10th Grade Periods 1 and 4Mr. Chao

Frankenstein Essay

Introductory Paragraphs Explaining Quotes Understanding of the Book Plot Summary MLA Quotes (Speaker/ Explaining)

Things You Did Well

MUCH better intro paragraphs this time around. You guys really stepped it up and worked on your structure to present a hook that logically progresses to a clear thesis.

Introductory Paragraphs

This was a difficult book (it’s an Honors book on most 10th grade curriculums)◦ But ALL of you got the book. I am very proud of

all of you for that.◦ Pat yourselves on the back. No really. Do it.

Plot

Outlining Supports PROVING / Returning to the prompt Writing clear arguments for Supports Using Examples to PROVE Quotes (Context / Analyzing) Conclusion

Things To Improve

Intro Paragraph◦ Hook◦ Connection to the Book◦ Thesis (3 TS outlines)

Body Paragraphs 1-3◦ TS (3 Supports outlined)◦ Support 1 (2 examples)◦ Support 2 (2 examples)◦ Support 3 (2 examples)

Conclusion ◦ Restate Thesis ◦ Transition ◦ Inference (Things to Do in a Concluding Paragraph)

5-Paragraph Essay Structure

- Without structure it all falls apart!

Many of you were missing supports/examples in your third paragraph or had a first paragraph that was MUCH more thorough than your other two◦ What this tells me is that you started off great but then

ran out of time. ◦ In general, the people who had a completed outline did

MUCH better than the people that didn’t

Start early, use workshop time well, and FINISH STRONG. Your last paragraph should be your STRONGEST!

FINISH YOUR PAPER

Your paper

You

Almost everyone forgot to OUTLINE SUPPORTS in the Topic Sentences.◦ Each topic sentence should act like a mini-thesis and lay

out the points that are going to occur in the paper.

Throughout the Creature’s education, he learned right from wrong because the Creature chose wrong even though the books taught him what was right, the books made him question himself, and even though the Creature learned right from wrong he still committed crimes.

VS He is smart enough to know what he is doing and whether

or not it is right or wrong.

Structure

There were some SILLY, SILLY mistakes in your papers. Make sure you PROOFREAD.

CAPITALIZE character names! (no “victor” or “creature”)

Book titles are ITALICIZED. (MOST of you forgot to do this for the the title of this book, Frankenstein by Mary Shelley.

The Creature ≠ Frankenstein

Please proofread…◦“The Genital Giant” (Gentle Giant?)◦“Marry Shelley” (No thanks…?)

Proofreading Your Paper

Expository Writing◦ Addresses everyone (no target audience)◦ Proves points using textual evidence◦ States arguments◦ Sticks to the text

No opinions (“I think,” “I believe”)

◦ 5-Paragraph Structure

Persuasive Writing◦ Addresses a specific target audience ◦ Proves points using ethos, logos, pathos

Humor Addressing the audience (“we”) Counterarguments

◦ States opinions as well as arguments◦ Uses outside sources to make points

Outside data/research Personal experience (“I”) Others’ opinions (ethos)

◦ No established structure

Expository Writing vs. Persuasive Writing

Many of you struggled to present ARGUMENTS that PROVED the prompt. Remember, there’s a difference between Plot Summary and Arguments.

Argument, or Plot Summary? The Creature’s first victim is Little William.

The Creature learns faster than ordinary humans.

The Creature had enough experience in society to know the difference between good and bad

Another thing the Creature does to learn is when he sees the French family.

Supports

Argument, or Plot Summary? The Creature comprehends the magnitude and the

weight of taking the life of another and chooses to kill even still.

Also, when the Creature was telling victor of when he was about to frame Justine for William’s death he said…

When the Creature was wandering in the woods he found three very different books: Paradies Lost, Plutarch’s Lives, and Sorrows of Werter.

Supports

When using quotes, you should need to do the following IN ORDER:

1. Introduce the quote with SPEAKER and CONTEXT

2. Provide the quote.3. Properly CITE the quote.4. Summarize the quote5. Analyze the Quote (Prove the

Prompt/significance)

Quotes

Support: When man has unlocked enough knowledge, they may begin to feel like gods and the power will go to their heads. This was exactly Frankenstein’s problem.

Example: Victor even said himself, after discovering the secret to life; “Life and death appeared to me ideal bounds, which I should first break through, and pour a torrent of light onto our dark world. A new species would bless me as its creator and source; many happy and excellent natures would owe their being to me. No father would claim the gratitude of his child so completely as I should deserve theirs” (Shelley 55). Here, the reader sees that as Frankenstein is able to cross the border between death and life, he takes on this role of an almighty creator. The power he wields begins to muddle his judgment, and Victor never stops to think of moral concerns or consequences. Because of this, he goes on to create the creature, his new ‘species’. Through this, it becomes evident that one’s creations can sometimes lead to their own ruin.

Excellent Quote Examples

Green = Speaker/ContextPurple = Summary

Red = Analysis

Support: Also, the creature sees the importance of family by watching the cottagers.

Example: The creature discovered that the cottagers were a poor family, who lived in poverty, and seeing them in sorrow really affected the creature’s emotions, he became sad also. The creature saw how close the cottagers were, especially with the arrival of Safie, and its affect on Felix. As Safie arrived at the cottage, “Felix semed ravished with delight when he saw her, every trait of sorrow vanished from his face, and it instantly expressed a degree of ecstatic joy, … And called her, as well as I could distinguish, his sweet Arabian” (Shelley 120). In this quote, the creature witnessed all of Felix’s despair disappear, as Safie arrived. He saw how important Safie is to Felix, proving how much the cottagers loved each other. This shows that the creature knew what he was doing when committing the crime

Excellent Quote Examples

Green = Speaker/ContextPurple = Summary

Red = Analysis

Support: Frankenstein’s creation, or the “creature” or “monster” knew exactly what he was doing when he inflicted harm upon 5 year old William.

Example: When the creature is telling of his confusion when he was created, he mentions the murder of young William, “Frankenstein! You belong to then my enemy – to him towards whom I have sworn eternal revenge; you shall be my first victim” (Shelley 144). This is when the monster decides to kill William in hope of making Frankenstein as miserable as possible. The fact that the creature calls William his “first victim” after he discovers that William is a part of the Frankenstein family implies that he knows he will at least inflict harm upon him, let alone murder him.

Excellent Quote Examples

Green = Speaker/ContextPurple = Summary

Red = Analysis

Argument: Victor didn’t teach him right from wrong, the creature had to learn from three books he read.

Example: The creature informs, “They consisted of Paradise Lost, a volume of Plutarch’s Lives, and the Sorrows of Werter. The possession of these treasures gave me extreme delight; I now continually studied exercised my mind upon these histories…” (Shelley 130). As he stated, these books were gems for him, obtaining knowledge from a different source of information.

Quote Examples

Argument: The Creature wanted to hurt Victor. This is why he wanted to see him. He hoped to ruin Victor’s life.

Example: “I will glut the maw of death until it be satiated with the blood of your remaining friends.” (102) He is threatening Victor. He knows Victor cannot live with himself knowing that it is partially his fault they died.

Quote Examples

In the beginning, Victor with his thrill for experiments started collecting miscellaneous body parts at college. That is where the creature was created. “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”. Once Victor saw his creation he took off and left the creature alone. The creature felt abandoned and was left on his own. He learned to eat, read, speak and creates a shelter for himself. As we go along the creature finds a book called “Paradise Lost”, and the creature relates to the devil in the story so he makes it his mission in life to get revenge on his creator, Victor.

Plot Summary or Analysis?

The creature finds a sense of accomplishment in killing which proves that he’s responsible for the evil caused. (Telling)

After killing Little William, the Creature rejoices over the body, “I gazed on my victim, and my heart swelled with exultation and hellish triumph…” (Shelley 144).

The Creature’s reaction to the death that he has caused proves (Showing)

You need BOTH in order to effectively prove your argument.

The creature finds a sense of accomplishment in killing. For instance, after killing Little William, the Creature rejoices over the body, “I gazed on my victim, and my heart swelled with exultation and hellish triumph…” (Shelley 144). The Creature’s reaction to the death that he has caused proves that is responsible because he doesn’t feel guilt over the crime, but actual celebrates.

(Telling AND Showing)

Telling vs. Showing

Telling: The Creature has to steal to survive so he thinks that’s OK.◦ SHOW ME:

Telling: The Creature was willing to learn, but had little resources.◦ SHOW ME:

Telling: He also consciously knows the crimes he’s committing because he clearly tells us at the end of the book.◦ SHOW ME:

Telling vs. Showing

Did you Restate Thesis? Did you end OUTSIDE the book?

◦ Why should we care? Did you use one of the strategies from “Things to Do

in a Concluding Paragraph?”

Use a Quote Ask a Question Connect to Today Universalize Suggest a Practical Application Provide a Warning Call to Action Paint a Vivid Picture

Concluding Paragraph

Why u no give inference? I haz a sad.

Universalize

The creature is responsible for all of the evil in the novel Frankenstein by Mary Shelly. He is blamed for all of the evil because he is conscious about all of the crimes he was continuously committing, he had unnatural upbringings, and no one else can be blamed for his actions. Parents or adult figures can only help guide children to make good decisions in life, sometimes children follow the right paths and sometimes they don’t. But their final decision on the person they will be is made by their actions. Everyone makes mistakes, but no one else can be blamed for your actions but yourself and that is what makes you who you are.

Awesome Conclusions

Suggest a Practical Application

The story of Frankenstein uses knowledge to change it’s characters, and teach the reader a lesson. Every character in Frankenstein pursues knowledge somehow, much like how people regularly try to obtain knowledge. Sometimes pursuing knowledge can be in vain, and no matter how hard you try to find the truth the truth will not end up being what you wanted. Humans all try to get knowledge somehow, but there are those who try to obtain too much knowledge and pursuing that will lead to your downfall. Knowledge changes people, and while no one can escape the alluring eye of knowledge, we must all realize there are things in this world we are not meant to know; and chasing after such things will lead to our downfall.

Awesome Conclusions

Connect to Today

In today’s society, until a child is eighteen, the parents are held responsible for that child’s actions, good or bad, why? Because the child’s behavior reflects the teachings and training received from the parents. Responsible, accountable, liable all of these infer that you know right from wrong as defined by a civilizations accepted rules. How can one be held responsible, if they do not know the rules? In Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, the Creature in essence, was a baby. We would no more hold a five year old responsible for murder, than the Creature should be held responsible, but rather Victor, his creator and parent. A baby needs loving kindness to develop mentally. And a good strong role model, several if possible, to learn how to interact with others, and be a positive addition to society. The Creature had neither of these. We learn what we live, we model what we see, we repeat what we hear. What did the Creature learn, see and hear? Hatred, evil, abandonment, these would corrupt the most innocent being.

Awesome Conclusions