping and at some points frightening (especially for
those who would have read it in its first publication). How does Coleridge use
elements of the gothic to influence the poem?
Down with Neoclassicism! Romanticism is Paramount!
For the following elements of Romanticism (R) explain how Coleridge exalts them (uses
them to prove his point) in “Rime of the Ancient Mariner.” For the following elements of
Neoclassicism (N) explain how Coleridge shows them to be fallacies throughout the story
in the poem.
Changing/Diverse
Universe (R)
Imagination (in the
writing & on the part
of the character) (R)
Nature/Natural Man
Holding Truths of Life
(R)
Endless Potential for
Spiritual Growth (R)
Order/Symmetry (N)
Calm/Control/
Restraint (N)
Civilization/Civilized
Man (N)
A Very Brief Synopsis of Paradise Lost
(Yes, it does sound like the biblical story of the beginnings of mankind)
Each book of Paradise Lost is prefaced with an argument, or
summary. These arguments were written by Milton and added
because early readers had requested some sort of guide to the
poem. Several of the books also begin with a prologue. The
prologue to Book I states Milton’s purpose: to tell about the fall of
man and justify God’s ways to man.
The epic begins traditionally in medias res. Satan and the other
rebellious angels awake to find themselves in Hell on a lake of fire.
Satan is lying beside Beelzebub. Satan raises himself from the lake
and flies to the shore. He calls for the other angels to do the same,
and they assemble by the lake. Satan tells them that all is not lost
and tries to inspire his followers. Led by Mammon and Mulciber, the
fallen angels build their capital and palace, Pandemonium. The
highest ranking of the angels then assemble for a council.
In the council, Satan asks what the demons think should be the
next move against God. Moloch argues for open warfare. Belial
twists Moloch’s arguments, proposing that nothing should be done.
Mammon, the materialistic angel, argues that they do the best
with what they have. Finally, Beelzebub, Satan’s second in
command, proposes that the angels try to get at God through his
new creation, Man. Beelzebub’s proposal, which is really Satan’s
proposal, is adopted, and Satan volunteers to find the new world
and new creatures. He leaves at once, flying to the Gate of Hell.
There, he meets his children, Sin and Death. Sin opens the gate for
Satan who flies out into Chaos and Night. Sin and Death follow
him. Finally, in the distance Satan sees Earth.
God watches Satan approach Earth and predicts his success in
corrupting Man. Man has free will. But God omnisciently knows
what will happen. God adds that Man can be saved through
mercy and grace, but he must also accept the just punishment of
death, unless someone takes on death for Man. The Son offers to
become a man and suffer death in order to overcome it. The
angels rejoice.
In the meantime, Satan, sitting on the edge of the Earth,
cannot see the way to Man. Satan disguises himself as a cherub
and flies to the sun to talk with the archangel, Uriel. Uriel shows
Satan the way to Man.
Looking at Earth, Satan is taken with its beauty but quickly
overcomes his sympathy to concentrate on what he must do. He
sees Adam and Eve and is entranced with their beauty. As Satan
listens to the pair, they talk about God’s one commandment that
they not eat from the Tree of Knowledge under penalty of death.
Satan immediately begins to formulate a plan.
Uriel, on the sun, becomes suspicious of the cherub whose face
shows changing emotions and goes to warn Gabriel. Gabriel says
that he and his angels will capture any interlopers in the Garden,
and late that night Ithuriel and Zephron capture Satan whispering
in Eve’s ear. The two angels bring Satan before Gabriel, who, with
God’s help, banishes the tempter from Earth.
When Eve awakes, she tells Adam of her troubling dream.
Adam comforts her, reminding her that they are safe if they obey
God. God decides to send the angel Raphael to warn Adam and
Eve to be wary of Satan. Raphael goes to Earth where he eats with
Adam and Eve. After the meal, Raphael tells Adam about the
great rebellion in Heaven.
Raphael says that Lucifer (Satan) was jealous of the Son and
through sophistic argument got his followers, about one third of the
angels, to follow him to the North. There, only one of Satan’s
followers stood up against him—Abdiel, who returned to God.
Satan attacks God and the Heavenly Host, whose power has
been limited by God. Nonetheless, God’s forces have little
difficulty in defeating the rebels. Michael splits Satan in half, which
is humiliating, but not deadly, because Satan, as an angel, cannot
die. After the first day of battle, the rebels construct a cannon and
begin the second day’s battle with some success. God’s forces
begin to pull up mountains and hurl them at the rebels, burying
them and their cannons. God is amused at the presumption of the
rebels but does not want the landscape destroyed. He sends the
Son forth by himself in a chariot. The rebels are quickly herded into
Hell.
Next, Raphael responds to Adam’s questions about the
creation of the world. The angel explains the day-by-day creation
of the world in six days. Then, in an effort to keep the angel
engaged in conversation, Adam asks about the motions of the
heavenly bodies. Raphael explains that Adam should leave some
questions to God’s wisdom. Next, Adam describes his own
creation, his introduction to Eden, and the creation of Eve. He
describes how beautiful Eve is to him and the bliss of wedded love.
Raphael gives Adam a final warning about Satan as he leaves.
Having been gone from Eden for eight days, Satan returns,
sneaking in through a fountain near the Tree of Knowledge. He
takes the form of a serpent to try to trick Man. When Adam and
Eve awake, they argue over whether they should work together or
alone. Eve finally convinces Adam to let her work by herself. Satan,
in serpent’s form, approaches Eve and, using clever but fallacious
arguments, convinces her to eat the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge.
After Eve eats, she reveals what she has done to Adam, who,
unable to bear the thought of losing Eve, eats also. Having eaten
the fruit, the two are overcome with lust and run to the woods to
make love. When they awake, they are filled with shame and guilt.
Each blames the other.
In Heaven, the angels are horrified that Man has fallen, but
God assures them that He had foreknowledge of all that would
happen. He sends the Son to Earth to pronounce judgment on the
humans and the serpent. The Son goes to Earth and makes his
judgments. He adds though, that through mercy, Adam and Eve
and all humans may eventually be able to overcome death. In an
act of pity, the Son clothes the two humans.
Sin and Death meanwhile have sensed an opportunity on
Earth. They construct a huge causeway from Hell to Earth. On their
way across, they meet Satan returning to Hell. They proceed to
Earth while Satan enters Hell in disguise. Satan appears on his
throne and announces what he has done. Expecting to hear the
applause of all the fallen angels, he instead hears only hissing as
he and all his followers are turned into snakes. When they eat the
fruit of the Tree of Knowledge which appears before them, it turns
to bitter ashes.
On Earth, Sin and Death see infinite opportunities. God, looking
down on the two, says eventually they will be cast into Hell and
sealed up. Adam and Eve lament, but Eve submissively asks
Adam’s forgiveness. He relents, his love overcoming his bitterness.
She suggests suicide as a way to avoid the terrible curse on the
world, but Adam says they must obey God.
God sends the angel, Michael, to take Adam and Eve out of
Eden. Before doing so, Michael takes Adam to a hill and gives the
human a vision of biblical history, ending with the birth of Jesus
who will be the savior of Man. Adam rejoices. Adam and Eve
together are led out of Eden. Behind them a flaming sword guards
the entrance; ahead, they face a new life in a new world.
Frankenstein Vocab & Background Info – Letters 1-4
BACKGROUND
The Arctic
When the novel opens, an explorer named Robert Walton is organizing an expedition through the
Arctic, the area around and within the Arctic Circle and near the North Pole. The Arctic Ocean
covers most of this region, and more than half of the ocean’s surface is frozen at all times. Travel
by ship is extremely dangerous. Huge sheets of ice float through the frigid waters, threatening to
crush the vessels that appear in their paths.
Did You Know?
In the letters, which set the stage for the novel, Robert Walton says he has been deeply affected
by the narrative poem The Rime of the Ancient Mariner, written by Samuel Taylor Coleridge, a
leading poet of the Romantic era. In the poem, an old sailor, or mariner, tells the story of a horrific
sea voyage that changed his life. Sailing in stormy seas near the South Pole, the mariner’s ship is
surrounded by ice. When the crewmen spot an albatross, a huge seagull-like bird, flying through
the fog, the ice splits open, freeing the ship. Then, unexpectedly, the mariner shoots the albatross.
After this act of cruelty, the ship is cursed. Driven north, it becomes stranded in a hot, windless sea.
All of the crew except the mariner die. Ever since, the remorseful mariner has traveled the world
to tell his story and to teach others to revere God’s creatures.
Walton’s comments about “The Ancient Mariner” are examples of allusion. An allusion is a
reference in a written work to something from history, art, religion, myth, or another work of
literature. Writers use allusions to give readers additional insights about what is happening in the
story and why. Shelley makes frequent use of literary allusions in Frankenstein.
For each vocab word given, copy sentence from the piece with line and/or page # and
create your own original sentence.
ardent - adj. passionate
Pg# & Line:
Original sentence:
countenance - n. face; expression
Pg# & Line:
Original sentence:
dauntless - adj. fearless
Pg# & Line:
Original sentence:
harrowing - adj. extremely distressing
Pg# & Line:
Original sentence:
irrevocably - adv. in a way impossible to change
Pg# & Line:
Original sentence:
mariner - n. navigator of a ship
Pg# & Line:
Original sentence:
perseverance - n. steady persistence
Pg# & Line:
Original sentence:
Frankenstein
Active Reading – Pages 1-14 (“the letters”)
ACTIVE READING QUESTIONS: Completely answer the following questions ON YOUR OWN
PAPER. These are due when your calendar states the readings are due.
Letter I -
Letter II –
Letter III –
Letter IV –
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
Who is being written to?
Where is the writer when the first letter is written?
What is the writer’s goal?
What “occupation” did the writer attempt and “failed”?
How was his voyage financed & how long did it take to plan?
Who is writing the letters?
Where is the 2nd letter written from?
What is the writer “missing” that he feels its absence as “a most severe evil”?
What is the “master’s” history with a particular Russian female?
The writer says that he is off to “the land of mist and snow” but that he will kill no albatross.
What do you think he means by this in his situation?
How is this letter to be “sent/delivered”?
What is the situation of the ship at the beginning of this letter?
What did the crew see when the mist first cleared?
What was the condition of the man who boarded?
How does the writer feel about the man who boarded?
Reading Observation:
Your Question:
How does this section “comment” on one of the motifs?
Frankenstein Vocab & Background Info – Chapters 1-10
BACKGROUND
Two Well-Rounded Characters
In Chapters 1 through 10, Shelley develops the two main characters in the novel: Victor
Frankenstein and his creature. She also introduces a number of minor characters. Both
Frankenstein and the creature have complex and multifaceted personalities. In this regard, they
stand out from the other characters in the novel. When a fictional character has individuality and
depth, and experiences personal growth or change, he or she is called a round character. The
opposite of a round character is a flat character. Round characters are life-like and threedimensional, while flat characters seem more like cardboard figures or stereotypes, and are not
as well developed.
Did You Know?
Victor Frankenstein develops an interest in science after reading about the “wild fancies” of
several noted alchemists who lived 300 to 500 years before his lifetime. Alchemy was a field of
philosophy that speculated about natural processes and often involved chemical experiments.
Medieval alchemists believed they could find substances that would enable them to transform
ordinary metals, such as lead, into gold or create a magical drink that would extend life and
youth forever. While alchemy is not true science, the alchemists did make some scientific
contributions. They discovered mineral acids and alcohol. They also invented types of laboratory
equipment and procedures, which were later modified and used by scientists.
For each vocab word given, copy sentence from the piece with line and/or page # and
create your own original sentence.
benevolent - adj. showing charity
Pg# & Line:
Original sentence:
commiserate - v. to express sympathy
Pg# & Line:
Original sentence:
consolation - n. something that eases sorrow or disappointment
Pg# & Line:
Original sentence:
discern - v. to detect; to perceive
Pg# & Line:
Original sentence:
fiend - n. evil spirit; devil
Pg# & Line:
Original sentence:
hideous - adj. extremely ugly
Pg# & Line:
Original sentence:
omen - n. a sign of future good or evil
Pg# & Line:
Original sentence:
Frankenstein
Active Reading – Pages 14-29 (ch 1-3)
ACTIVE READING QUESTIONS: Completely answer the following questions ON YOUR OWN
PAPER. These are due when your calendar states the readings are due.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
Where was the new man on the ship from (his family heritage)?
Who were his parents?
What does “penury” mean? Who is the word used to describe?
What is the name of the little girl who was adopted by the answer to question #2?
What is our story teller’s name?
Who was our story teller’s best friend – other than the adopted girl?
What type/area of education was the story teller’s main interest?
How old was he when he was enrolled at the University of Ingolstadt?
What happened to his family before leaving for the university?
Which professor berates him for his study of Agrippa? And, to which professor does he become a
“disciple.”
Reading Observation:
Your Question:
How does this section “comment” on one of the motifs?
Frankenstein
Active Reading – Pages 29-46 (ch 4-6)
ACTIVE READING QUESTIONS: Completely answer the following questions ON YOUR OWN
PAPER. These are due when your calendar states the readings are due.
1.
2.
3.
4.
How long does Victor stay away from Geneva studying at Ingolstadt?
What kept Victor from returning home? What was he able to do in one of his experiments?
How long did his study/experiments/work continue before seeing the “accomplishment of his toils”?
What was Victor’s first response upon seeing the first signs of life in his creature?
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
What did Victor dream about that night?
What did Victor do upon awakening?
What is the verse Victor recalls? What is it referring to?
Why had Clerval not join Frankenstein earlier?
How long does Clerval attend Frankenstein during his illness?
Reading Observation:
Your Question:
How does this section “comment” on one of the motifs?
Frankenstein
Active Reading – Pages 46-60 (ch 7-8)
ACTIVE READING QUESTIONS: Completely answer the following questions ON YOUR OWN
PAPER. These are due when your calendar states the readings are due.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
Who is Justine? Explain fully.
Who are Victor’s brothers?
When was Victor Frankenstein scheduled to return home?
What happened to Victor’s youngest brother?
When does Victor arrive at Geneva? What does he do when he gets there/where does he go?
What does he see in the storm?
What is happening to Justine? Explain fully.
Where do the Frankensteins go to “get away”?
Who does Victor blame for all the tragedies?
How have the events changed Elizabeth?
How long had Victor been away at school?
Reading Observation:
Your Question:
How does this section “comment” on one of the motifs?
Frankenstein
Active Reading – Pages 61-70 (ch 9-10)
ACTIVE READING QUESTIONS: Completely answer the following questions ON YOUR OWN
PAPER. These are due when your calendar states the readings are due.
1.
2.
3.
4.
What seemed to “soothe” the weight upon Victor’s “spirit”?
Where does Victor meet his creation?
What is the creature’s reaction/request to Victor?
Where does Victor follow his creature?
Reading Observation: (Next Page)
Reading Observation:
Your Question:
How does this section “comment” on one of the motifs?
Frankenstein Vocab & Background Info – Chapters 11-16
BACKGROUND
Did You Know?
There are many definitions of tragedy. In literature, a tragedy is a story that ends in the downfall of
its main character and arouses pity or fear in the reader. In general, tragedy also expresses a
tragic view of life—the idea that a noble person inevitably brings on his or her suffering or death
through some failure or error. As you continue to read Frankenstein, think about whether the novel
fits this definition of a tragedy.
A Fallen Angel
Do these words sound familiar? “Did I request thee, Maker, from my clay / To mold me man? Did I
solicit thee / From darkness to promote me?” This quotation appears on the title page of Mary
Shelley’s Frankenstein. It could have been spoken by Frankenstein’s creature. In fact, the words
come from John Milton’s poem Paradise Lost (1667) and are spoken by the character of Adam.
This book-length poem is a retelling of the story of Adam and Eve from the Bible. An equally
prominent character in the poem is Satan, the lord of evil. Milton depicts Satan as the chief angel
of heaven who rebels against God and is cast into hell. To avenge himself, he tempts Adam and
Eve to disobey God in the Garden of Eden. Near the end of Chapter 10 of Frankenstein, the
creature confronts his creator. He compares himself not only to Adam but to “the fallen angel,
whom thou drivest from joy for no misdeed.” In Chapters 11through 16, Shelley expands on this
allusion to Paradise Lost, emphasizing the parallels between God and Satan in the poem, and
Frankenstein and his creature in the novel.
For each vocab word given, copy sentence from the piece with line and/or page # and
create your own original sentence.
conjecture - v. to guess using the available evidence
Pg# & Line:
Original sentence:
disconsolate - adj. unable to be cheered up
Pg# & Line:
Original sentence:
enigmatic - adj. puzzling
Pg# & Line:
Original sentence:
flagrant - adj. highly offensive
Pg# & Line:
Original sentence:
pensive - adj. deeply or dreamily thoughtful
Pg# & Line:
Original sentence:
venerable - adj. worthy of respect or reverence
Pg# & Line:
Original sentence:
vengeance - n. punishment inflicted in return for a wrong
Pg# & Line:
Original sentence:
wantonly - adv. maliciously; without restraint
Pg# & Line:
Original sentence:
Frankenstein
Active Reading – Pages 70-90 (ch 11- 14)
ACTIVE READING QUESTIONS: Completely answer the following questions ON YOUR OWN
PAPER. These are due when your calendar states the readings are due.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
What were the first pleasures the creature describes?
How was the creature treated by people?
Where does the creature “settle” and what does he see there? Be specific.
How does he creature know the people he’s watching “love”?
How does he realize they are in “pain”?
How does he help them?
How did he creature learn language?
Who comes to relieve Felix’s sorrow?
How does the creature learn to read?
How does the creature learn about social status?
What were the names of the cottage dwellers?
How did this family end up in this cottage?
Reading Observation:
Your Question:
How does this section “comment” on one of the motifs?
Frankenstein
Active Reading – Pages 90-104 (ch 15-16)
ACTIVE READING QUESTIONS: Completely answer the following questions ON YOUR OWN
PAPER. These are due when your calendar states the readings are due.
1. What does the creature find in the woods? Be specific.
2. While reading these texts, what human characteristics ”rise” within the creature? What does he
abhor?
3. What did the creature discover in the pocket of the clothes he took from Victor’s lab?
4. What happens when the creature decides to talk to the cottagers? Explain fully.
5. What do the DeLaceys decide to do?
6. What happened with the girl by the stream? Explain
7. What was the creature’s intention upon meeting William Frankenstein?
8. Why does he frame Justine?
Reading Observation:
Your Question:
How does this section “comment” on one of the motifs?
Frankenstein Vocab & Background Info – Chapters 17-21
BACKGROUND
The British Isles
The British Isles include two main islands, Great Britain and Ireland, as well as numerous smaller
islands. They lie a relatively short distance off the coast of Europe and were once connected to
the continent. Four groups of people call the islands home, the English, Scots, Welsh, and Irish.
While the climate is uniformly maritime, consisting of mild winters, cool summers, and ample
precipitation, the landforms vary from the mountains and rocky headlands of Scotland to the
plains of Southeast England.
Did You Know?
Tales of horror create suspense by raising questions or uncertainties about the action in the
reader’s mind. Sometimes we don’t know what will happen. As we read, we wonder who or what
is responsible for the events that take place, or we wonder how the events came about. In other
cases, the tragic outcome is known or strongly hinted at at the beginning of the story. As we read,
the suspense comes from anticipating when the worst will occur or wondering if it can be
prevented. Authors often increase the readers’ feeling of fear or dread through foreshadowing.
They give hints that suggest or prepare the reader for a later event. Such hints, or foreshadowing,
might take the form of a statement by a character, a mood established in the description of the
setting, or the revelation of an important trait in one of the characters.
For each vocab word given, copy sentence from the piece with line and/or page # and
create your own original sentence.
base - adj. mean-spirited
Pg# & Line:
Original sentence:
inexorable - adj. unyielding
Pg# & Line:
Original sentence:
insurmountable - adj. impossible to overcome
Pg# & Line:
Original sentence:
irksome - adj. annoying
Pg# & Line:
Original sentence:
listless - adj. lacking energy
Pg# & Line:
Original sentence:
malicious - adj. deliberately harmful
Pg# & Line:
Original sentence:
torpor - n. state of inactivity or apathy
Pg# & Line:
Original sentence:
traverse - v. to travel across
Pg# & Line:
Original sentence:
Frankenstein
Active Reading – Pages 104-114 (ch 17-18)
ACTIVE READING QUESTIONS: Completely answer the following questions ON YOUR OWN
PAPER. These are due when your calendar states the readings are due.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
What does the creature want Victor to do?
Why does the creature say he is malicious?
What are some arguments the creature used to convince Victor to do your answer to #1?
What are Victor’s arguments against?
What is Victor’s decision?
What does Victor’s father propose as a help to Victor’s melancholy?
What does Victor want to do first?
Who goes with Victor?
Reading Observation:
Your Question:
How does this section “comment” on one of the motifs?
Frankenstein
Active Reading – Pages 114-136 (ch 19-21)
ACTIVE READING QUESTIONS: Completely answer the following questions ON YOUR OWN
PAPER. These are due when your calendar states the readings are due.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
Where are they at the beginning of the chapter? How long do they stay there?
Where do they go next? Why?
Where does Victor begin his “labours”?
What is the condition of this place?
While working, Victor takes a moment to contemplate. How long has it been since he brought life
to the first creature?
What does Victor fear the creatures will do in their exile?
What does Victor do to then 2nd creature?
Where does the creature promise to be?
Upon arriving in Ireland, what does Frankenstein discover?
How long is Victor sick from this?
Who comes to care for Victor?
How does Victor react to the presence of this person?
Reading Observation:
Your Question:
How does this section “comment” on one of the motifs?
Frankenstein Vocab & Background Info – Chapters 22-24
BACKGROUND
Did You Know?
Five years after Frankenstein was published, Mary Shelley saw the first dramatic production of her
novel. She liked the actor’s portrayal of her creature. How well she might like the hundreds of
interpretations since is interesting speculation. In the 1931 film Frankenstein, starring English actor
Boris Karloff, the monster comes to life on an operating table after being zapped with electricity.
Given a huge, squared-off skull and pale corpse-like skin, Karloff portrayed the monster as a
gentle, almost childlike character. His interpretation struck a chord with audiences, especially
young children, from whom he received much fan mail. In the 1995 film version of the novel, Mary
Shelley’s Frankenstein, Robert De Niro, an actor known for his violent tough-guy roles, was cast as
the creature. The director, Kenneth Branagh, explained, “I wanted a wise and intelligent and
multifaceted Creature who could be angry and even funny at times, and who would have a
sense of humor, however darkly ironic.” To develop the physical appearance of the creature,
make-up artists did research in books from the early 1800s on surgery, skin disorders, and
embalming. They wanted to find out what Frankenstein would have been able to achieve using
the techniques and knowledge available at the time. The result is a gray, scarred, hulking,
patchwork sort of man.
Two Characters in One?
Many people who have not read Shelley’s novel think that Frankenstein is the name of the
creature, not the scientist who brought him to life. Careful readers of the novel, however, point
out that this mistake has a certain symbolic truth. They see the two characters as doubles of each
other, or two parts of a divided self. The idea of the double comes from German folklore and is
known as the doppelgänger (“double goer”). The concept was based on the ancient belief that
each living creature has an exact double who exists as a spirit or ghost. Many writers of horror
stories have employed the idea of the double. For example, in Robert Louis Stevenson’s novella of
double identity, The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, a respectable doctor becomes a
murderous stalker by night.
For each vocab word given, copy sentence from the piece with line and/or page # and
create your own original sentence.
adversary - n. enemy; opponent
Pg# & Line:
Original sentence:
consternation - n. state of confusion
Pg# & Line:
Original sentence:
illustrious - adj. very distinguished
Pg# & Line:
Original sentence:
omnipotent - adj. all-powerful
Pg# & Line:
Original sentence:
pilgrimage - n. long journey for a spiritual purpose
Pg# & Line:
Original sentence:
Frankenstein
Active Reading – Pages 136-149 (ch 22 – 23)
ACTIVE READING QUESTIONS: Completely answer the following questions ON YOUR OWN
PAPER. These are due when your calendar states the readings are due.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
As they travel home, how does Victor’s father begin to view Victor?
In his letter from Elizabeth what does Elizabeth want to know?
How does Victor answer?
How is Elizabeth acting as the wedding nears/happens and they embark on their honeymoon?
What is the first night of their honeymoon like?
How does the creature enact his revenge?
What happened to Victor’s father?
What happens to Victor after your answer to #3?
How does the magistrate respond to Victor?
Reading Observation:
Your Question:
How does this section “comment” on one of the motifs?
Frankenstein
Active Reading – Pages 149-166 (ch 24)
ACTIVE READING QUESTIONS: Completely answer the following questions ON YOUR OWN
PAPER. These are due when your calendar states the readings are due.
1.
2.
3.
4.
Where does Victor go before leaving Geneva for good?
What is the creature satisfied with?
How did Victor get to Walton’s ship? List the trip from Geneva to the boat?
What does Victor ask of Walton?
5. What does Victor warn Walton about the creature?
6. Walton tells his sister that he really wants to know something from Frankenstein but that Frankenstein
will not tell him. What is this?
7. What is Walton most sad about?
8. What is threatening Walton’s vessel?
9. What does Walton fear because of this?
10. What does Frankenstein say to Walton’s crew?
11. What does Walton decide to do?
12. What are Victor’s last words of “advice” to Walton?
13. According to the creature, why did he go after Elizabeth?
14. What has the creature really desired all along (although he never gets it)?
15. What are the creature’s plans as he leaves Walton’s vessel?
Reading Observation:
Your Question:
How does this section “comment” on one of the motifs?
Frankenstein – The opening chapters 1-8
Briefly review the assigned chapters so far. After doing this answer the
following questions, using complete sentences. You may work with ONE
partner.
Analyzing Literature
1. Who is Elizabeth and how does Frankenstein feel about her? What does their relationship tell
you about Frankenstein’s values and personality? (3 pts)
2. What is Frankenstein’s purpose in pursuing science and philosophy? How do you interpret
Frankenstein’s initial response to the success of his experiment? For someone so engaged in
his pursuit of knowledge and advancement, why does he react this way? (3 pts)
3. Frankenstein says, “I shunned my fellow creatures as if I had been guilty of a crime.” From your
reading, give specific examples of Frankenstein’s isolation from others. What does this tell you
about his personality and his goals? Explain. (5 pts)
4. How is Frankenstein affected by the knowledge that the creature may be responsible for the
death of William? In Chapter 7, what statement suggests that he views the creature as part of
himself? Do you agree with Frankenstein that he bears some responsibility for the death? Why?
(5 pts)
5. What does Frankenstein think of the creature when he meets him in Chapter 10? Why does he
decide to follow the creature and listen to his story? Explain? (4 pts)
Personal Response
7. What do you think of Victor Frankenstein as a student and scientist? What do you admire or
dislike about his goals? Explain. Use ALL the space provided! (10 pts)
Extended Responses
8. Evaluate the character of Victor Frankenstein using evidence from Chapters 1 through 10 of the
novel. Focus your discussion on the following questions as well as others that occurred to you as
you were reading. For full credit, you must USE ALL THE SPACE PROVIDED!!!! (20 pts)
• What can you infer about Frankenstein’s character from his close personal relationships? …his
scientific project? In your opinion, is he an appealing person?
• Do you think that Frankenstein went too far in his quest for knowledge? Did he have a good
motive for his project? Did he have adequate knowledge to begin his project? Did he
consider possible consequences of his actions?
• How is Frankenstein affected by what happens after he abandons the creature? Why does he
call himself the “true murderer” of William?
Frankenstein – Chapters 9-18
Briefly review the assigned chapters so far. After doing this answer the
following questions, using complete sentences. You may work with ONE
partner.
Analyzing Literature
1. How is Victor feeling now that William and Justine have died? Is he consolable? What does
he turn to in order to find some peace? In terms of Romanticism, why is this appropriate? (4 pts)
2. What does Frankenstein think of the creature when he meets him in Chapter 10? Why does he
decide to follow the creature and listen to his story? Explain? (3 pts)
3. Why is the creature drawn to the family in the cottage? What qualities of the family affect the
creature? How does the family’s reaction to the creature affect his view of himself and the
human race? (3 pts)
4. After reading Paradise Lost, why does the creature think he is like Adam in that book? Why
does he think he is like Satan? What are the specific reasons that the creature gives for hating
his creator? Which do you think is more accurate comparison? Why? (3 pts)
5. How does the creature cause the deaths of William and Justine? What does the murder of
William tell the creature about himself? According to the creature, what can save him from
doing evil? Do you agree? Why/why not? (3 pts)
6. What arguments does the creature use to persuade Frankenstein to make the female
creature? Are the valid reasons? Explain. In your opinion, should Victor create a second
creature that is female? (3pts)
7. How has Frankenstein’s decision affected Frankenstein’s mood and personal life? (3 pts)
8. Thus far, do you find the creature more or less sympathetic than the character of Victor
Frankenstein? Explain. (3 pts)
9. How believable is the account of the creature’s education? Refer to the novel and your own
experience in your answer. (3 pts)
Personal Response
10. What questions would you like to ask the creature? (You must come up with at least 3 real,
thoughtful questions.) (6 pts)
1)
2)
3)
Literature and Writing
11. Now that you have heard the creature’s story, do you think he is justified in declaring an “everlasting war” against the human species and his creator? Debate this question with your
partner and write down your and your partner’s points. For full credit, you will need to use all
the space provided. (10 pts)
Frankenstein – Chapters 19-24
Briefly review the assigned chapters so far. After doing this answer the
following questions, using complete sentences. You may work with ONE
partner.
Analyzing Literature
1. What keeps Frankenstein from completing the second creature? (You need several reasons here) In
your opinion, does Frankenstein make a good decision? Or should he have finished the creature?
2.
How does Frankenstein become lost at sea? What happens when he lands in Ireland? Do the people
have the right to suspect this man “from the sea”? How probable do you think this whole situation is? (3
pts)
3. Why does he call himself Henry Clerval’s murderer? Do you agree or disagree with this? Explain. (3 pts)
4. What happens to Elizabeth? What is ironic, or unexpected, about the creature’s revenge on
Frankenstein? In your opinion, why does the creature direct his revenge to Frankenstein’s wedding? Is it
effective? Explain. (3 pts)
5. How does Shelley show that Frankenstein and the creature are both obsessed with revenge? Does either
of them win? Explain. (3 pts)
6. How sympathetic is the creature as he looks upon the dead body of his creator? Victor states that the
creature is eloquent and persuasive but evil with a fiend-like malice. How does the creature appear to
you in his final scene with Walton? (4 pts)
7. How do you think Frankenstein failed or erred as a human being? What traits or attributes, do you think,
led to the creature’s fate? What compelled Frankenstein to pursue such endeavors? (4 pts)
8. Does Frankenstein’s story have any effect on Walton? If so, what? If not, why? (4 pts)
Personal Response
11. Did the ending of the novel surprise you? Can you imagine a different ending to the novel? What
would that different ending be? How it would it have “worked” in terms of the tone, mood and set up
of the novel as a whole? (10 pts)