Question

Consider a few ways that the novel uses nature to connect Victor and the monster. Choose at least two instances and evaluate how effective this method is in connecting the characters.

Answer 1

The novel Frankenstein uses nature to connect Victor and the monster through instances where they both seek solace and draw inspiration from the natural world. This method effectively highlights their shared experiences and emotions.

Step-by-step explanation:

In Mary Shelley's novel Frankenstein, nature is used as a means to connect Victor and the monster in multiple instances. One example is when Victor seeks solace in the beauty of nature, finding peace and comfort away from the chaos of his experiments. Similarly, the monster also finds solace in nature, finding a sense of belonging and connection with the natural world. This method is effective in connecting the characters as it highlights their shared experiences and emotions.

Another instance is when both Victor and the monster draw inspiration from nature. Victor finds inspiration for his scientific pursuits in the occult secrets of nature, while the monster learns about life and morality through observing the natural world. This shared connection to nature deepens their bond and emphasizes their interconnectedness.

Answer 2

In Frankenstein Mary Shelley often compares and contrasts Victor and the creature.

Mary Shelley uses birth and labor imagery to suggest that Victor gave birth to the creature. For example, Victor goes into confinement for nine months to create the monster. Victor and his monster child are alike in some ways and different in others.

One of the major traits shared by Victor and his monster is their love of nature. Both Victor and his creature express their joy in nature.

The creature expresses his joy when spring arrives: "Spring advanced rapidly; the weather became fine, and the skies cloudless. It surprised me that what before was desert and gloomy should now bloom with the most beautiful flowers and verdure. My senses were gratified and refreshed by a thousand scents of delight, and a thousand sights of beauty."

Frankenstein expresses similar emotions: "When happy, inanimate nature had the power of bestowing on me the most delightful sensations. A serene sky and verdant fields filled me with ecstasy. The present season was indeed divine; the flowers of spring bloomed in the hedges, while those of summer were already in bud."

Both Frankenstein and the creature have the ability to forget sorrows and disappointments when they are in nature. After he is cruelly rejected by the De Lacey family, the monster is miserable. But he regains his hope when he feels the warmth of the sun: "The pleasant sunshine, and the pure air of day, restored me to some degree of tranquility; and when I considered what had passed at the cottage, I could not help believing that I had been too hasty in my conclusions."

In a similar way, nature allows Frankenstein to forget the guilt and horror that has haunted him since the creature’s creation. Victor tells Walton, “I perceived that the fallen leaves had disappeared, and that the young buds were shooting forth from the trees that shaded my window. It was a divine spring; and the season contributed greatly to my convalescence. I felt also sentiments of joy and affection revive in my bosom; my gloom disappeared.”