Doe 1
Jane Doe
Mrs. Beard
English 1302
16 February 2015
Annotated Bibliography
Bennett, Betty T. "The Exercise of Power and Responsibility." The Novels and
Selected Works of Mary Shelley: Volume I, Frankenstein. William Pickering, 1996.
Quoted as "The Exercise of Power and Responsibility" in Bloom, Harold, ed.
Frankenstein, Bloom's Guides. New York: Chelsea House Publishing, 2007. Bloom's
Literature. Facts On File, Inc. Web. 10 Feb. 2015
In this literary file, Bennett examines the role of differentiating narrative viewpoints and
analyzes Mary Shelley’s purpose of incorporating catastrophic experiences that are
demonstrated through the characters. This is a reliable source because he analyzes
the theme and structure of the book while using his prior knowledge to compare Mary
Shelley’s character development to the philosophy and ideas of other novelists. It is
possible that Bennett has given the readers false information in the seventh and eighth
paragraph because he seems to doubt the idea that Mary Shelley was involved in
science, and Bennett seems to be more educated in the realm of literature but he is
giving some information about science. My topic is to discuss the theme of outcasts in
society and with Bennett’s knowledge of analyzing the differentiating narrative
viewpoints and comparing and contrasting Mary Shelley’s literary elements to those of
other philosopher’s, it would provide evidence to how rejection and abandonment
impacts the story of Victor Frankenstein, the creature, and all the other characters.
Doe 2
Bentley, Colene. "Family, Humanity, Polity: Theorizing the Basis and Boundaries of
Political Community in Frankenstein." A Quarterly for Literature and the Arts,
Volume 47, Number 3 (Summer 2005): 325–351. Quoted as "Family, Humanity,
Polity: Theorizing the Basis and Boundaries of Political Community in Frankenstein"
in Bloom, Harold, ed. Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley, New Edition, Bloom's Modern
Critical Views. New York: Chelsea House Publishing, 2008. Bloom's Literature.
Facts On File, Inc. Web. 10 Feb. 2015
In this article, Bentley discusses the theme of rejection, the relationship of the
community, and wants the readers to understand why relationships have a direct link
to the feeling of abandonment and rejection. Bentley also breaks down her ideas into
three different sections that analyze the role of humanity, family, justice, and history to
emphasize how all of these are tied together and impact society. This is a reliable
source because Bentley understands Mary Shelley’s point of constructing a book
based on the notion of how community impacts individual characters. Bentley is
reliable because she uses her cumulative literary knowledge to analyze and
summarize the main points in the novel. Although Bentley is a reliable source, in some
cases Bentley is using her own opinions to back up her ideas and arguments, and that
could lead to misinterpretation of Mary Shelley’s real point. This article can help
support my topic because the topic is about analyzing how Mary Shelley’s theme of
rejection and abandonment figure in the lives of the characters. I will use in my essay
by interpreting Bentley’s critical analysis to help support my argument that outcasts are
a peril to society.
Doe 3
Birkhead, Edith. "Later Developments of the Tale of Terror." 1921. Quoted as "Later
Developments of the Tale of Terror" in Bloom, Harold, ed. Mary Shelley, Bloom's
Classic Critical Views. New York: Chelsea House Publishing, 2008. Bloom's Literature.
Facts On File, Inc. Web. 10 Feb. 2015
In this critical analysis, Birkhead analyzes how Mary Shelley uses some elements of a
gothic novel but mostly constructed her book Frankenstein by imitating the novels of
other gothic writers. In this analysis, Birkhead also talks about the idea from
philosophers like Godwin. Birkhead is a reliable source because she tends to argue
against Mary Shelley and brings out underlying themes and problems that Mary
Shelley has put in the novel, which helps the reader visualize and understand different
aspects of the novel. Although Birkhead is a reliable source, Birkhead tends to destroy
Mary Shelley’s credibility by saying things like Mary Shelley wrote “her tale in a clumsy
framework” and that the letters at the beginning of the book were unnecessary and
distracted the reader from the effect that horror and suspense were supposed to
provide. Birkhead’s analysis would help my topic because Birkhead talks about
elements of a gothic novel and how Mary Shelley based her novel on the ideas of
philosophers. The use of Birkhead’s analysis would help me because Birkhead talks
about how gothic novels are based on the same elements, and that would imply that
novels with a theme of outcasts and abandonment would yield similar end results.
Doe 4
Jordanova, Ludmilla. "Melancholy Reflection: Construction an Identity for Unveilers of
Nature." In Frankenstein: Creation and Monstrosity. Reaktion Books, 1994.
Quoted as "Melancholy Reflection: Construction an Identity for Unveilers of Nature"
in Bloom, Harold, ed. Frankenstein, Bloom's Guides. New York: Chelsea House
Publishing, 2007. Bloom's Literature. Facts On File, Inc. Web. 10 Feb. 2015
In this article, Jordanova discusses the how Mary Shelley created a melancholy aspect
throughout the novel and Jordanova also explores the internal conflicts of the main
character, Victor Frankenstein. Jordanova also analyzes Shelley’s text on some key
chapters, and then analyzes the problems with science in that time period. This is a
reliable source because Jordanova can interpret and determine the tone and true
meaning from Mary Shelley’s passages. Although Jordanova gives a lot of good and
relevant information, Jordanova includes too much information on different subject
matters. In this article, Jordanova critically analyzes Mary Shelley’s purpose and point,
which is the literary aspect, but also examines the credibility of scientists in that time,
and additionally talks about the history of the scientist’s interest in natural knowledge.
This article would be useful in my essay because Jordanova determines that seclusion,
reclusiveness, passion, absence of satisfaction, the quest for knowledge, and varying
responses all factor into how Victor Frankenstein and the creature act. The key themes
that Jordanova discovered in Mary Shelley’s novel include instability, uncertainty, and
ambiguity would support my idea that with all three themes combined, a character is
left with the feeling of abandonment and rejection.
Doe 5
Zimmerman, Lee. "Frankenstein, Invisibility, and Nameless Dread." American Imago:
Studies in Psychoanalysis and Culture, Volume 60, Number 2 (2003): 135–158.
Quoted as "Frankenstein, Invisibility, and Nameless Dread" in Bloom, Harold,
ed. Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley, New Edition, Bloom's Modern Critical Views. New
York: Chelsea House Publishing, 2009. Bloom's Literature. Facts On File, Inc. Web. 10
Feb. 2015
In this critical analysis, Zimmerman analyzes and examines the conflicts of Victor
Frankenstein, which creates the consequence of a monster that is a reflection of him.
Zimmerman mostly focuses on how Victor Frankenstein felt abandonment and unloved
by his parents and as he created his monster, the monster also gained some of
Victor’s traits and also felt abandonment from his creator. This is a reliable source
because Zimmerman goes into depth about the origins of Victor’s feeling of
abandonment and how it progresses and impacts every action and thought in his life
and Zimmerman also compares Mary Shelley’s development of her characters to those
of other writers and novelists. I will use Zimmerman’s analysis in coordination with the
philosophies of John Locke, and Jean-Jacque Rousseau that living creatures are born
good, but experiences and social interaction corrupts our individual rights and destroys
our morals. Zimmerman’s analysis also ties into my topic and is relevant because
Zimmerman focuses on why Victor began to felt rejected by his father, the quest for
more knowledge to make his family proud, and how his creation led to the death of all
his loved ones, which ultimately left him, secluded and abandoned.