Frankenstein
Study Guide Answers & Notes
Chapters 6-16
DIRECTIONS: All responses are to be done in the Homework section of your
English binder, but please feel free to type your answers and transfer the
printout to the appropriate section. Also, keep the Romantic and Gothic
characteristics and motifs we discussed from the PowerPoint presentation in
mind as you read and answer these questions. By the end of this section, all
characteristics and motifs should be apparent. Good luck and please do not
hesitate to seek me out for help and/or questions.
Chapter 6
1. Explain the arrival of Justine Moritz into the Frankenstein family, as
described by Elizabeth in her letter to Victor. Also, what recent hardship has
Justine been forced to endure, in regard to her original family? Explain.
 Justine is another unfortunate child who was brought in by Caroline to
live with the Frankenstein family has a servant (although Elizabeth
reveals that a “servant” in Geneva is not thought of as a lowly servile
position, rather as almost an extended member of the family who
helps out around the house and is thus treated with dignity and
respect). Justine’s father died while she was young and her mother,
for some strange reason, treated Justine very poorly, causing Caroline
to ask her mother to allow Justine to live with the Frankenstein family.
 As it turned out, Justine’s mother’s other children died and she saw it
as penance for her treatment of Justine. She then contacted Justine
and begged her to come home so they could reconcile. While back
home, Justine’s mother alternated begging Justine for forgiveness and
blaming her for the death of her other children. Eventually, Justine’s
mother died during the first signs of winter, and Justine has returned
to the Frankenstein family.
2. What effect does touring the university with Henry have on Victor? Why? In
addition, what effect does touring the university’s countryside have on
Victor?
 Victor introduces Henry to his professors, Waldman and Krempe,
resulting in internal grief and regret for Victor. Waldman and Krempe
praise Victor’s advancements in the sciences of natural philosophy
(not about the creature because no one knows what Victor has done),
but all their praise does is agitate Victor and make him feel uneasy
and guilty. Even the sight of chemical instruments bothers him.
Henry notices this and, probably feeling that Victor may fall ill again,
graciously changes the topic of conversation, feigning a complete lack
of comprehension in the subject.
 Conversely, while touring the countryside outside of the
Chapter 7
1. What does Alphonse tell Victor in his letter?
 Alphonse tells Victor that William has been murdered. Alphonse,
Elizabeth, Ernest, and William went walking through the forest and
countryside. Ernest and William went off playing but only Ernest
returned, saying that he and his brother were playing a hide-and-seek
game. The family began searching for William, returning to the house
shortly only to see if he had returned there on his own. William was
not there, so they lit torches and set out looking for him throughout
the night. Alphonse found him lying on the grass in the forest with
strangulation marks around his throat and neck. Elizabeth blames
herself because she had given William a picture locket of his mother,
Caroline, to wear around his neck and now that locket was missing.
The family now believes that William was murdered for the locket.
2. According to Victor, why does nature mock him as he returns to Geneva?
 While looking upon the beautiful and stupendous mountains, lakes,
and rivers of his home in Geneva, Victor feels that nature is mocking
him because he cannot appreciate its beauty and splendor (as he
usually does) with his heavy heart, weighed down by the grief he feels
over William’s death.
3. What does Victor see as he approaches the scene of the crime? What does
this cause him to realize?
 As Victor approaches the place where William was murdered, a
thunderstorm with terrible and violent thunder and lightning fills the
sky. During a bright flash of lightning, Victor sees the hideous and
gigantic outline of the creature, lurking nearby. In another flash, he
notices the creature is further away, and then disappears. This causes
Victor to realize that the creature is the murderer of his brother
William. Overcome with shock, grief, guilt, and remorse, Victor
wonders if William was the first of the creature’s victims, or if others
have suffered as well.
4. What is Victor informed of as he finally arrives at his home? Explain his
reaction to this news.
 Upon returning home, Victor is greeted by Ernest with news that the
murderer of William has been discovered. Victor panics, thinking that
people have discovered his terrible secret, wildly questioning Ernest
as to how someone could possibly have apprehended such a huge,
strong, and fast being as the creature. Ernest, confused by Victor’s
panicked response, informs him that Justine is the accused. Victor
rebukes this claim and tells Ernest, his father Alphonse, and Elizabeth
that Justine is innocent.
Chapter 8
1. Why does Victor feel that confessing to the crime would do no good?
 Victor thinks that his confession would be considered the “ravings of a
madman” and would not have saved Justine anyway, especially
considering that Victor was not present or even near Geneva when
William was murdered.
2. Describe Justine’s alibi on the night William was murdered. What does she
say she will rely on to prove her innocence? How does that work out for her?
Explain.
 Justine had received permission from Elizabeth to visit her aunt in a
village about three miles outside of Geneva. She was returning to
Geneva around nine o’clock on the night of the murder when she
encountered a man who asked her if she had seen a young boy who
was missing (William). Justine frantically began searching for him
and was unable to reach the gates of Geneva before they were shut for
the night. She then stayed in the barn belonging to a family whom she
knew, but did not awake them due to the lateness of the hour. Due to
her concern and worry, she barely slept at all, and when morning
came, she once again set out to find William. During her search, she
apparently travelled nearby the scene of the murder where she was
seen and questioned by a market-woman. Justine appeared confused
and was unable to utter a clear reply, due to her lack of sleep and deep
concern over the whereabouts of William. She has absolutely no idea
how the locket came to be in her possession.
3. Why does Justine eventually confess to the crime?
 Justine claims to have confessed to the crime because her confessor
(interrogator) harassed her into confessing so that she would be able
to save her soul. She says her confessor threatened and menaced her
(because like everyone else he assumed her to be guilty) so much so
that she even began to think that she was the monster that everyone
thought her to be. She gravely regrets her confession and believes it
to be far worse of a sin to confess to such a horribly lie.
4. Describe Victor’s behavior and thoughts throughout the trial. How does this
add to/alter his characterization since the beginning of the story?
 Victor desperately wishes to confess to the crime (he believes he is
guilty and responsible for William’s death) and trade places with
Justine, but he knows that no one would believe him. Throughout the
trial, Victor holds out hope that Justine will not be convicted, but once
she confesses and is hanged, Victor feels that the blood of William and
Justine is now on his hands. He curses his “thrice-accursed hands” for
committing terrible crimes against humanity (creating the monster,
causing the death of William, allowing Justine to be tried, convicted,
and hanged for William’s murder). He also claims that William and
Justine are just the “first hapless victims to [his] unhallowed arts” and
he promises that these tears of society will not be their last. This is
the beginning of Victor’s downfall (Fallen Man Gothic Theme).
Chapter 9
1. Describe Victor’s thoughts and feelings at the beginning of the chapter (first
two paragraphs).
 Victor is grief-stricken, guilty, and full of remorse over the deaths of
William and Justine, for which he blames himself. He considers
himself to be “…like an evil spirit, for [he] had committed deeds of
mischief beyond description horrible…”, and feels that there is much
more to come (72). Interestingly, Victor also allows himself some
introspection and time to consider his previous actions and decisions,
convincing himself that he began life and his endeavors with
“benevolent intentions”, but now that is ruined and he instead in a
“hell of intense tortures”. Consequently, Victor “[shuns] the face of
man” and only finds consolation in “deep, dark, deathlike solitude.”
2. What advice does Alphonse give to Victor in regard to his grief? How does
Victor respond? Why do you think Victor is unable to take his father’s advice,
or is it that he is just not willing to take his father’s advice? Explain.
 Alphonse, observing Victor’s grief, advises him to relieve himself of his
grief for the benefit of the other members of the family and for his
own sake. Victor must be strong for others, and he cannot and should
not hide himself from society and deprive himself of any joy. Victor
feels that he is unable to heed his father’s advice because Victor does
not feel the usual grief a family member would feel; instead, Victor is
overwhelmed with guilt and remorse because he feels responsible for
the deaths of William and Justine.
Chapter 10
1. How does the stanza on pages 79 & 80 reflect Victor’s situation? Explain.
 Victor seems to be lamenting what he feels to be the destructive
tendencies and perceived destiny of mankind. Directly before the
stanza, he states, “If our impulses were confined to hunger, thirst, and
desire, we might be nearly free; but now we are moved by every wind
that blows and a chance word or scene that that word may convey to
us” (79). In the stanza, Victor reveals that even while mankind sleeps,
“a dream has power to poison sleep”, and even while mankind is
awake, “one wand’ring thought pollutes the day” (79). Essentially,
Victor believes that mankind would be happier and better off if we
were able to resist tempting and overly ambitious dreams and
thoughts; unfortunately, Victor does not believe that mankind is
capable or strong-willed enough to resist, ultimately leading to our
eventual downfall as a society and species. Clearly, Victor feels he is
living proof of that, having strived for and accomplished a miraculous
feat under the premise of benefitting human society, only to see that
premise destroyed by Victor’s creation.
2. Describe the encounter Victor has with the creature at the end of the chapter.
 While Victor is at his lowest point in life, mourning the deaths of
William and Justine (which he feels responsible for) and possibly
wishing to die himself, the creature approaches him. Victor’s
despondent feelings are replaced by those of rage and vengeance,
which he quickly puts to use by threatening and attempting to attack
the creature. Clearly, Victor is no match for the creature, but instead
of engaging Victor in “mortal combat”, the creature pleads with him to
listen to his tale of misery and woe, claiming that Victor owes him the
responsibilities and duties a creator naturally would owe to his
creation. The creature apparently has a bargain he wishes to strike
with Victor, one that would result in the creature leaving Victor and
mankind at peace; however, the creature says if Victor does not
comply, he will kill and destroy Victor’s remaining friends.
Interestingly enough, the creature claims that he is “irrevocably
excluded” from society and “I was benevolent and good; misery made
me a fiend. Make me happy, and I shall again be virtuous” (82). After
a lengthy plea, Victor decides to follow the creature and hear his tale
because he is intrigued, curious as to what actually happened to his
brother William, and compassionate toward the creature, whom for
the first time Victor feels a creator’s responsibility toward.
Chapter 11
1. How does the creature describe his initial thoughts/feelings?
 The creature is very confused about his whereabouts and his own
feelings. He isn’t able to explain his feelings, especially his senses. He
survives on natural instinct and learns based on trial and error
(amazed that while fire can make him feel warm when he is cold, it
can also harm him if he gets too close).
2. Describe the three separate encounters the creature has with humans. Based
on the events/results of these encounters, in your opinion, how does it alter
or affect the creature?
 The creature first encounters a shepherd in a small hut. The shepherd
is frightened and runs away screaming. The creature is shocked by
the shepherd’s appearance as it is different than anything he has ever
seen before, but is amazed at the hut as he realizes it can keep him dry
and warm from the outside elements. He then proceeds to devour the
shepherd’s food. The second encounter occurs when the creature
comes across a village and enters into a home when, at the sight of
him, the children shriek and a woman faints. The creature ran as
some villagers attacked him and chased him away. The third
encounter the creature has with humanity is when he flees the village
and takes refuge in a small hovel joined to a cottage. The creature
decides to remain in the hovel and not enter the cottage, due to the
experience he had in the village. This decision demonstrates that the
creature is beginning to understand his role in society, or lack thereof,
even if he doesn’t understand why.
Chapter 12
1. What does the creature realize about the cottage family? What does he
attribute to this realization?
 The creature realizes that the cottage family (DeLaceys) is sad and
depressed, which he attributes to the fact that they are suffering from
poverty. Even though the creature believes they are not poor because
they have each other, he recognizes now the need for supplies and
materials (such as food), and therefore he stops stealing their food
and forces himself to live off what nature provides for him.
2. In what way does the creature begin to interact with the family, unbeknown
to them?
 The creature performed chores for the family, as he had seen them
perform them, such as gathering and chopping fire wood for Felix.
3. How does the creature begin to understand and acquire language?
 The creature, from his hovel, observes and listens to the family
communicate with one another. He is able to learn the names of
objects within the cottage, and the names of the cottagers themselves.
4. What is the creature’s reaction to his own reflection and why do you believe
he reacts this way?
 The creature is horrified at the monstrous reflection he sees in the
lake, especially in contrast to the “perfect forms of [the] cottagers”. He
was greatly depressed by this and now seems to understand why
everyone ran from him in fear. He believes that his appearance is
what will keep him apart from society and will therefore ruin his life.
Chapter 13
1. Who is the woman that comes to visit the cottage family? What is her
apparent relation to the family?
 Safie comes to live with the DeLacey family. She is the apparent love
interest of Felix and is the daughter of the Turkish man who was
wrongly imprisoned and sentenced to death before Felix helped him
escape.
2. How progresses the language acquisition of the creature? In what manner?
 The creature benefits from Felix’s language instruction to Safie, as he
becomes a silent and unknown observer, or student in the classroom,
picking up on the lessons that Felix imparts to her. While both the
creature and Safie progress rapidly in their education, the creature,
without any prior knowledge, is able to advance faster than her.
3. Aside from language, how else does the creature become educated?
 The creature listens to Felix as he reads to Safie from Volney’s Ruins of
Empires, which details the history of the world and several of its
empires throughout the years, as well as the different manners,
governments, and religions around the world. More interestingly, the
creature develops a disgust for the vicious and evil behavior of man,
though understanding that there is also a good and virtuous side to
man.
4. How does the creature perceive himself to fit into human society? What does
he base this on?
 The creature understands the system of human society and how it is
dependent on property, economic classes, status, and ancestry. From
this, he understands that the “possessions most esteemed” by
mankind are “high and unsullied descent [noble birth or reputable
ancestry] united with riches”. Due to this realization, the creature
determines that he is exceedingly alone because there were none like
him throughout all of mankind. This makes him immensely depressed
and he wishes that he had remained ignorant of the world and only
knew of the basic desires in life necessary for survival (hunger, thirst,
warmth, etc.).
Chapter 14
1. Describe, in detail, the history of the De Lacey family and all those involved.
 In Paris, Felix witnessed a Turkish man wrongfully imprisoned and
sentenced to death. Outraged at the apparent prejudice of his own
government, Felix plotted to help the Turk escape. While planning
with the Turk, Felix noticed his beautiful daughter, Safie, and fell in
love with her. The Turk offered to give his daughter’s hand in
marriage to Felix for helping him escape. Felix refused this offer,
instead wishing to win the heart of Safie. Felix successfully helps the
Turk escape to Italy, but the government in Paris imprisons Felix’s
father and his sister Agatha for Felix’s crime. Felix returns to Paris to
face his punishment and save his family. The Turk, who promised to
wait with Safie for Felix to return, betrays Felix and leaves with his
daughter, thus depriving Felix and Safie of their love for one another.
Safie then escapes from her father, whom she is furious with for
betraying Felix, and travels to Germany where Felix and his family
now live in poverty.
2. Can you find any correlations between specific members of the De Lacey
family and those people currently in Victor’s life, or perhaps even Victor
himself?
 There appear to be similarities between Safie and Elizabeth and
Justine, for the way they were all “adopted” or taken in by their
respective families. Also, Safie and Elizabeth share commonalities due
to their loving relationships with Felix and Victor, respectively, thus
drawing similarities between Victor and Felix as well. It is also
possible, due to the Turk’s racially-motivated imprisonment at the
hands of the Paris government, that the creature and the Turk are
similar in their unjust treatment by society (due to their race or
ancestry).
Chapter 15
1. What items does the creature happen to come across that advance his
education of society?
 The creature finds a leather bag with books inside (listed below).
2. Explain the education and subsequent reflection that the creature undergoes
through reading the following items:
 Sorrows of Werter
 The creature sees similarities between his loneliness and Werter’s
loneliness; however, the creature (who cries when reading about
Werter’s death) regrets that there will be none to “lament his
annihilation”, meaning that no one will care if he dies. This causes the
creature to wonder just how different he is from mankind and how, if
at all, he fits into this world and society.
 Plutarch’s Lives
 The creature learns of the different governments, societies,
religions, and rulers throughout the world’s history, as well as
the different sides to mankind (good and evil). He is shocked
that mankind can be so good and virtuous, yet at the same time
evil and vicious. He feels fortunate that his introduction to
humanity was through the DeLaceys, which allowed him to
prefer peaceful behaviors over violent and warrior-like rulers.
He understands that had his introduction to humanity been
through a “young soldier burning for glory and slaughter”, he
would have had different feelings.
 Paradise Lost
 The creature relates to the bible’s story of creation and
compares himself to Adam and Satan. He feels he is like Adam
in that he is the only one of his kind, but he is also different
from Adam because Adam was loved and cared for by his
creator (God) while the creature was shunned and cast out by
his creator (Victor), which leads the creature to align himself
more closely with Satan, who was cast out as the “fallen angel”.
3. How does the creature view the De Lacey family, in regard to himself?
 The creature views the De Lacey family as his “protectors”.
4. What plan does the creature have for introducing himself to the family? How
does it go?
 The creature will wait until Felix, Safie, and Agatha leave to approach
their father (who is blind and cannot immediately reject him due to
his appearance) and attempt to befriend him. The creature seems to
be progressing in his conversation with De Lacey, but panics and begs
for help when he hears Felix and the girls approaching. De Lacey is
startled and Felix attacks the creature when he sees him, causing the
creature to run from the cottage and retreat into hiding. Afterward,
the creature is furious and rampages through the forest wishing to
tear up trees and other forestation, eventually collapsing in fatigue
and going to sleep.
Chapter 16
1. What is the creature’s reaction to the treatment he received from the De
Lacey family? What does this reaction tell you about the creature? Explain.
 After collapsing in fatigue, the creature awakens, rested, and reflects
on the previous day’s events. He believes that he was too hasty in his
attempt to discover himself to the family and blames himself for their
fearful and violent reaction. The creature decides that he will try
again, only with De Lacey, and do so little by little so as to gain his
trust before introducing himself to his children. The creature seems
to be very rational and understands the significance of companions
and acceptance into society. He is willing to continue his attempts
because that is what he desperately desires, which also reveals his
terrible fear of being alone.
2. After the departure of the De Lacey family, NOW how does the creature
react? What has changed for him since the initial rejection at the hands of
the De Lacey family? What is the creature’s sole intent from now on?
 Once the De Laceys depart from their cottage permanently, the
creature is again furious and mortified. He felt that they, his
“protectors”, were the only people that would accept him, but they
have reacted to his appearance in the same manner as the rest of
society and mankind. The creature appears to no longer behave
rationally (burns down the cottage) and has now replaced misery and
the fear of being alone with vengeance.
3. Describe the events of the creature’s rescue of a drowning girl. Why do you
think, after previously stating his hatred for mankind, does he attempt to
save one of its members?
 While traveling to Geneva to seek out Victor (his creator), the creature
witnesses a playful young girl fall into a stream. The creature
immediately jumps in and saves the drowning girl and, noticing her
state of unconsciousness, attempts to revive her. A man (possibly her
father) appears and, witnessing the creature holding the young girl,
rips her away from the creature and runs away. Without knowing
why, the creature chases after them, only to be shot in the arm by the
man, thus renewing his vow of vengeance against his creator and
mankind.
4. What part did the creature play in the murder of William Frankenstein? Why
did he do it?
 The creature attempted to acquire William as his companion, planning
to retreat into isolation from society with a friend. The creature
believed that the young boy would not yet have developed any
prejudice regarding appearance and therefore would not immediately
reject the creature. Unfortunately, William is repulsed and frightened
by the creature and threatens to tell his father, M. Frankenstein. The
creature, enraged by the thought of this boy being related to his
enemy (Victor, although the creature mistakenly believes Victor is
William’s father) claims that he will be his first victim and strangles
him to death. The creature exclaims in ecstasy that he “too can create
desolation; my enemy [mankind and Victor] is not invulnerable”.
Additionally, the creature frames Justine (although he did not know
who she was) for the murder of William by placing the picture locket
of Caroline, which William was wearing, in Justine’s pocket while she
slept (the creature found her sleeping in a barn where he took refuge
for the night). The creature, enchanted by Caroline’s and Justine’s
beauty, believes that neither of them, nor anyone of mankind, would
accept him, so as a result of the treatment he received from humanity,
he blames Justine as the “source of the crime” and thus punishes her
for mankind’s crimes against him.
5. What is the creature’s request, or demand, of Victor, and why does he make
this request/demand?
 The creature demands that Victor create a female companion for him,
in the same mold as he and with the same defects, so that she will not
refuse him, like so many of mankind has already done.