Frankenstein~Mr. & Mrs. Victor Frankenstein

"I shall be with you on your wedding night." p.141

Did Victor honestly think that the monster wouldn't stay true to his word? And also, did he never think that the monster might have not been targeting Victor this whole time. I feel like Victor saw their wedding night going two ways: a. the monster would kill Victor or b. Victor would somehow manage to kill the monster. I guess Victor sort of missed the pattern (the monster is killing his remaining friends to make his life as miserable as possible). If Victor truly loved Elizabeth, then why would he want to put her through even more pain and suffering by watching her husband be murdered by a horrific monster. Victor pushed up the wedding so that he could be at peace (either him dead or the monster). I think that Victor should have gotten a more solid plan together before rushing into a threat, if he truly loved Elizabeth. The monster proved to Victor that he certainly was with him on his wedding night.

Frankenstein~Irony

"But I discovered no trace of him, and was beginning to conjecture that some fortunate chance had intervened to prevent the execution of his menaces; when suddenly I heard a shrill and dreadful scream."

When he first came up with the idea of creating the monster, Victor was probably not expecting the being to destroy his entire life and send him into a state of madness. I find it ironic that the project Victor spent months on of tireless work and research ends up killing the majority of those who are dear to him. Victor destroys his life for the creature and for what? Not only has the creature killed Victor emotionally by murdering William, Henry and Elizabeth, but he has also caused Victor to become very sick and weak physically. In a sense, Victor's great misfortune in his life is of his own doing. Victor recognizes this throughout the story by confessing to being the one who caused the murders of William, Henry and Justine in the Irish prison. If Victor had never conceived the radical idea to create a monster, then his life would most likely be in a much more happy and stable state. The entire story is related on one ironic event.

Frankenstein~Internal conflict

"It is indeed a tale so strange, that I should fear you would not credit it were there not something in truth which, however wonderful, forces conviction."

Victor experiences much internal conflict throughout the novel. He fails to cope with the terror the monster has placed in his life after the death of Henry. Victor is stuck because he wants to confide in someone and tell them his story, but he fears that no one will believe him. He is therefore forced to carry the burden of this knowledge on his own, which drains him of energy and causes him to have poor health. Because of this burden, Victor also blames himself entirely for the deaths of William, Henry, Justine, and Elizabeth. The effects of Victor's internal conflict might be most present in the scene when he is in the prison in Ireland. During his three month stay, Victor lashes out in violent and frightful fits of screaming. In a sense, he is unable to control himself due to the conflict.

Frankenstein~Detail

"I have seen the mountains of La Valais, and the Pays de Vaud: but this coutnry, Victor, pleasees majestic and strange; but there is a charm in the banks of this divine river that I never before saw equalled."

Shelley includes a lot of detail throughout the book which is imperative to the reader's understanding. Detail allows the reader to know the setting a little better. The book is set in many different places including Geneva, Switzerland, Ireland, England, etc. If the reader hasn't been to any of these places, then detail regarding the geography or location of certain things is important. The detail throughout the novel also helps to create suspense. The reader has more knowledge of the eerie setting and therefore can anticipate another visit from the monster. Shelley's detail of Victor and Clerval's adventure help to characterize the two as well. Their interests and personalities are described at length in the novel.

Frankenstein~poor monster

"Felix darted forward, and with supernatural force tore me from his father, to whose knees I clung: in a transport of fury, he dashed me to the ground and struck me violently with a stick." p. 97

I kind of saw the rejection of the family coming, but it was still sad. I just don't see how creating another monster will really help the monster. How is he going to teach his new friend french? The difference in thier intelligence will cause quite a strain on their communication and relationship. Shelley really pieces the novel together to make everything work out. The De Lacey's are exiled from their country and are forced to move into a cottage. The family also happens to receive Safie, so they have to teach her the language. The father of the family is blind, which allows the monster to get closer to them.

Frankenstein~Characterization

"We perceived a low carriage, fixed on a sledge and drawn by dogs, pass on towards the north, at the distance of half a mile; a bieng which had the shape of a man, but apparently of gigantic stature, sat in the sledge, and guided the dogs." (p.8) The characterization throughout the first half of the novel is direct characterization. The narrator provides insight on the different characters by directly describing th characters. Indirect characterization is also included throughout the novel. For example, Victor is described through his own words, beliefs, and actions. The characters are not necessarily realistic. Because the story was written a few centuries ago, it is difficult to tell the realism of the characters. However, the idea behind the book (creating a monster) makes the characters less realistic. In the novel, Dr. Frankenstein (Victor) is the protagonist.

Frankenstein~Health

"Your father's health is vigorous..." (p.41). Health is one of the themes throughout the work. When a character is described by the narrator, their health is often mentioned. Elizabeth's contraction of scarlet fever is also a big topic in the novel. Health becomes an even bigger topic when Victor's mother contracts the disease from Elizabeth and passes away. The focus on health implies that health was an important issue during the 1700s. Health is something that we all as humans know and deal with on a daily basis. By mentioning health, the reader is able to better connect with the novel. The mentioning of health also dates the book in a sense; the time frame of the book is separated from today's world. For example, scarlet fever is no longer a fatal disease.

Frankenstein~Diction

"I returned home, not disappointed, for I have said that I had long considered those authors useless whom the professor reprobated; but I returned, not at all the more inclined to recur to these studies in any shape." Shelley uses the language of the time throughout the novel. The diction also suggests that the characters are from London, which they are. Because of the vocabulary, the reader can tell that the story was written a number of centuries ago as well. The diction is also that of an educated person. This is fitting in that Victor is a 'doctor,' Dr. Frankenstein. Diction plays a vital role in a story in setting the scene for the reader and allowing the reader to fully experience the story. Shelley does a good job incorporating the language of the time and the language of the characters in order to better portray the story to the reader. The old English diction is used throughout the first half of the novel.

Frankenstein~Benevolence

"My mother's tender caresses and my father's smile of benevolent pleasure while regarding me, are my first recollections." The word benevolence pops up quite a bit throughout the first half of the novel. Benevolence is used to describe a character's countenance, smile, or personality. Victor also uses benevolent to describe his professor in college. Not only does the word imply that there are many good and kind people in the word, but also that Victor has a rather positive outlook on life. Victor is also able to easily see the best in others. The use of the word also suggests the time frame of the story. Obviously, people tend to avoid the word benevolent in today's world. The use of the word gives the reader a greater sense of the setting.

Frankenstein~Framestory

The framestory in Frankenstein emphasizes the structure of the story. Robert Walton starts narrating the story through the letters. Next, Dr. Frankenstein (Victor) takes over the narrating for the majority of the first half of the novel. The framestory structure allows the reader to understand the material/information through different perspectives. This in turn gives the reader the opportunity to read in to the material more deeply. I've found the framestory aspect to be a little confusing. However, I feel that it works with the story in order to better portray Frankenstein. Overall, their are three narrators contributing to the framestory, which each include a very different perspective on the story.

The Kite Runner: Farid's outburst

"But Farid's face had flushed red, his lips pulled back in a snarl. 'I'm killing him! You can't stop me! I'm killing him!'" (p.256) I think that Farid's outburst mirrors the feelings that many of the Afghani people are holding inside themselves. They have to suppress their feelings for fear of being shot. Farid's emotions overcame him and he went crazy becuase he knew he could. For once, he didn't have to worry about being killed for yelling out against something that is wrong. Ultimately, Farid's outburst won't do anything to help. The people are stuck in a situation where they have nowhere to go. I would like to know what Farid would do if he was in the orphanage manager's position. Violence has broken out everywhere and those who would not normally use violence to help solve their problems are starting to believe that violence is the only way to bring about a solution.

The Kite Runner: Amir's Journey

"Then I told him I was going to Kabul (p.227)." Amir proves to be quite the coward throughout most of the novel. He can't bring himself to stand up for himself or Hassan throughout their entire childhood. Then, when his chance of redemption arises, he refuses to go and do what he knows is right. However, this time Amir realizes the gravity of the situation and the importance of his role in protecting Sohrab. Rahim Kahn has always been there for Amir. Rahim's role in the novel is to look out for the well being of Amir. To correct him when he's wrong and praise him when he succeeds. It takes a little bit of effort, but Rahim Kahn finally gets Amir to do the right thing because he knows that it is important in order for Amir to move on in his life.

The Kite Runner: Imagery

"I leaned against the gray stone gateway to the cemetery where Hassan had buried his mother. The old metal gates hanging off the hinges were gone, and the headstones were barely visible through the thick tangles of weeds that had claimed the plot. A pair of crows sat on the low wall that enclosed the cemetery (p.264)." Hosseini uses imagery to describe the scenery and setting throughout the novel. The imagery appeals to all of the senses through described scents, sight, and sounds. The imagery in the novel allows the reader to better experience the setting and the culture of Afghanistan. Because Hosseini's audience includes many who do not know the Afghan culture, it is important that he use great description that appeals to his audience. The imagery throughout the novel also informs the reader of the changes that take place. Throughout the beginning of the story, Kabul is an area thriving of color and life. However, towards the end of the novel Kabul is destroyed and transforms into a lifeless city full of violence and despair. Imagery allows the reader to understand the drastic changes throughout the novel.

The Kite Runner: Flashback

"We find the little turtle behind tangles of sweetbrier in the yard. We don't know how it got there and we're too excited to care." (p. 261) Hosseini includes many flashbacks throughout the novel. This serves to reveal more about the character's personalities. The book is also told through the perspective of Amir who is looking back into the past on his memories. Many times when looking back on our lives, it comes to us more in spurts of stories instead of chronological events. Therefore, the flashbacks make the novel more realistic. Flashbacks allow the reader to understand the characters more and make them more life like. The flashbacks can help the reader to better understand the reason behind certain actions that take place as well as learn how things turned out the way that they did. Flashbacks give the novel more description and help depict the changes that have taken place through the course of the novel.

The Kite Runner: Diction

"We're a melancholic people, we Afghans, aren't we? Often we wallow too much in ghamkhori and self-pity. We give in to loss, to suffering, accept it as a fact of life, even see it as necessary. Zendagi migzara, we say, life goes on." (p. 201) H osseini floods the pages of his book with colloquial diction. He uses many Afghani words and includes context clues to allow the reader to discover the meaning of the foreign words. The diction in the novel allows the reader to experience a closer relationship to the setting of the book, Afghanistan. Hosseini's use of foreign words is an indication to the reader that the novel describes a very different lifestyle than that of the majority. The foreign diction mirrors the foreign culture. The colloquial words and phrases not only give a sense of identity to the characters, but to the author as well. Hosseini reveals a little about himself through his novel. The colloquial diction throughout the novel serves to emphasize the setting.