The aim of these two sessions was to develop student understanding of the opening chapters of Mary Shelley's FRANKENSTEIN. Monday's lesson offered an overview of the significance of Walton's letters and today's session considered chapters three and four. IT IS ESSENTIAL THAT STUDENTS ARE READING THIS TEXT, MAKING NOTES, AND ATTEMPTING TO CONFRONT THE ELEMENTS OF THE NOVEL THAT THEY MAY INITIALLY FIND CONFUSING. I looked at Chapter Four in detail today and offered a very precise textual focus. The final section of the lesson consisted of watching the opening section of the 2012 Channel Four documentary 'Frankenstein: A Modern Myth.'
HOMEWORK: We are moving towards the essay title:
HOW DOES SHELLEY CREATE A SENSE OF DRAMATIC EXPECTATION IN THE OPENING SECTION OF THE NOVEL?
In order for students to be able to construct appropriate content for this essay, students need to consider the following questions:
- Why does Shelley offer the mysterious representation of Victor in Walton's letters?
- Why does Shelley have Victor present his 'tale' to Walton as being some form of didactic fable?
- What is the significance of Shelley's use of language?
- Why does Victor's narrative occasionally shift from past to present tense. Why does he remove himself from his narrative to directly address Walton?
- How can the Prometheus myth be linked to the content of Chapter Four/Five?
- What is the significance of location?
I AM STILL NOT CONVINCED THAT STUDENTS ARE READING THIS TEXT IN A MANNER SUITABLE FOR A2 STUDY. I CHALLENGE YOU TO PROVE ME WRONG ON MONDAY MORNING. I NEED TO HEAR SOME EVIDENCE THAT STUDENTS ARE OFFERING A MORE PRECISE READING OF THE TEXT. OPINION NEEDS TO BE SUPPORTED WITH SPECIFIC TEXTUAL REFERENCE. SEE YOU THERE!
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