A Guide to Frankenstein

Mandy Lloyd |

Mary Shelleys Frankenstein subtitled The Modern Prometheus is one of the most famous novels of the Gothic genre. Frankenstein was an offshoot of a ghost-story writing project proposed by Byron in 1816. Mary Shelleys explanation of how she came to write this novel is used in the introduction to the 1831 edition of Frankenstein: I busied myself to think of a story One which would speak to the mysterious fears of our nature and awaken thrilling horror. Shelleys decision to awaken thrilling horror can be seen, from a narrative viewpoint, as a plot device but a plot for a narrative actually intended to carry many thematic explorations into human life, thought and action. This classic novel is still relevant today because we still thrill at her creation of horror as well as share similar moral concerns with regard to the uses of science, for example, with regard to genetics, stem cell research and cloning as well as the use of nuclear power.

AQA B Literature LITB3: Texts and Genres (Gothic)

This novel can be chosen as a post-1800 gothic text in this unit. What does the word Gothic mean? Gothic writing is a style of writing that explores what is fearful and terrifying and evokes words such as fear, dread, loathing and terror. It is a type of horror story. Gothic also refers to a type of architecture from the buildings of the 12th to 15th century and it is also a kind of art, which is fantastic or eerie. Genres have histories and Gothic literature was particularly popular between 1760 and 1820 and was written in what is known as the Romantic period.

Important Exam Tip

In an exam question a typical feature of Gothic wont be noteworthy of the marks on its own unless it enables critical conclusions to be drawn from it.

Typical Plot Devices and Features of a Gothic Novel

This list is non-exhaustive. The aim of this type of story is to create an absorbing and suspenseful plot by inspiring fear in order to create tension and suspense. The main features of a Gothic novel include mystery, horror and suspense.

Settings | Settings were normally remote and mysterious often with wild landscapes. In some Gothic novels continental settings were used. This is because an important influence at the time was contemporary travel writing. Landscapes in Frankenstein would have been alien to readers of the time and never would have been visited. This added to the mystery and horror of the story. In Frankenstein Shelley uses continental Europe and the Arctic regions. Gothic interiors are generally dark and labyrinth and include castle halls, secret passages, vast abbeys and long corridors. Supernatural | The use of the supernatural and ghostly elements is another feature of Gothic novels. Also, readers in Shelleys time would have been unfamiliar / scared of laboratories and scientific experiments. Hence, making the novel more terrifying. Psychology | Gothic writing explores the inner recesses of the mind where nightmares lurk and the thin line between sanity and insanity. Darkness & Decay | Darkness and decay is another feature of the Gothic novel. Gothic writers powerfully create an evocative atmosphere, which makes us scared, fearful and horrified. Night scenes are common. This is because as humans the fear of the dark and unknown is a natural often innate fear. Darkness carries conspiring evil. Gothic plays on our human instincts, which tell us to avoid danger. Consider Chapter 7 of the novel, which is full of Gothic imagery: The scene was enveloped in an impenetrable darkness. In the hills of Geneva Victors nocturnal walk is full of images of darkness, horror and gloom. This creates fear and foreboding: when I could hardly see the dark mountains, I felt still more gloomilya vast dim scene of evil. The sudden lighting storm, as Victor walks by the lake, is another typical feature of the genre. The sharp flash of lightning reveals to Victor the deformed monster hiding behind a clump of trees. Isolation & Loneliness | Isolation and loneliness is a key feature of the Gothic novel. Walton confesses in a letter to his sister that he has no friend: I desire the company of a man who could sympathise with me (p19). Alienation | The concept of alienation and the outsider features prevalently in Gothic fiction. Victors career alienated him from others including his family. Corruption of Childhood Innocence & Rejection of Authority | Corruption of childhood innocence and the rejection of accepted authority are other features of this genre of writing. Inadequacy of Language | In Chapter 8 Victors state of mental anguish during the trial of Justine Moritz and its aftermath highlights the inadequacy of language: I cannot pretend to describe what I then felt (p87). His feelings were beyond the power of language to describe. The inadequacy of language to describe the feelings of a protagonist is common in Gothic novels. This type of writing indicated a desire to explore extreme states of human experience. These were areas which earlier novelists would have avoided writing about: I was seized by remorse and the sense of guilt, which hurried me away to a hell of intense tortures, such as no language can describe (p93). Multiple Narrators | Multiple narrators are also a common narrative device in Gothic writing. The effect of multiple narrators on a reader can, amongst other things,

be to increase the sense of authenticity and thus authority in the narrative as a whole. This will be considered in the next section on structure.

Structure of Frankenstein
The structure and the organizational aspects of the book include the construction of a sequence of events that creates an absorbing, suspenseful and tense plot. As you read Frankenstein think about how an episode begins or ends. This quite complex narrative has been constructed as a story within a story within another story! Frankenstein focuses on the importance of letters and written communication. The first four chapters of the novel are written in the form of letters the so-called epistolary form from Robert Walton to his sister, Mrs. Saville. The structure enables the reader to be introduced to Walton and his men and also the reason for his voyage and his meeting with Frankenstein. Robert Walton is a frame narrator as Waltons letters frame Victors narratives and present the main story just as a picture frame presents a picture. Walton is important as, through this character and his letters, Shelley introduces a number of themes and techniques such as journeys, madness, dreams, friendship and wild landscapes.

Can you think of any more? Stop now and think about this aspects of Shelleys techniques, their effects on you, the reader, and her purposes both at the level of plot (that is, the creation of absorption, suspense and tension) and theme (that is, the exploration of aspects of human life, values and morals). Shelley constructs clear parallels between Frankenstein and Walton. Are there any similarities between the desires of Victor and Walton? Desire for discovery? Desire for truth and knowledge?

Shelley uses the narrative voice in triplicate. The triple narrative consists of captain Waltons letters to Waltons sister about a voyage into the Polar Regions. This is documented at Frankensteins side as he relates the tale. Victor then gives a fireside narrative of the monster. The account is given by the monster but spoken by Victor on his deathbed and recorded by Walton. This triple narrative is more commonly used in non-fictional texts and this structure serves to advance the plot and offers key aspects of authenticity and authority necessary for the reader to believe in and feel emotionality towards the story being told (a completely fictional narrative, remember). Through this choice of intricate narrative technique Shelley provides a sense of verisimilitude for the reader. Verisimilitude means the appearance of being true or real. This triple narrative borrows techniques more often found in non-fictional texts and again makes the account seem more real as the letters provide a sense of social interaction. The monster also uses written communication at the end of the novel by leaving notes on trees and rocks, which guide Victor, northward.

How To Raise Your Grade?

Examiners advice about how to improve your grade when writing about Frankenstein.

After your first reading of the novel it is important to create chapter summaries and pick out key quotations linked to themes. Learn important quotations and what their significance is. Dont just copy out plot sections from the novels. There are five key quotations listed in this study guide but there are plenty more in the book to find! As readers we have to be aware and sensitive to each of the narrative voices that Shelley creates, being conscious of how these are created and why that is the effects on the reader of Shelleys language her purpose for this; also of the reliability and the different perspectives and judgments of the narrators. Frankenstein and his creature are constructed by Shelley to compete for our sympathy this is not typical for a narrative, where the reader usually empathizes perhaps at times also sympathizes with a single protagonist. Some exam questions will ask you to consider who is the real monster in the story? o Maybe stop now and write down your thoughts and feelings about each character and how Shelley presents them through their narrative, choice of language and the structure of the book. You could also watch one or two of the film adaptations after you have read the novel. There are a number of film versions and it is interesting to watch how each film portrays the monster. Some have him as mute or inarticulate yet we know that Shelley made him the opposite. James Whales Bride of Frankenstein, 1935 is the classic adaptation. In this early movie Boris Karloff takes the role of the monster. For a more modern version try to watch Kenneth Branaghs Mary Shelleys Frankenstein from 1994. A Level questions will never ask you what happened in the book, they want you to discuss an issue or provide an opinion. Most students find it easier to write about the storyline (what a text is about) rather than analyzing how the plot has been constructed through authorial choices of form, language and structure. However, you will improve your grade if you mention these aspects in your answers. The two essay questions at the end of the guide will demonstrate this. Learn the assessment objectives and be sure you know exactly what they mean in terms of your essay and exam writing thats AOs 1, 2, 3 and 4! The dreaded AOs! If you know them then you will know what the examiners are looking for when they award you marks.

AO1 checks if you know how to write successfully; and that means using a clear and fluent style that is argumentative as well as being able to use an appropriate critical vocabulary If you struggle to create a clear argument in your essays ask your teacher for help. Its too important to miss this key AO. The AO also demands an informed answer that shows excellent knowledge of the novel and is focused on the actual question. AO2 checks if you know how writers write successfully; and this means that youll need to know what makes up the different aspects of the novel, especially aspects of narrative (plot and themes) but also related aspects of form, structure and language and how each one creates and shapes both meaning and importantly emotion and feeling in the reader. AO3 checks if you know how different readers arrive at their own interpretation of the novel and, because this is a literary text, how alternative interpretations can arise.

AO4 checks if you know how context affects both the text and the reception and reading of the text. This means looking for how the text reveals aspects of a range of contextual (historical and cultural) factors with specific, detailed links between context / texts / task.

The different band discriminators (that is the grading from A to E) from the AQA website have been added below so you can see what you need to be doing and not doing to get a high grade! Always remember this criteria as you write your essays as this is the criteria the examiners will use when they mark your work!

Band 1 | Bottom Band

AO1 Quality of writing hinders meaning / unclear line of argument / not always relevant AO2 Very limited discussion of how form, structure and language features shape meanings AO3 Little sense of connections between texts / little understanding of different interpretations AO4 Very limited awareness of the significance of contextual factors

Band 3 | Middle Band

AO1 Use of some critical vocabulary and generally clear expression / some structured argument though not sustained / relevant with focus on task AO2 Consideration of some features of form, structure and language, and consideration of how these features shape meanings AO3 Some consideration of connections between texts / some consideration of different interpretations of texts, with general textual support AO4 Some consideration of a range of contextual factors shown by specific links between context / texts / tasks

Band 6 | Top Band A* & A Grades

AO1 Use of appropriate critical vocabulary and technically fluent style / wellstructured and coherent argument / always relevant with very sharp focus on task / confidently ranges around texts AO2 Exploration and analysis of key aspects of form, structure and language with perceptive evaluation of how they shape meanings AO3 Detailed and perceptive understanding of issues raised through connections between texts / perceptive consideration of different interpretations of texts with sharp evaluation of their strengths and weaknesses / excellent selection of supportive references AO4 Excellent understanding of a range of contextual factors with specific, detailed links between context / texts / task As is clear from the criteria above to gain a high grade you must comment closely on the language that Shelley uses in her novel Frankenstein by using appropriate terminology. If you use key terms for example structure, tone, perspective, imagery, metaphor or personification it will increase your grades. When in the exam or writing an essay on this novel you must plan your work very carefully. Spend about 10 minutes preparing a brief essay plan. Examiners will always

reward a well-structured response to a text, as you will notice from the criteria for AO1. The best structure of an essay does not always follow the chronology of the text. Your first paragraph of an essay should always address the question set. Examiners dont want to read a generalized history of a particular genre this is a waste of time. Your knowledge of the genre should come out in your actual answer. Engage with the essay question set in the initial paragraph. Dont waste any time on irrelevant material or material that wont get you any marks. Examiners reports always state that question focus is the key to successful answers. Make sure you actually answer the question! Never try to distort the question so it matches a favourite practice essay that you may have produced in class. Read exam questions carefully and consider the exact terms in which the question is worded. Underline key words in the question and keep referring back to keywords throughout the essay e.g. discuss and compare.

Key Quotations

I feel as if I were walking on the edge of a precipice, towards which thousands are crowding, and endeavoring to plunge me into the abyss. (p96)

In this quotation Shelley has the character of Elizabeth using images that are typical of Gothic fiction such as precipices and abysses. This figurative and hyperbolic language conjures up the image of someone walking beside the edge of a cliff demonstrating the thin line between life and death, between sanity and insanity and safety and danger. Liminal states are referred to throughout this novel. Liminality is an unfixed position between two opposites, the experience of being on a threshold, which can be quite scary as you are not sure which way it will go.

the fiend that lurked in my heart (p96)

This is an important use of figurative language that creates a key image and is very significant as it connects Shelleys character of the monster and its actions with Victor Frankensteins own character. It reveals how evil can lurk within the human heart. Frankenstein uses the term fiend in connection to the monster and the implication is that the monster is Victors alter ego.

I am an unfortunate and deserted creature; I look around, and I have no relation or friend upon earth (p136)

Shelly gives her character of the monster emotive, persuasive and intelligent language to demonstrate his loneliness and uses this as a way to avenge his situation and get even with Frankenstein for deserting him.

Remember that I have power; you believe yourself miserable, but I can make you so wretched that the light of day will be hateful to you. You are my creator, but I am your master; obey! (p172)

This is where Shelley creates a central paradox of Victor and the monsters relationship. The meeting between the creator and monster is full of intertextual language in the form of biblical allusions and references. It is clear that the weak has become powerful and the servant is now the master. Victor was a slave to his studies and a slave to his creation and he has never been the real master. The monster is the real master as he demands that Victor creates a female for him: I demand it of you as a right you must not refuse.

Evil thenceforth became my good (p222)

This is a reference to Miltons Paradise Lost, IV, 110: Evil be thou my good. This quotation refers to the moral reversal that happens over the course of the novel. The monster claimed he had no choice but to become evil and change his nature.

Essay Questions
Essay Question 1 LITB3 AQA B | Texts & Genres | Unit 3
Past Example Paper | June 2010: To what extent do you agree with the view that the humans in Frankenstein are more monstrous than the monster? This is a popular exam question that encourages you to think about who the real monster is. Are humans more monstrous than the creature? As always AO1 assesses whether your use of language and your writing skills are appropriate to a student of A Level. Can you use appropriate critical vocabulary and produce a structured, coherent and well-written argument? AO1 requires you to focus closely on the question and show informed knowledge and understanding of the text. Firstly you could consider the ways in which the humans could be seen as behaving monstrously. Victor Frankenstein is a brave, imaginative and gifted man yet he commits a primal wrong. Frankensteins ghastly act of creation is monstrous and deserves to be punished. In attempting to create life Victor is guilty of trying to rival God. In a similar way to Prometheus Victor steals a secret from heaven. After finally animating dead flesh Victor begins to undertake the creation of a man. Chapter 4 explains how materials were found in graveyards and slaughterhouses: I became myself capable of bestowing animation upon lifeless matter (p53). However, unlike the creator he hates and rejects his creation. Frankensteins failure is one of responsibility for the creature he has brought into the world. A responsible creator should care for his creation but the monster repels him. Frankensteins monstrous response leads to the monsters isolation and loneliness. Additionally the treatment of other people adds to the rejection of the Monster. Other humans also dont give him a chance but instead behave in a monstrous manner. The theme of alienation is linked with this idea of monstrosity. Victor becomes monstrous as he alienates himself and conversely due to the creatures alienation from society the creature also becomes monstrous in his actions. The theme of alienation is introduced through Victor a sociable friendly human who voluntarily subjects himself to alienation and loneliness. The monster has alienation thrust on him and is unable to form relationships he longs for.

AO2 marks will be awarded if you can analyse Shelleys choice and use of language with regards to this question. If you can explore the language of good and evil this will help establish the moral compass of the novel and this will help judge who is more monstrous. Shelleys use of the passive tense provides an interesting discussion point. In the following quotation Victor refers to the monster however his thoughts are portrayed in the passive tense: Could the daemon who hadmurdered my brother also in his hellish spirit have betrayed the innocent to death and ignominy (p86). Victor doesnt mention the beast to which he is referring. Could Shelleys use of this passive voice imply to the reader that Victor is the demon: the monster? By his own act of creation Victor has doomed both William and Justine. Elizabeths view of men as monsters in Chapter 9 makes the reader again question whether it is Frankenstein or his creature that is the real monster: The most depraved of human creaturesunfit to remain in the society of men (p89). Elizabeth discusses with Victor the real perpetrator of the crime. Her application of these phrases relate to the true source of the murder. Also, interestingly Victor doesnt give his monster a name. What effect does this have on our views to this question? Society immediately thinks that the monster is Frankenstein due to the title of the novel. Shelley uses powerful language to imply that Victors monstrous and inhuman actions no longer deserve consideration as actions of man. Shelleys description of Victors behavior moves away from being human to becoming a caged unnatural beast: My eyeballs were starting from their sockets often did my human nature turn with loathing from my occupation (p55). Victor performs his work in a solitary chamber, or rather cellseparated from all other apartments (p55). Similar to a madman or murderer Victor is in solitary confinement. The setting of the cell alludes to the wickedness of Victors actions. Victor begins to waste away as if his own life was being drawn into the creation. Shelley describes him like a Gothic horror emaciated with confinement. His physical appearance reflects his lapse in morality as he labours on his unnatural experiment: I considered the beingnearly in the light of my own vampire, my own spirit let loose from the grave and forced to destroy all that was dear to me (p78). The monster is Victors dreadful alter ego. Victor also acts in a monstrous and selfish way towards his family. Earlier in the book his idyllic early childhood and loving family were referred to. His parents treated Victor as their plaything and their idol (p35). His obsession forces him to neglect his family and he doesnt communicate with them or visit them for many years. Another good example follows: the fall of a leaf startled me, and I shunned my fellow creatures as if I had been guilty of a crime (p57). Shelleys use of language establishes the idea that Victor is a creature and a monster in his own right. AO3 looks at issues of alternative interpretation and there is plenty for discussion here. There is the view that the Monster does not behave monstrously naturally but only because he is rejected and unloved. Although the monster murders several people he is not inherently evil or malicious. He responded in this way due to the confusion and pain caused by his rejection

from society. Through the monsters narrative Shelley does emphasizes the innocent and loving nature of the monster. Over time the monsters innocence and gentle nature are undermined. Pathos is created, as the monster desires to be accepted by humans. Yet he feels himself to be a monster and when he sees his reflection in a pool he acknowledges his hideous exterior: I did not yet entirely know the fatal effects of this miserable deformity (p117). The innocence of the monster and his desire for acceptance can be juxtaposed with the De Lacey family that he meets and observes. The familys history in regards to Safie and Felix gives Shelley the opportunity to reflect again on the evil and good that humans are capable of. Then there is the alternative view that it is difficult to overlook the Monsters horrific and gruesome crimes. What lessons, if any does Shelley wish to teach us through this novel? Remember her original intention was to entertain through this story-telling competition. In defining what type of behavior is monstrous AO4 marks can be gained by exploring the context of the novel. Candidates could discuss the social backdrop of established religious views, scientific exploration and morality. Remember, examiners are looking for wellarranged viewpoints. The conclusion should identify what you believe about the statement. Are the humans in the novel more monstrous than the creature? Consider the ending of the novel: it is only the monster that shows sadness and realizes the pain that his acts of revenge have caused. Frankenstein appears to have learnt nothing. In fact Frankenstein shows hubris, as he remains proud and boastful regards of the suffering his act of creation has caused. Frankensteins lack of humanity and morality turns him into a monster. The irony lies in the fact that the monster of Victor creation is an honest and nice creature at the start who is ignored by mans prejudices. Shelley throughout the novel raises questions about the positive and also monstrously destructive sides of human nature. She ultimately leaves it to each individual reader to decide who is the real monster.

Essay Question 2
Frankenstein is often described as a Gothic novel. What does that mean? How does the novel fit into the atmosphere of terror and the grotesque? This question is looking for your understanding of the features of a Gothic novel and the form of a Gothic novel. The following guidelines can be used to help you answer this question. Ensure you use appropriate quotations in your answer; again worked examples have been included. Introduction In this introduction define what you understand by the term Gothic novel and explain what inspired Mary Shelley to write the novel. You could include her background and scientific developments, technological and exploratory advances of the time. The novel challenges accepted norms and crosses boundaries established by conventional religious belief. Consider the French and American Revolution. AO4 requires you to show excellent understanding of a range of contextual factors with links between context and texts. Do some Internet research and find out about Erasmus Darwin (eighteenth-century natural philosopher and poet) and Luigi Galvani. How could these people

influence Shelleys ideas for the novel? These were some of the people that Shelley and her friends talked about when they were in Geneva, Switzerland before she conceived the idea for the story. Mentioning the historical background will gain you elusive AO4 marks. The Structure and Setting of The Novel AO2 consideration of how specific aspects of form, structure and language shape meanings. Explain how the novel begins as a series of letters from Robert Walton to his sister and how being set in the North Pole is typically Gothic. The setting is an important element of the book and is closely related to the development of plot more than a simple backdrop. A feature of the gothic novel is the isolated and unfriendly settings. The strange and eerie settings and the unsettling atmosphere add to the mood of suspense. The presence of this wild and vast arctic wasteland has an influence on the action in terms of mood and atmosphere. Some critics suggest it is almost a character in itself. This setting forms a sublime natural Gothic architecture. Victor Frankenstein You could mention how Shelley describes Frankenstein when Walton first rescues him from the ice: I never saw a more interesting creature; his eyes have generally an expression of wildness, and even madness (p27). In gaining AO2 marks you could write about how Victor Frankenstein is described and how he then becomes the narrator and explains his story to Walton. The embedded letters and multiple narratives devised by Shelley in order to encourage the reader to be sympathetic towards Frankenstein or the monster. The monster emerges as more sympathetic than Victor. The narrative encourages the reader to see that Victor has done wrong in creating the creature. You could include some of the following in your answer:

What was the inspiration behind Victor wanting to create the creature? Gothic novels often include characters that have a quest to fulfill. He seemed to be obsessed with creating and discovering a new form of life. Analyse the language that Shelley uses to describe Victors behavior and state of mind. Victors grotesque description of his creation:

It was on a dreary night of November that I beheld the accomplishment of my toils. With an anxiety that almost amounted to agony, I collected the instruments of life around me, that I might infuse a spark of being into the lifeless thing that lay at my feet. It was already one in the morning; the rain pattered dismally against the panes, and my candle was nearly burnt out, when, by the glimmer of the half-extinguished light, I saw the dull yellow eye of the creature open; it breathed hard and a convulsive motion agitated its limbs. How can I describe my emotions at this catastrophe, or how delineate the wretch whom with such infinite pains and care I had endeavored to form? His limbs were in proportion, and I had selected his features as beautiful. Beautiful! Great God! His yellow skin scarcely

covered the work of muscles and arteries beneath; his hair was of a lustrous black, and flowing; his teeth of pearly whiteness; but these luxuriance only formed a more horrid contrast with his watery eyes, that seemed almost of the same colour as the dun-white sockets in which they were set, his shriveled complexion and straight black lips (p58). This quotation reveals that Victor was shocked and disappointed with his creation. Shelley employs the Gothic elements extremely well in this extract. In particular, consider the words and phrases from the quotation that show the contrasting language when describing what the creature was meant to look like (intended) and how it turned out (the reality). For example, the intended creation was meant to have limbs in proportion. The reality of the monster was that yellow skin scarcely covered the work. In your answer you could also comment on Victor rejecting the creature and the consequences of Victor abandoning his creation. This then makes the horror more palpable when he discovers William is murdered. The Creature (The Outsider) Write about how the creature is presented through his language. The following worked example focuses on the creature persuading Frankenstein to create a mate: It is clear that Mary Shelley wants the reader to see Frankensteins monster as intelligent, articulate and capable of using language persuasively. The creature is able to employ sophisticated rhetorical devices and emotive language to convince Frankenstein to create him a mate. The horror of this is that the creature is able to threaten Frankenstein with more destruction to mankind. The true consequence of Frankensteins ghastly creation is made clear. Victor has created a creature capable of murderous revenge and it is even more horrific that Victor agrees to create another creature. The following example discusses the use of language employed by Shelley when the creature reacts to Frankenstein destroying his mate: Mary Shelley uses a powerful and emotive speech to demonstrate how angry the creature is. She uses techniques such as rhetorical questions to reveal the monsters intelligence yet also his despair: Are you to be happy, while I grovel in the intensity of my wretchedness? The creatures reaction is one of fierce anger and he threatens Victor: Beware; for I am fearless and therefore, powerful. I will watch with the wiliness of a snake, that I may sting with its venom. This intense and harsh speech creates tension and horror for the reader as they are aware there will be more violence and bloodshed on the wedding night. The language used was intended to shock and scare the reader. Wedding Night in Como and The Conclusion of The Gothic Story Focus on the tension and terror leading up to Elizabeths murder. Explore the use of the natural world to foreshadow the events that are about to occur. This is called pathetic fallacy: The wind, which had fallen in the south, now rose with great violence in the westSuddenly a heavy storm of rain descended (p198). The reader understands that the monsters threat was aimed at Elizabeth but Frankenstein doesnt realize the monsters true intentions and sends Elizabeth to bed to try to protect her:

She was there, lifeless and inanimate, thrown across the bed, her head hanging down, and her pale and distorted features half covered by her hair (p199). The novel closes in the same Gothic setting as where it began. Why does Shelley choose to end her story and the creatures life in the Arctic? The Arctic wastes and the barrenness of snow and ice seem an appropriate end to the creatures meaningless and destructive life. There is nothing left for him now that his maker is dead. Victors tragedy is associated with the darker and more mysterious side of nature. The monster shows remorse. However, it is unclear whether Walton will learn his lesson about research. Conclusion Summarise the key features that makes this a Gothic novel and what message Mary Shelley was trying to convey. AO3 could be utilized in your conclusion. Try and link the ideas in this novel to modern day. AO3 could also go in your introduction when you discuss other Gothic texts and the connections to Frankenstein