R&P Book Club #2 Mary Shelley's Frankenstein

1,211 Views | 14 Replies | Last: 5 yr ago by jkag89
ramblin_ag02
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
Talking about the 1818 book, not the movie. Obligatory: Frankenstein is the scientist not the monster!

I'm only about halfway through, but I figured first Monday of the month was a good day to start the thread
No material on this site is intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. See full Medical Disclaimer.
PacifistAg
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
I just started this weekend. Give me a few days to come up with something to add.
powerbelly
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
Ordered from amazon, will catch up this weekend.
Solo Tetherball Champ
How long do you want to ignore this user?
Young Frankenstein is Best Frankenstein.
Frok
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
I want in, I got it from the library app. Just hope I find the time. Started a new bible study that is very time-consuming plus so many good sports on TV right now that keep diverting my attention from reading.

PacifistAg
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG

Quote:

so many good sports on TV right now that keep diverting my attention from reading.
That NL Wild Card game kept me up later than usual. Such a great game though.
kurt vonnegut
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
Finished my current book last night and will start Frankenstein tonight.
Quad Dog
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
One of my favorite books. It supplants so many expectations you have going in. Makes you question what it is to be human.
The story of when, why, and how it was written is also interesting.
Zemira
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
I would like to join.

I have never done an online book club. Do we have a date it needs to be read by to discuss the book?

How does this work?
ramblin_ag02
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
Just read and comment. We'll probably be on this one through October, but it's not like anyone has set rules or anything
No material on this site is intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. See full Medical Disclaimer.
ramblin_ag02
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
I finished this yesterday, and I wanted to comment while it's still fresh.

First, Frankenstein seems like a big wuss. He spends about half the timeline of the book laid up in bed due to stress. I swear he has the constitution of a 90 year old woman with emphysema.

The other thing that really struck me was the idea of a creator's responsibility to their creation. Spoiler warning for this 200 universally known book.



When Frankenstein makes the monster, he pretty much leaves him to his own devices. Never once during the novel does he ever do anything helpful, nice, or supportive of his creature. The monster seems to exhibit the capacity for both affection and malice, and it seems that with a little attention and direction that the monster's killing spree would never have happened. So it's hard for me to differentiate how much culpability the monster should have and how much Frankenstein should have. I'm normally pretty avidly against trying to hold other people responsible for individual actions, but creating a monstrosity and casting it into the world seems to be the extreme that makes me question that.
No material on this site is intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. See full Medical Disclaimer.
Quad Dog
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
ramblin_ag02 said:

I finished this yesterday, and I wanted to comment while it's still fresh.

First, Frankenstein seems like a big wuss. He spends about half the timeline of the book laid up in bed due to stress. I swear he has the constitution of a 90 year old woman with emphysema.

The other thing that really struck me was the idea of a creator's responsibility to their creation. Spoiler warning for this 200 universally known book.



When Frankenstein makes the monster, he pretty much leaves him to his own devices. Never once during the novel does he ever do anything helpful, nice, or supportive of his creature. The monster seems to exhibit the capacity for both affection and malice, and it seems that with a little attention and direction that the monster's killing spree would never have happened. So it's hard for me to differentiate how much culpability the monster should have and how much Frankenstein should have. I'm normally pretty avidly against trying to hold other people responsible for individual actions, but creating a monstrosity and casting it into the world seems to be the extreme that makes me question that.

Frankenstein shows a lot of symptoms if PTSD. This isolation, his OCD, and others are symptoms.
ramblin_ag02
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
Yeah, but we are never given any event to attribute PTSD to. He seems to have a pretty great life until the whole monster thing. I was wondering during the book if he didn't have tuberculosis or cystic fibrosis as often as he fell ill. None of the other characters seemed surprised by this either.
No material on this site is intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. See full Medical Disclaimer.
Quad Dog
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
The death of his mother. But it's probably more about the author losing multiple children.
ramblin_ag02
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
Now that you mention it, the back and forth between brief periods of exuberant overexertion followed by long intervals of "illness" and isolation sounds a lot like bipolar disorder.
No material on this site is intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. See full Medical Disclaimer.
jkag89
How long do you want to ignore this user?
I wish I knew this was airing on TCM before stumbling upon it last night because I think those of you who are reading the novel would have enjoyed this documentary. I am not sure where else you can access this film.

The Strange Life of Dr. Frankenstein

The film not only explores the Shelly novel but how and why Frankenstein's Creature became a pop culture icon.
Refresh
Page 1 of 1
 
×
subscribe Verify your student status
See Subscription Benefits
Trial only available to users who have never subscribed or participated in a previous trial.