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Frankenstein Essays : Reflection : Frankenstein

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Reflection on Frankenstein
In short, large ideas with much discussion at the occasional hindrance of the plot. In long my opinion is this, I liked the ideas and their discussion throughout the book, and it’s probably these and the innovative use of science fiction and horror for the time is likely what contributed to it being considered a classic. However, the book is not flawless. There were long segments of the book I found to be unengaging. I feel as though the protagonist is not interesting enough to hold sections of the book on his own, and as above, the ideas of the book do not meld seamlessly with the plot and are at points quite jarring.
Now, these points break down into 2 different categories, the first and most unengaging being …show more content…

However, my opinions didn’t stay that way. Two-thirds of the way through the novel, Victor gets better. When challenge and after having suffered more and more, Frankenstein by consequence becomes of greater interest. The monster kills his wife and his best friend and he’s forced to undergo a change. No longer is the meandering, hesitant Victor, now he’s become but a sole purpose, kill the monster. And I know that this may not necessarily be the most interesting or novel, characteristic, it was streets ahead of whatever was going on before.
Then there are the second type category in the book, those points halting the pace because Mary Shelley wants to put forth a philosophical or scientific argument. Now I don’t know if this is a commonality between books published during the early 1800’s. However, for me personally, the long tangents revolving around the different strains of science, what life means, and morality all given time and fleshed out as text and not subtext, took me out of the book.
On the other hand, just because it took me out of the book, doesn’t mean I didn’t at parts appreciate it. Certain discussions of the sciences and the monsters discussions of Victor’s responsibility and place in the world were enthralling. M. Waldman’s speech about the ancient teachers and how they promised the world and delivered nothing, and the new teachers who promise little, but

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