ENGL&102 – English Composition II (Online & Hybrid)
Seminar Paper #1: Summary & Response
Seminar Paper #1 has three parts. Separate your response into those three parts. Write in
complete sentences and in paragraph form. It is important to explain any “specialized
vocabulary” that you use from the book. Frankenstein was written long ago and so we must
make our analysis make sense in our current, modern context. Don’t use terms from the book as
if they make perfect sense on their own; it is your task to explain them. Lastly, make sure to
support all of your assertions with examples. Examples convert opinion to analysis.

Part 1: Summary. Write a plot summary of the first two volumes of Mary Shelley’s
Frankenstein. Focus on plot only. Use your own words (no quotes) and resist
editorializing. 150-200 words.

Part 2: A Thread. Describe a thread that you see extending throughout the first two
volumes of Frankenstein. This could build on what you wrote about in Writing Exercise
#1 or it could be different. Make use of paraphrase and step into 2-3 quotations to help
illustrate the thread. Incorporate each quotation smoothly into your own language. 150200 words (not including quotations).

Part 3: Response. Apply the thread you wrote about in Part 2 to our theme of Outlaws
and Outcasts. Some questions to consider:
o How does this thread help you understand one or both of those terms?
o What characters from the book do you think are outlaws and/or outcasts?
o How is assigning these labels important to defining the characters?
o What connection can you make between your thread in Frankenstein and our
own modern context.
You are encouraged to use additional quotations and paraphrases as part of your
response. 200+ words (not including quotations).
Requirements: 2-3 pages; MLA format; double-spaced; 12-pt font; 1-inch margins; thoughtful,
interesting title.
Due Date: Sunday, July 3 at 11:59 PM