Watch the short video about Mary Shelley's life and then read Letters 1-4. Choose one of the following questions:
1.) Mary Shelley lived during a time of great scientific exploration. How does Walton embody the spirit of adventure and discovery? Research of the historical aspects of the 1800s and connect it to the Letters.
2.) Mary's encountered many tragedies in her life. How might these events helped shape this famous novel? Find examples in the Letters of the gothic style of writing (look up gothic literature)?
3.) Walton laments not having a friend that matches his passion and intellect. Do you believe humans need companionship? Can isolation be beneficial? Who comes aboard his ship and how does Walton feel about this?
4.) What is Walton seeking to do on his voyage? Do you believe humans should spend time and energy exploring new areas even if it can be dangerous for example the depths of the ocean or outer space?
Yadira Soto: Question 3
ReplyDeleteAs humans, we are born with little knowledge, and we rely on human interaction to help develop our intellect. Throughout this development, we come across new feelings, interests, and talents. These things are things that connect us with other individuals. Thus, I believe that it is human nature to crave companionship and need it. We need to communicate with others so that we not only have emotional connections but challenge our thinking. In Walton's case, his laments of not having a friendship of similar passions and intellect derive from that need to connect emotionally and get challenged mentally. He even says, "I have no friend... when I am glowing with the enthusiasm of success, there will be none to participate my joy; if I am assailed by disappointment, no one will endeavor to sustain me in dejection" (Shelley 12). His romantic way of writing shows the damage this isolation takes on him mentally. This leads to the idea that isolation can and cannot be beneficial. It is beneficial in the sense that it allows you to hit rock bottom with yourself so that you get to know your wants and needs. But it is not beneficial when it gets to the point that it affects your mental health and leads to severe depression and anxiety. Watson was able to identify his need for companionship, but it took isolation to lead him to this conclusion. It isn't until Victor Frankenstein boards onto Watson's ship that Watson feels as if this void of needing a friendship of similar passions and intellect is filled. In the letter, he says, "I have found a man... brother of my heart" (22). Walton comes to love Victor because he is similar to him, and this feeling of similarity offers him an exit ticket from isolation.
Karina Perez
DeleteHello Yadira! I agree with your response to question 3. I acknowledge how much emphasis you put on Walton's journey from isolation to finding that need for companionship when he met Victor Frankenstein. Your response was thorough and well thought out!
Hi Yadira! I completely agree with your response to this question. I really enjoyed how you touched upon a topic that I hadn't even thought of, which was the damage that the isolation caused. I think that you bringing this up really helped to solidify your argument that companionship is needed and going even a step further by showing how isolation can be detrimental. I believe this is why humans must obtain a balance of companionship and isolation.
DeleteRobin Valenzuela
DeleteHi Yadi, I totally agree with you. Human companionship is a necessity growing up and not only that but as we get older that companionship teaches many life lessons and shales us to who we are but try giving more on isolation, to do this you can give us a maybe a personal experience or some research on isolation to the brain other then how Robert feels.
Mary Shelly's life was not perfect, she faced many difficult moments such as her mother's early death, her husband's death, and the deaths of several of her children. These events shaped how Shelly wrote her stories. As mentioned in the biography, Shelly used her writings as an outlet to release not only her thoughts but also her emotions so they could be heard.
ReplyDeleteShelly wrote gothic literature, literature which mostly presents topics of horror and death; because death and despair were what Shelly's life was enveloped around. For Shelly, as a person who used her writing as an outlet, it would have been easier for her to write and release the sadness versus writing positive literature. I believe Shelly used not only her hardships but life experiences such as travels and adventures to shape her novel, Frankenstein for others to gather a more diverse understanding of her life. In the start, Shelly presents the character Robert Walton to be on a grand quest to the north pole. Much as Shelly, Walton is an adventurous person connecting to how Shelly wished to have lived as she wanted to escape her world. Overall, Shelly's life experiences were what allowed for her novel, Frankenstein, to become as famous as it is today.
question 2^
DeleteYes Linda I do believe what you have said is true people should try to use their experience for the good and try to impact others’ lives as well. Many people’s writing reflects something about them even if it is not their life that they are writing about. There is always a hidden meaning behind words.
DeleteI agree with you because she did have a lot of hardships that are reflected in the novel Frankenstein. Her outlet with literature does reflect her emotions and her life experiences throughout the use of the characters background which maybe based on her own life experiences and her background knowledge on the place or situation. Allowing her to explore not only another imaginary situation but also other possible pathways she could have taken to avoid things. -Evelyn Padilla
DeleteDrexler
ReplyDeleteQuestion 4
Walton seeks to satisfy his curiosity and the deprivation of his uncle’s permission to allow him to navigate the seas after the death of his father. I believe that humans are bound to find niches within their surrounding that ultimately makes them question and bring such thing into a broader context. For example, if Rosalind Franklin did not explore DNA structure, Watson and Crick would not have been able to create the model in which they won their Nobel Price in Physiology or Medicine in 1953. It was her curiosity that led to the renowned discovery that makes up who we are as individuals and what categorizes me from you. However, this journey that she took cost her her life due to the unknown adverse effects of radiation. Like many things in life, push and pull is a major factor that contributes to our future. And being able to answer questions that were deemed answerable or yet to be discovered is a great way to leave a history for others to inspire themselves to achieve great things. So in conclusion, yes people should venture into unexplored areas of life or the earth because the unknown becoming known is something to be proud of.
Karina Perez
DeleteHello Drexler! Your response to question 4 reminds me of a question that was asked on the first blog about if a person is naturally good or bad. It reminds me of that questions because you go into depth about how when one becomes curious, it could make them or break them. It's the power of curiosity that drives people to do things just like you've mentioned with Rosalind Franklin. Overall, your response was engaging and well planned out!
Alexander Sanchez,
DeleteDrexler, I like the example you mentioned of Rosalind Franklin as it actually kind of goes with part of my response to this question. In my answer I wrote that generally speaking the people who do these types of things which could be considered risky are doing it because they want to. Based off that and the fact that by venturing out we could really find something for the greater good, I think exploration is definitely a must.
Karina Perez- Period 5
ReplyDelete3. Personally, I do believe it’s beneficial to have other people in your life. Companionship is important. Isolation can be helpful for certain situations however if we are looking at this from a long term standpoint, I think isolation isn’t the best thing for a person. If we take a look at Walton’s case, we can see that isolation led him to wanting companionship. As I mentioned before, isolation for someone can be a helping hand at times. Walton finally understood what being both isolated and surrounded did for him as a person. Do they go hand in hand? Yes because sometimes you need a push in order to realize what you're missing in your life. Friendship can open many doors you didn’t even know were there in the first place. As Victor Frankenstein entered into Walton’s life, he was introduced to a world he didn’t know existed. He found someone to relate too and isn’t that what brings friends closer together? Overall, it’s crucial to meet someone in your life that will provide you with longing companionship.
Hey Karina!
DeleteI really like how you structured your response and connected it back to the importance of having companionship. I completely agree with the fact that isolation is beneficial in helping us realize what we need. I feel like we both took on the same approach to answer question three. We just viewed the encounter with Victor Frankenstein differently? I do agree that Victor took him out of his isolation, but I don't think he introduced him to a world he didn't know existed. Walton was aware that friendships of similar passions and intellect existed. Thus causing him to lament not having a friend before.
- Yadira Soto
HI,
DeleteI agree with what you said about isolation helping out during hard times. It goes in hand with what I wrote in my response. As for Victor Frankenstein, I thought that the reason Walter got so attached was because he saw that they both had similar aspects of themselves, which is also similar to what you wrote.
4. Walton is seeking an adventure to find new experiences and friends. Similarly people love the thrill and they acknowledge that they could die but they want to enjoy what the world has to offer. The danger and the exploration are something people are willing to do. It brings excitement to people’s lives that do not feel that with other things in life. Knowing that it could die is a way for them to feel different emotions or clear their mind. But also they want to make a difference and believe that if they do not do it then who will. They believe that they show their strength and bravery through their sacrifice like people that go to the army. Army people will give anything to protect their country. Exploring the depth of the ocean or outer space is a challenge and people that are willing to spend their whole lives to figure out and if a person spreads that much time into it, it is for passion and excitement to find something unexpected. These people are also willing to die doing something they love so much to commit themselves to do it. That is what Walton has done with this journey he is looking forward to the unexpected things to find and tell his sister all about it.
ReplyDeleteI find you took an interesting approach in answering this question. It seems all too often, people find themselves dwelling in the fear of the unknown or death. However, in Walton's case, he seeks the adventure and enjoys the danger of it all. If exploration and adventure are things people are passionate about then I would agree that they should be allowed to go out and do what makes them happy. Who knows, they might discover something great!
Delete3. Having human companionship is something that I believe humans need. Through companionship, we have the opportunity to learn about different outlooks on life and allow ourselves to grow. With people by our side, we get to see life through a different lens because if completely isolated, one may be stuck in a never ending loop of thoughts that never get heard nor resolved. Of course isolation can be beneficial to reflect and think about one’s needs and wants, but it can only be beneficial for so long. Sooner or later there will be a need to interact with others because it is just human nature. Taking Walton for example, when Victor comes aboard his ship, Walton feels this warmth towards Victor since he has been searching for a friendship for some time now. Walton grows to love him dearly and even describes Victor as a “brother to heart” highlighting how close Walton feels towards him. Walton’s desire to meet someone who matches his passion and intellect is something that can happen to a lot of people, and seeing the result after encountering Victor, truly shows the importance of companionship.
ReplyDelete-Citlaly
Drexler
DeleteI agree! There has to be a balance between companionship and isolation in order for a person to function. Its sort of a balance, too much of something can be detrimental.
I like your response and 100% agree with it. Without a proper balance of companionship and isolation it could lead to madness. As we have all sadly witnessed over the past year, suicide, depression, domestic violence, and drug abuse have increase not only in adults but teens and children as well due to the heavy isolation many have been.
DeleteRoseanne Sandoval: Question 3
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion Walton wanting some companionship is a an everyday norm, because not only is it a want from people to feel like they finally have someone to talk to or relate to but it goes to show that strong bongs with people have a positive affect on one another. Dont get me wrong isolation and companionship both have pros and cons, but in my opinion I believe that it depends on how the people deal with it, some can be more caring rather than just letting go. Isolation in some cases is benificial, because it helps one get back on track as they focus on thereselves and how they can become better as a person or as a whole, but it only works to an extent. Isolation can also cause a mixed feeling on emotions, like sadness and in my opinion powerless because it can make one feel like an outsider and like they dont belong but thats because they have been by themselves for way to long which isnt a good thing, like i said isolation is goo to a certain extent but it isnt meant to be isolated forever. As for walton we can see that he is king of in a bubble of being an outsider now that his sister isnt with him, making him feel all sorts of things, which is why he is in seek of someone to talk to. He seeks companionship because he still wants to have someone to talk to and to share ideas with and feel like he isnt alone. In other words he wast a friend, someone whos going to cherrish his work and be there in his worst and most of all someone who will support him. The man who came aboard the ship was a stranger according to walton yet this stranger was quiet different from the other sailors, walton was somewhat amussed by this mans intellectual knowledge that there was something about him that was new, but its shown that this man has things in common with walton and therefore walton is in the process of having a friend at this point.
Hey Roseanne! I really liked how you mentioned the benefits of companionship, along with the pros and cons of isolation. I completely agree that isolation can be beneficial to a certain extent. Do you think that applies to everyone?
ReplyDelete^Citlaly
DeleteI agree with you Roseanne, there are both pros and cons to isolation. But how does one know whether to self isolate for the better and not for the wrong reason.
DeleteThroughout the 4 letters Walton sent to his sister he touches upon how he longs to share his enthusiasm with someone. I believe its human nature to want some sort of companionship whether if it's a romantic partner or just a life long friend. Humans need affection and to feel accepted and this is seen in Waltons letters. He needs someone to relate to and share his sorrow which makes him feel content when Haggard boards his ship. Isolation can almost be therapeutic and necessary at times but to a certain amount of time. Being alone for too long can have some lifelong effects on a person such as depression, paranoia, and even hallucinations.
ReplyDelete^Samantha Serrano
ReplyDeleteLeilani Colin
ReplyDelete#3) I believe that it is human nature to want/need companionship. We need that human interaction to help us get by in life whether it is emotion or physical. In Walton's case, not having a companionship creates struggles to connect emotionally and handle mental challenges. Walton states, "I have no friend... when I am glowing with the enthusiasm of success, there will be none to participate my joy..". Walton's rather romantic/poetic way of writing highlights the damage of his own isolation on his metal state. This explains the idea that self-isolation is not always beneficial. It can be beneficial when it allows you to realize your wants and needs in order to live at your fullest potential. If we focus back on Watson's case, we are able to identify his need for companionship, but it took isolation to lead him to this conclusion of need, until Frankenstein boards the ship Watson feels this void of needing a companion. In the letter Walton states, "I have found a man... brother of my heart". Here Walton express his instant connection with Victor Frankenstein and soon to be growing love are care for him.
ReplyDeleteQuestion 3
I believe that having human companionship is something that is essential for individuals. Having companions allows someone to see and learn about different points of view which essentially allows and opens the door for growth. By having a companion we are able to not only see things in different ways but also just become more educated about how different people adapt or react to different situations. If one was completely isolated you are stuck with your thoughts and only your thoughts. You would not be able to have that broader outlook or perspective on life. With that being said, I do believe that some isolation is good for the individual. This will pretty much just allow one to reflect and be by themselves without the constant influence of others. This is why I believe as humans we need a balance. Too much of anything isn’t good and it is clearly reflected in this instance as well. We read about Walton’s reaction to when Victor comes aboard his ship. Because of the fact that Walton has been in isolation for so long, he is desperate for a friendship. Walton grows to have love and admiration for Victor just as he would with a brother. Through Walton’s companionship with Victor one can see the true benefit of having a companion.
Yes! Without having companionship you will not learn and expand your mind to different perspectives. I also agree that being alone can be good in order to reflect because when I am alone I always tend to reflect which makes me feel better about myself. However, yes sometimes being isolated can cause you to be sad because of those deep thoughts that humans get. Therefore, a balance is good for the human needs, but that balance does not have to be half and half because it all depends on who the person is. Some enjoy to be isolated more than others and some might prefer attention more than isolation.
DeleteCompanionship is the feeling of friendship where you are able to trust someone and have a vital connection that brings togetherness. If you have a companion, you enjoy their company and want to spend time with them. Companionship is a basic human need, and when these needs are not fulfilled it can cause you to be sad. Therefore, I believe that humans do need companionship of some kind. Human beings need others to certain degrees, based on their personalities. Some people are needy and constantly crave a lot of attention. Others can go without attention for a while. Having a companion in life, whether it is a family member, friend, etc helps build a sense of belonging in some people and helps motivate people to do their best. However, isolation can in fact also be beneficial in getting to know yourself because depending on people, human beings do need time for themselves. I personally love my relationships with my family and close friends, but I also like my alone time. I enjoy the presence of myself and the nature around me. In the novel, Walton feels very alone as he has “no friends”. He can not tell anyone his glories or his feelings when he is sad. Victor Frankenstein comes aboard his ship and Walton starts to not feel lonely. He finally has a friend who is similar to him. As the days go by his love for Victor grows and Walton now sees him as a brother. This highlights the importance of needing a companion in life because Walton is now happy.
ReplyDeleteBrenda Zepeda
ReplyDelete3.) Walton laments not having a friend that matches his passion and intellect. Do you believe humans need companionship? Can isolation be beneficial? Who comes aboard his ship and how does Walton feel about this?
As history and science have shown, humans are social beings. We thrive off the interactions with others just as much as we need them. Let's look at this pandemic. We were isolated from the people we were constantly around and felt at a loss for companionship. I know many people who became depressed due to this lack on socialization and interaction with other people. But of course, if we were to look at someone who has always lived on their own, away from any other human interaction, they cannot miss or lack what they never had. When Walton encounters this stranger, he does not hesitate to take him in, regardless of the pitiful state he is in. He learns to care for him as a brother. This would be the example of missing something you've felt before speaking in refrance to a sibling bond. He is glad to finally fill the emotional desire that was lacking.
Alexander Sanchez
ReplyDelete4.) What is Walton seeking to do on his voyage? Do you believe humans should spend time and energy exploring new areas even if it can be dangerous for example the depths of the ocean or outer space?
Walton's voyage is based off his desire for success. His fuel for exploration is that he wants to be the first person to reach the North Pole and discover a northern passage to the Pacific. As far as if I think people should explore outer space or the ocean I think that they should. There's plenty of questions still out there as far as if there's life besides us, we've only discovered so little and although what we learn may be something we don't want or need to know, it could also be something very valuable that’ll help us in the future. Whilst I personally wouldn't risk my life for exploration, I'm glad there are people who would because without them we'd know even less about the world and the universe. In addition, I don’t think we really lose much by exploring, assuming these explorers avoid tragedy, the actual journey to a place unknown has to be a very exciting thing. Generally speaking I think these types of people do this because they love it, based on that alone I’d say exploration is a good thing for us as a whole to do.
Hey Alex,
DeleteI really liked the way that you approached this question and I totally agree that there is not that big of a lost when it comes to exploring. I really liked how you brought up that you personally would not go and explore, but you appreciate those who do because without them we would be unaware of things that are in life. For example, we only know so much about space and the ocean and it would be amazing to learn more. I think that if more people went and explored these things, we may find things that can be beneficial to us in our everyday lives. Again nice job with answering this question !!
-Brandon Boyd
Brandon Boyd
ReplyDelete3.) Walton laments not having a friend that matches his passion and intellect. Do you believe humans need companionship? Can isolation be beneficial? Who comes aboard his ship and how does Walton feel about this?
As people, we depend on the people we meet throughout our lives to learn about our interests in the world. These people can either help/or prohibit us because we can learn from their interests. Due to this, I do feel that people need companionship so they have someone who has similar interest as them. Typically when an individual shares an interest with another person, they can create a bond that makes them closer. This bond then allows for each of the people to grow into better individuals they could've before. However, I also do feel that isolation is beneficial to creating a healthy mental health for a person. This is because it allows for a person to learn about independence, and not be forced to depend on the opinions of those surrounding them. The man who Walton finds on his voyage is described as a "stranger" in the letters, which indicates that he did not want to learn his full name. However, Walton did not dismiss him by the way he describes the condition he was in when he found him. Walton described him as, "limbs were nearly frozen, and his body dreadfully emancipated by fatigue and suffering" (Shelley 26). By describing the condition this man was in in such detail, it highlights the compassion Walton had for him. This relates back to why I think people need companionship, because when they are in a vulnerable spot they need the assistance from someone to get them back to normal. Overall, I feel that it is important that people have companionship for one another, but also people need to learn to appreciate isolation to learn about independence. I think Walton is able to demonstrate this by having compassion for the "stranger" by helping him, but also being isolated to focus on himself.
Humans are social creatures. Social interactions are an important part of our survival. From a young age we are taught that talking to others is the best way of moving up in the world. This ranges from friendships to education to careers that we will eventually choose. Those who fail at interacting with others are eventually left behind and have a harder time catching up. Isolation can be good or bad. It depends on the person and the amount of time someone is in isolation. From a short term period, it can allow people to contemplate their life and work themselves. But from a long term point of view, it can lead to madness. An experiment ran on monkeys for different periods of time in 1966 discovered that longer terms of isolation led to more aggression. Humans need compassion because it makes them feel cared for and it allows them to think over how their actions will make others feel. This is why when the stranger came onto Walton's boat, he was delighted to have someone with similar passions near him. Despite having others on the boat with him, he still felt alone because he had nothing in common with them. The stranger was a reprieve from that loneliness.
ReplyDeleteLisa Nguyen
ReplyDelete#2
Within the realm of horror fiction, death is no stranger to Shelley. In fact, it plagued her life at an early age beginning with her mother’s death due to the complications of Shelley’s birth. Fast forwarding, death had no trouble following Shelley throughout her life making its appearance during multiple miscarriages that she had and her farewell to her dying husband, Percy Shelley. These personal traumas pertaining to grief and loss ultimately played a major role in writing her novel. Shelley does not shy away from using grotesque details when she writes about how Victor Frankenstein was able to assemble his creation using body parts from the dead. Magnified in this process, Shelley was able to depict birth as both creative and nonetheless destructive.
With the idea built around death and life, Shelley incorporated lightning and eerie weather to paint the eccentric feeling that Frankenstein felt in the midst of darkness, which eluded from the attic that homed his lifeless creation. Shelley also painted a mysterious atmosphere as in certain segments of the novel, she writes that the monster is abandoned to wander into the world by itself. Such suspense then boils down to the reveal of William’s death--Frankenstein’s youngest brother. Knowing that death is always creeping around, Shelley continues to play on with this tactic; continuously leaving her readers at the edge of their seat and not knowing who would the “monster” harm next. I have now covered some elements of gothic literature, however, there is one more that I would like to discuss and that is the state of madness Victor Frankenstein fell into. Chained with disgust and self-hatred, Frankenstein exhibits behaviors and characteristics of a man who has gone ballistic. During Henry Clerval’s visit--a dear companion of Frankenstein--he stated that “...his (Frankenstein) eyes have generally an expression of wildness, and even madness…”, thus illustrating how Frankenstein was mentally pained by the occurrences that unfolded.
All together, Shelley’s use of such components of gothic literature paved a frightening work of composition that we all have grown to adore today.
Mary Shelley uses some of her life events to be reflected in the letters. In the letter, there is an explanation of the narrator moving around losing his mother and his wife coming from a poor family in which are similar events that happened to her in real life. Mary Shelley’s mother died days after she was born in the book victor’s mother does not die at birth however, he does end up losing her after a disease in which is similar to Mary Shelley’s life. Also, the main character in Frankenstein learns off books in the begging just like Mary Shelley had to since her stepmother did not allow her to get an education. Thus many of the events that happened to her are reflected through the main character in Frankenstein. Victor’s wife was taken into the family due to poverty and her beauty in which can also correlate with Mary Shelley’s life as her father was also poor and even sent her to live in Switzerland for the summer not because of poverty but because of the stepmother. The Girl that was adopted into victor’s house was sent there with her parent’s permission she ended up staying there forever unlike Mary Shelley who only stayed there for the summer. She, however, did end up leaving with a married guy in which could be seen as a similar situation to the adopted girl as she went to live with the guy who would eventually become her husband. Some parts about the characters’ life reflect a part of Mary Shelley’s real-life as writing was her way to escape reality.
ReplyDeleteEvelyn Padilla
Question 3, Robin Valenzuela
ReplyDeleteHumans are social animals, this has been proven through the ages and our general reactions to isolation. In our earlier ages of humanity we moved in groups and became a society. Isolation can have its negative effects but not everyone is effected by isolation the same way. Some people can do better alone because others are a distraction to them. I personally know people who do better alone but I don't do good alone because I get distracted and my thoughts can spiral everywhere. Robert Walton feels isolated because nobody shares his dream or really is interested until the man on the sledge comes aboard. Robert was interested in the man because he spoke with such etiquette despite being filled with misery. The man didn't feel comfortable with anyone other then Robert, and due to this they started to speak and Robert describes that "he interests himself deeply in the project of others" and used "the language of my heart". So much so that Robert saw him as a brother. Walton feels overjoyed that he can finally bond with someone who is willing to listen with interest.
question 3 . I do trust it's valuable to have others in your life. Friendship is significant. Seclusion can be useful for specific circumstances notwithstanding in the event that we are taking a gander at this from a drawn out outlook, I figure detachment isn't the best thing for an individual. On the off chance that we investigate Walton's case, we can see that disengagement drove him to needing friendship. As I referenced previously, separation for somebody can be some assistance on occasion. Walton at long last comprehended how being both confined and encircled helped him personally. Do they go inseparably? Indeed in light of the fact that occasionally you need a push to acknowledge what you're absent in your life. Companionship can open numerous entryways you didn't know were there in any case. As Victor Frankenstein went into Walton's life, he was acquainted with a world he didn't know existed. He discovered somebody to relate as well and isn't that what unites companions? In general, it's pivotal to meet somebody in your life that will furnish you with aching friendship. - Romina
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