Book club: 'Frankenstein' session

We had a fantastic discussion of "Frankenstein" today; beyond the standard plot summaries. All four children surprised me with the depth of their understanding of some of the thematic issues.

The past couple weeks we've had some wide-ranging discussions about the notion of playing God, and whether Victor was in his rights or not to create life. Today there was discussion, backed up with some pretty solid reasoning, about whether Victor should have created the monster a companion, as he originally had promised to do. It was interesting to hear each of the kids weigh in on whether Victor should be concerned more with what the monster's descendants might do, years later, or with his obligation to the immediate problem of the monster's isolation and loneliness.

It was a fascinating discussion, however brief, and it was a kick to hear it coming from children who are only at the end of what would be middle school age. It's a sign that they're starting to process some of the deeper underlying issues of what they're reading, and not just with the surface story. That's fantastic to see at any age, but especially as young as they are.

 

If anyone is interested, sci-fi author Fred Saberhagen has written other books about Shelley's creation. There is also a mashup of Sherlock Holmes and the monster, by Dan Baranowski. I've no idea if it's any good, but it's available online fromAmazon.

Thanks to everyone to all for a good fall "semester." Looking forward to continuing after the holidays, with "Jane Eyre."

Book club: Discussion questions for 'Frankenstein'

Shelley spends about as much time developing the monster's "childhood" as she does telling us about Victor's formative years. For instance, Victor grows up in a loving family, with parents who take in the children of strangers to ensure that these children have a future, and they evidently pour a lot of love out upon him, his brothers and his "cousin." The monster, meanwhile, spends more than a year in the presence of a deeply loving French family, and feels himself warmed by the deep affection they have for another.

 

And, like his creator, the monster is devoted to his adopted family and does all manner of things to help them, to the point that they call him a friendly spirit.

 

So:

 

1) What are some other similarites between the monster's story and Victor's, and what are some differences?

2) The monster never has a name except for the invective that Victor keeps heaping upon it. How does that affect how we view it?

3) Now that you've read the monster's story, and understand what drove it to kill William, whom do you consider to be more evil: the monster, or Victor?