Lesson Learned

"How all this will terminate, I know not; but I had rather die than return shamefully,-my purpose unfulfilled (page 160)." Here, Walton is explaining to his sister the decision he must make. He must decide whether or not he should give up his life's work to avoid his and the crew's almost certain deaths. While this decision is not a difficult one, he still has a hard time. He set out to discover new things, and he does not want to return ignorant. Contrary to his initial ideas, he comes to see that meeting Victor and hearing his story left him very informed. He left the experience with the knowledge of what happens to a man obsessed. The main lesson I learned from this novel is to always prioritize correctly. Because Victor's priorities were anything but his family during the education portion of his life, both he and everyone he loved suffered dearly. By ending the journey early, he established himself as an intelligent man where it counted. He saved many lives including his own, whereas everyone in Victor's life except the monster died because of his foolishness.

Women's Rights...Here We Go Again

"I thought with a sensation of madness of my promise of creating another like to him, and trembling with passion, tore to pieces the thing on which I was engaged (page 121)." At the time of Shelley's writing this novel, women were considered a lower form of human. It can be argued that this belief is still alive and well within many. Still, this scene in which Victor tears up his creation's female counter piece is symbolic of Shelley's situation. At first, she was forced to forgo listing her name as the author because it would not have been accepted in the literary community. She even had to have her husband write a foreword just to earn the now-infamous novel some legitimacy. There is no doubt in my mind that this would have been a point of frustration for Shelley. Everyone wants their accomplishments recognized. This was likely taken out in this part of the novel. By having Victor kill the female creation and adding that the creation had been almost completed to the point that it was, the killing of the promise of the female creation is like the killing of women's promise in general.

Puzzlement

"I remembered also the necessity imposed upon me of either journeying to England, or entering into a long correspondence with those philosophers of that country, whose knowledge and discoveries were of indispensable use to me in my present undertaking (page 110)." One thing I do not understand is this. Why does Victor really have to travel to London? At this point, it seems reasonable to conclude that no one else has created a human being like he had. Also, it is not as if the creation wanted a new and improved woman creation. He wanted one like himself, so Victor knows how to create one already. If the creation was at all concerned with it being a new advanced version, he would no longer find comfort in the woman. He wanted someone to look and act like him so that he would not have to feel as bad about himself. If the woman was improved in appearance, then she would likely find him disgusting, as well. This would defeat the purpose of her creation.

Theme: Death

"I saw, with surprise and grief, the leaves decay and fall, and nature again assume the barren and bleak appearance it had worn when I first beheld the woods and the lovely moon (page 94)." Death is a recurring theme in Frankenstein. Between William, Justine, and Elizabeth (along with others), nearly everyone Victor cares about dies. This is not slighted in the least by the fact that the last pages behold his own death. Tied in with this theme is the theme of revenge. Because of all of the misfortunes of the creation, including his near death when a man shoots him for saving his lady companion, he adamantly seeks revenge. He fulfills his vengeful plots by killing those most near and dear to Victor. The creation's knowledge up until that point of killing William was that Victor would not be hurt if he were to kill him. If anything, Victor would have likely seen this as a welcome escape. Victor was most upset by the deaths of those he loved. And, again, because of the sufferings of the creation, he was enraptured by the thought of revenge on Victor. This proved deadly to those Victor cared about.

Imagery

"Spring advanced rapidly; the weather became fine and the skies cloudless. It surprised me, that what before was desert and gloomy should now bloom with the most beautiful flowers and verdure (page 81)." This is one of many examples of imagery in Frankenstein. In the case of this novel, imagery is most usually used to describe the sanctuary into which Victor continually retreats. The woods supply a sort of safe haven for victor, and they seem to serve the same purpose for the creation. With its vivid descriptions of flowers and leaves falling, Frankenstein is a novel in which the imagery is not simply to spice up the reading. It serves to explain to the reader exactly why it was such an escape for the characters. After something horrible and traumatizing happens, Victor and the creature both seek sanctuary in a place most fear to enter. Really, as hectic, crazy, and terrifying as the mysteries of the forest can be, they are no match for what Victor must face with the appearance of his creation. Similarly, the creation only knows one or two things about Victor. One of which is the he bestowed a miserable life upon him. This leaves neither one feeling to fond of the other;hence, the need for a peaceful retreat.

Title

The title "Frankenstein, the Modern Prometheus" says a lot about a theme of the work. Prometheus was a character in a Greek myth about a boy making wings and flying too close to the sun, only to crash and burn. This goes along with the book astonishingly well. The idea is that Victor's quest for the understanding of life led to the problems of the novel with the fire or light symbolizing knowledge. "In my joy I thrust my hand into the live embers, but quickly drew it out again with a cry of pain (page 72)." Here, the monster learns through his experience of fire. The knowledge attained in this stroy is similar to the monster's experience with fire. Victor tested out a hypothesis without really contemplating the consequences. Similarly, the monster was so entranced by the fire that he touched it without knowledge of the consequences.

Foreshadowing

There is a plethora of foreshadowing in this novel. Victor is very fond of the term "fate", which alludes to forthcoming information. "Poor Justine was very ill, but other trials were reserved for her (page 41)." Here, Victor is alluding to the fact that she will be accused of William's murder. Obviously, the reader does not yet know of these events, but Victor hints at the plight of Justine in the chapter preceding the telling. This happens a lot, likely to build anticipation for what is to follow. At the end of chapters, he states that what is to come will eventually decide his destiny. This is proven completely true as his thirst for knowledge leads to the creation of the monster and the monster leads to his life's mission to destroy it. Even in the beginning, robert builds anticipation because he makes the reader want to find out what happens with his adventure. From what I hear, it is disappointing.

Narration

The narration of this book is very interesting. Technically, it starts out as being Robert Walton. He presents the letters and the first chapter, but after that, the story becomes that of Victor, even though it is still technically Robert informing Mrs. Saville of the happenings in his guest's life. "I am by birth a Genevese, and my family is one of the most distinguished of that republic (page 15)." Here, the narrator transfer takes place. It goes from Robert's letter to his sister to Victor's telling of the story to Robert. Later, the narration skips around even more, at one point, skipping to that of the monster. While it is Victor's report of the monster's story, it is still the words of the monster. This likely serves to make the reading more interesting and change up the pace of the story a bit.

Personification

Shelley's use of personification is abundant in chapters eleven and twelve. "Soon a gentle light stole over the heavens, and gave me a sensation of pleasure (page 71)." Here, the monster is describing what experiencing the sun for the first time felt like. It is disputable whether or not the monster is a human, but assuming that he is not, he feels just like a human. He even exhibits the same steps to development that a child would feel. The only difference was that he was in a huge body. He had to learn to speak, what different feelings were, and many other key concepts to life that are typically learned at a young age. For humans, the early stages include finding pleasure through many means, like simple feelings or visiting the bathroom for an extended stay. This is true for the monster as well. The feeling of the sun on his skin presented him with pleasure, which is the kind of reaction a human would have.

Life and DEATH

While Victor works tirelessly on his monster in the search for the prolongation of life, he is also mentally consumed by the idea of death. Death is a recurring theme in the novel. His fascinations with the rise and fall of the human body go hand in hand. One cannot have death without life. " 'I wait but for one event, and then I shall repose in peace.' " Here on page 13, Victor is explaining that he cannot tell Robert the secret to his creation of life, but he would rather see to what he has to do and die peacefully. Even in the beginning, it is clear that Victor sees death as some sort of relief. Still, he states that he cannot die until he does what is necessary to understand the monster. Even though death is not too present in the beginning of the novel, it seems self evident that Victor will eventually die. It is also clear that it is his thirst for knowledge that leads to his destruction. Not only does his creation promise to be the end of him, but it is also the cause of the death of his brother. Sometimes, in playing God, things don't go as planned.

Flashback

"Then I blinked and, for just a moment, the hands holding the spool were the chipped-nailed, calloused hands of a harelipped boy. I heard a crow cawing somewhere and I looked up. The park shimmered with snow so fresh, so dazzling white, it burned my eyes. It sprinkled soundlessly from the branches of white-clad trees. I smelled turnip qurma now. Dried mulberries. Sour oranges. Sawdust and walnuts. The muffled quiet, snow-quiet, was deafening. Then far away, across the stillness, a voice calling us home, the voice of a man who dragged his right leg." In this quote from chapter 25, Amir looks back at the good times he had with Hassan. Here, the author is using a flashback. One minute, Amir is flying a kite with a happy Sohrab, who is rarely ever happy, and the next he is with Hassan flying a similar kite. This is intended to call attention to the symbolism of his relationship with Sohrab. Amir tries greatly to make up for his failings with Hassan by treating Sohrab as he wished he had treated Hassan. Looking back, it was clear to Amir that he had taken his relationship with Hassan for granted, and it became his goal not to take Sohrab for granted. The comparison between flying the kites is stark because it shows the similarities in the father and son. Neither was ever quite as happy as they were flying kites. It was a way for them to forget everything else and drown the bad out. This ties a genuine connection to Hassan and Sohrab.

Characterization

"Earlier, at the gravesite in the small Muslim section of the cemetery, I had watched them lower Baba into the hole. The mullah and another man got into an argument over which was the correct ayat of the Koran to recite at the gravesite. It might have turned ugly had General Taheri not intervened." In this quote from chapter 13, characterization is being utilized. Even though General Taheri is mentioned only a few times, he is multi-dimensional. In the beginning, he is just the scary father of the girl Amir likes. This is a pretty common character in literature, or a stock character. Later, as seen here, one can see that he has strong leadership abilities that are scary at times but also come from the best of intentions and can be very helpful. When Soraya finally tells Amir exactly what happened the night the general came to take her home from her rebellious time away, another layer is peeled off the onion. She tells Amir that he threatened to not only kill Soraya if she disobeyed him but himself as well. This speaks volumes about how he views honor and pride. It is one of the most valuable things he has because, as we also learn later, he has no job and relies on the government to feed and house his family.

Jane Austen Does It Again

"Like pride in your people, your customs, your language. Afghanistan is like a beautiful mansion littered with garbage, and someone has to take out the garbage." This quote from Assef in chapter 22 also hits on a prevalent theme in the work. Prejudice is the root of a lot of the problems that arise in the book. Similarly, when Amir meets unintentionally with Assef, it is clear that Assef is following in his hero, Hitler's footsteps. By the same token, Baba didn't take Hassan as his son because he didn't want people associating his "pure" blood with that of a Hazara. Pride and prejudice (pun intended) assist Baba in the decision to disown Hassan and pass him off as Alli's. The custom in the Afghan countries was to have Hazaras working for the rest of society because they were seen as being below everyone else. It was Baba's knowledge of the ridicule the harelip would bring to Hassan that led to his paying for the surgery to smooth it out. Time and time again, Alli is verbally and physically abused because of his status as Hazara and cripple.

Pride: The Deadliest of Sins

"Please think, Amir Jan. It was a shameful situation. People would talk. All that a man had back then, all that he was, was his honor, his name, and if people talked...We couldn't tell anyone, surely you can see that." This quote from chapter 17 is an example of one of the main themes of the entire novel. Throughout, it seems as though the Afghani people are genuinely more concerned with society's perception of them than the lives of those closest to them. While this is a terrible generalization, this quote loosely supports this. The theme is pride. No one is willing to let their name be blemished in any form, even if it means keeping a boy from his father and another from his brother. Also, had Amir known that Hassan was his brother all along, he would not have felt quite so abandoned by his father every time he showed Hassan attention. It is Amir's intense need to please his unforgiving father that leads to his standing by as Hassan gets violently raped. While the people in the novel see pride as the only thing they truly have, they do not seem to realize that it is that pride that keeps them from truly enjoying all they actually have.

......Cliffhanger....

"Some day, Inshallah, you will be a great writer... and people all over the world will read your stories." Hosseini is a strong believer in the use of foreshadowing. Chapter end after chapter end, there is a cliffhanger. While these do make the reading a bit more enjoyable, I find them to be a little tiresome after the thirteenth go-round. Considering the fast-paced nature of the story, the foreshadowing does play a significant role. It serves to set up the next segment of the story. The narrator led the reader down a suspicious path when he or she alluded to the last time he would ever see Hassan truly smile. Clearly, this lets the reader know that the next part will not be a positive experience for the young Hassan. That does seem to be the theme of the first quarter of the book, though, so the narrator could really just say, "And then Amir did it again. Get the tissues."

Probably A Daddy Issue

"Hassan never denied me anything." Throughout the first fourteen chapters of the novel, it is clear that Amir's relationship with Hassan is anything but rosy. Until Ali and Hasan leave, Amir treats Hassan like a servant. Really, he is his servant, but he is also his brother, in a non-strict sense of the word. They suckled from the same breast, as is mentioned many times. As bad as a brother might treat his brother, Amir takes this to a whole new level. He tries to get Hassan and his father fired, which is horrible because they are quite poor. While they leave on their own, it is not a pretty departure. Still, time after time, even in the last seconds of Hassan's time in the house, he looks out for Amir. He lies to Baba to protect Amir. Would Amir ever do this for Hassan. Clearly not. Amir watched Hassan get raped, all the while very concerned about his kite. Because of his bad relationship with his father growing up, it is clear that Amir has great trouble relating to others and caring for another person.

Women: Here and There

" Every woman needed a husband. Even if he did silence the song in her." One aspect of the book that really shocked me was the women's roles in the culture. Essentially, it is as if the woman's role is to play sidekick for the man. I don't know about other women, but I am no one's sidekick, so reading this is somewhat upsetting. In this modern age, with men and women attending the same schools and being treated nearly equally, the book's culture seems like it must take place light years away. This is not the case, but it is nearly impossible to relate to the plight of these women. Also, the humble way in which the women accept their place is unsettling. When Soraya speaks about wanting to live her own life of being a teacher regardless of how that would make her father feel, the first hint of independence is there, but the overall feel of the book is oppresive towards women. The stark contrast of the two cultures' norms makes it difficult to relate to every aspect of the novel, but it is very informative.

Antagonizing With Love

“A boy who won’t stand up for himself becomes a man who can’t stand up to anything.” This quote from Baba is one that attributed to the common view of Baba. People say he is a terrible father and he expects too much from Amir, but that viewpoint is making his character far too one-dimensional. Baba, the antagonist in many parts of the novel, has many sides to his personality. He grew up with the view that a man was supposed to be a man from an early age. Weakness was simply unacceptable. Because he was raised in this way, he came to raise his son in the same way. It just so happens that Amir has a far from typical childhood full of things that forced him to grow up far before he should have. Once the duo reaches America, it is clear that all Baba wants for Amir is the best, and he is more than willing to sacrifice himself for Amir to have it.

Regret

“That was a long time ago, but it’s wrong what they say about the past, I’ve learned, about how you can bury it. Because the past claws its way out. Looking back now, I realize I have been peeking into that deserted alley for the last twenty-six years.” One theme of this book that seems extremely apparent is regret. In many ways, regret runs Amir's life. Even while he did many of the acts he would one day regret, he was regretting having to do it. In his mind, there was no other plausible option. Many try to blame his mistakes on his father's behavior earlier in Amir's life. While this could be a factor in his terrible behavior, it cannot be the main reason. As Amir knows quite well, he is responsible for the things he did. He realizes that everyday. Every time something good happens to him, he wonders if Hassan had experienced it or if he was having a good life. Amir's guilt gnaws at his ability to live in the present.

Raisins Are Even Drier in the Sun

The title A Raisin in the Sun is mysterious when looked at one-dimensionally. When really pondered over, the title could mean a lot of things. The reasoning that I have best come to identify with is that the characters in the play are like the raisin and their bad circumstances are the sun. While the characters are left to squirm under the harsh rays of the sun, they shrivel up and become unappetizing to those wanting to eat a raisin. Similarly, as the characters are in their bad situation for longer and longer, they become angry and they turn on eachother, making themselves unappealing to eachother. The void it causes takes an extreme toll on the family unit as a whole when they each begin to snap at eachother more and more frequently. When the family moves into the house, they are symbolically removing themselves from the rays of the sun.