The book is unlike others, as it has three narrators; Frankenstein, Robert Walton and the monster. They all tell the story, and give the reader different insights - which is what makes the book very unique. I think this is very effective because it can make the reader feel different emotions for each character. An example of this is when Victor Frankenstein tells us his own story. It makes the reader feel more sympathetic towards him because the reader experiences the tragedies and heartache that Frankenstein feels. We can also see this in the monster, seeing that when he is narrating, the reader understands the emotions that the monster is feeling, when he is talking about how lonely he is. This technique is very effective in Mary Shelley’s narrative and helps the reader to get more into the novel.
Chapter 5 is a crucial chapter in Frankenstein, as it is when the monster comes alive and it’s a turning point in the novel. Chapter 5 is the chapter that gives ‘Frankenstein’ its character, and it’s the most important piece of writing that has helped the book keep audiences entertained for nearly 190 years. Mary Shelley sets the atmosphere especially well at the beginning of the novel. ‘It was a dreary night of November that I beheld the accomplishment of my toils’. This sets the scene and compares the weather to the mood of Frankenstein, because Frankenstein had been making the monster for about two years - so he had become dreary and looking very unwell. This is just like the weather at the start of the chapter, and makes the reader feel the same as Frankenstein, because of the weather being ‘dreary’. This sentence also sets the scene very well as it shows it was dark and gloomy, which is perfect in getting the reader in the mood for the chapter. Also, Mary Shelley sets the scene by giving the reader a very clear image. This is shown where it says ‘the rain pattered dismally against the panes, and my candle was nearly burnt out’. This gives the reader a very creepy image and is a very good way to set the scene for bringing a monster to life.
During chapter five we see the use of many powerful adjectives and descriptions that make the chapter very detailed. These are used all throughout the book, but even more so in chapter five. These are what have made the narrative effective. as they keep the reader interested in the book. These are also what have horrified readers because it is so detailed; it makes the novel seem more life like – especially when describing what the characters look like.
The description of the monster is what makes chapter five one of the most important in the novel and why it has horrified many readers. The monster is described in a lot of detail and it gives the reader a clear example of what the monster looks like. We can see this by the phrases used such as ‘his yellow skin scarcely covered the work of the muscles and arteries’, ‘his hair was of a lustrous black’ and ‘his teeth of pearly whiteness’. These descriptions give the reader a clear image of what the monster looks like. This makes the narrative very effective because it makes the reader more scared of the monster, because with the more detail we get, the more terrifying the monster seems. Also, because the monster is described in a lot of detail, it entertains the reader more - as it makes the book seem more real. I believe this will make them want to continue reading the book.
Frankenstein has been available for about 190 years and it is still well-liked. The key reason for this is because the book raises many ethical dilemmas and many questions. The book is popular since it talks a lot about the illusions of life and death. It asks many questions that need to be asked such as, what is ‘life’ and what is ‘death’ if someone can be brought back to life at any moment? The book intrigues people as it deals with many normal aspects of life, such as when does life and death stop? The book would have been popular in 1818 because it would have seemed very real and it could be a true story because of all the scientific research that was going on during those times. The main reason why Frankenstein is so popular today, probably, is because it is a classic horror story, and also because it is a very unique book - as it blends gothic horror with romance to create a brilliant novel.
The book would have been more terrifying in 1818, as the story was very much relevant to those times. In 1818, scientists were still trying to find the meaning of life, and were using electricity to try and bring people back to life. This meant that people in 1818 would have been more scared by the book as it would have been more relevant to their times. Also, this book may have made people think twice about bringing the dead back to life, as people may have made others see what could happen if the dead were brought back to life. In 1818, people who were different to others were outcasts in society; this meant that Mary Shelley’s book would have made people think about how they treated misfits. Additionally at this time, female authors were less though of, so this led Mary Shelley to not put her name on the book for 13 years. This meant that ‘Frankenstein’ fought back at sex stereotypes because it proved that women could write just as good books as men could. Mary Shelley also described this in her book by making Victor Frankenstein judge people by their appearances. An example of this can be found in chapter three where Frankenstein tells us: ‘M. Krempe was a squat little man with a grunt voice and a repulsive countenance’. This shows how Mary Shelley put her feelings into the book, and tries to deliver the message that you shouldn’t judge people by appearances, which makes the narrative very effective as the reader can relate to it.
The main foe that the book would have had would have been from the church. This is because ‘Frankenstein’ was said that the body has no soul, as it is the soul that gives us life. This means that ‘Frankenstein’ questions God and if he really exists. What's more, this was real life. If science proved that life came from electricity, it would prove the body has no soul and therefore question religion. This book makes religious people furious, as they thought Mary Shelley was contradicting God and his powers, and all their beliefs.
The main message of the book is a warning of what would happen if someone tried to play God. It is also a warning to all scientists and new technology at the time - showing them what could happen if they start giving life and letting their ambitions get the better of them. Marry Shelley may have used the book to give a warning to scientists to show them what may happen if they try and play God, or experiment with things they don’t fully understand. Mary Shelley also gives out the message that death is the end and we should accept that, and not try to bring people back to life. The book also gives out smaller messages such as don’t judge people by their appearance, and that we should try and learn to accept the people in life who don’t quite belong.
I find this book makes me feel sad, as in the end of the novel, things turns out for the worst for Victor, especially as all his family are dead. The main reason Victor created the monster is because he thought by doing this, he might be able to find the elixir of life. He was also doing it so that no one else would have to feel the pain he felt when his mother died, and has a desire to bring his mother back to life. This makes the reader feel sad, as he just ruins his life by creating the monster - all because he loved his mother so much. This book gives you a feeling that you want to help Victor because all throughout the book it is just misery, and then even more misery.
Frankenstein is a very powerful book. It has been popular for nearly 190 years due to the many questions it raises about various topics. It questions religion and the very beliefs many people would have relied on in 1818. The book delivers many messages; most of them being a warning to scientists of the time who tried to bring back people who had died. It also shares with the reader lots more messages relevant to today, such as don’t judge a person by looks and accept people who are don’t quite belong. It a very well written novel, and has kept many audiences entertained over all the years.
