Mary Shelley's Frankenstein is a mandatory read for high school seniors in my area. All seniors, AP or not had to read it, and my AP class is having to right a 3-5 page research paper on the novel.

I'm not quite sure if I liked it or not. It didn't balance very well because it was supposed to have a sense of verisimilitude, but the whole idea seemed absurd, well atleast sewing up a human that suddenly comes to life.

I guess my biggest deal is that people think Frankenstein is the monster, and not the creator.

So, feel free to address the following:
-Did you like this read?
-Did you know that Frankenstein was actually the creature's creator?
-What message did you receive from the novel?
-Whatever happened to Ernest Frankenstein?
-Did you find a sense of bisexuality in the novel? (My teacher said there were discussions about this one.)
-Do you think that this novel serves as a warning to scientist of our current and future generations?

*If this is a repeat thread, please lock it. I have browsed through the last 6 pages of this forum and have found no discussion of it.*

I enjoyed reading the book, but it was really interesting after chapter eleven, that's when the creature starts narrating.
Deep themes, especially regarding the absence of motherhood..
Amazing novel.

I haven't read it but I think I will! Did you know that she invented the story one night with a group of friends who held contest.
The contest was to see who could come with the most scary story! She was the only woman in the contest and they thought her story wouldn't be that good, but it won the contest!

Yep! :] She suppossedly got it from a dream she had.

I read that book back when I was a Freshman. I read the illustrated version and at the time I thought the reason I read it so quickly was because it was that specific version. But then I had to read it for my Senior year and I can definitely say that I didn't read it so quickly because it was the illustrated version. The novel just flows so well and is such a quick read that I think it's just perfect. I felt so bad for the monster, more than Frankenstein. Frankly, I think Frankenstein deserved to get chased, I don't think he deserved what happened to his fiance, but he definitely deserved to get chased.

My favorite character in the novel was definitely the monster. I can really relate to him.

I haven't read that book before, but I've read parts of it in the play we read Freshman year. I think I might go read it though.

This is actually a book that I'm going to read this weekend for one of my classes. I'll post back thoughts after I finish it.

I did know that Frankenstein was actually the creator (and by the looks of the poll, a lot more people than I would have expected also knew that).

I started it thinking I wouldn't like it but really did when I finished it.

I love books that take you on the journey while telling you how they got to the ending instead of getting you lost in the middle.

I remember reading that my Sophmore Year. It was great. I really enjoyed the storyline, and the Monster quite reminded me of the Phantom of the Opera. It was a strange connection that I made, but if you read Leroux's Phantom, you'll see similarities. I'm not sure which one came along first. xD

I think I have this book somewhere in the attic. I don't think I ever actually read it >>

I'm writing a MA thesis on monstrosity in British gothic literature, and Frankenstein is one of the works I'm analysing. I've gotta say, I rather liked it. Indeed, it was not the creature but the creator who was the monster. The creature's ugliness was a reflection of Victor Frankenstein's hidden obsessions and fears. You could say that the creature was its creator's alter-ego.

@Milady Purity: Frankenstein came first, in 1818. Phantom of the Opera was first published in 1909-1910.

I read it last summer, but I can't really remember it. I did enjoy it very much, I know that for sure.

Did you like this read?

It was ok.

Did you know that Frankenstein was actually the creature's creator?

Yep

What message did you receive from the novel?

Scientists are crazy

Whatever happened to Ernest Frankenstein?

He died in the 1800s

Did you find a sense of bisexuality in the novel?

Not really

Do you think that this novel serves as a warning to scientist of our current and future generations?

Well, Duh!

Um, where is the bisexuality in the novel supposedly? =/ I mean, if there is, it won't change my opinion on the book, but the book isn't about sex or sexuality. The main themes of the novel are life and death, which was an obsession for Mary Shelley. Most of her children died at a very young age and her husband died pretty young as well. She was haunted by the thoughts of life and death her entire life and I think that's what inspired the novel a lot.

Anyway, I absolutely loved this book. It was one of my favorites of all time. Personally, I found myself rooting for both Frankenstein AND his monster. It's hard not to feel sorry for either of them. I found their emotions deep and easy to relate to. Frankenstein was disgusted by what he did, but his intense obsession to be able to ressurect people from the dead after he experienced the death of someone close to him was easy to relate to. And the poor monster, twisted and insane because try hard as he would to help people and save people and be kind to him, every single time those people saw his face, they were terrified of him and it drove him to madness. Frankenstein and his monster both simultaneously seemed to ruin each other's lives and the best part about it is how you could relate to the feelings of the other. Frankenstein was too disgusted to make a mate for his monster because of what it could mean to the world and the many implications it could cause, but at the same time, the monster had no hope of being loved otherwise. And that deep, deep loneliness and desperation, I can see driving anyone insane.

It's one of the best novels I ever read. I didn't read it until a college class and while the rest of my classmates plodded through it slowly, I had it done and all the work for it done in a few days.