FRANKENSTEIN BY MARY SHELLEY – COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS – COMPLETE LITERATURE STUDY GUIDE
Explain how Victor Frankenstein's parents met. - (answers)Victor's father, Alphonse Frankenstein helped
a freind, Beaufor, who fell on hard times. After Beaufort died, Alphonse cared for and eventually married
Beaufort's daughter, Caroline.
Summarize how Mary Shelley interjects her social interest of caring for the poor into Frankenstein. -
(answers)Alphonse cares for Beaufort when he becomes poor. Caroline regularly visits and helps the
poor. Elizabeth is adopted from a poor family who can no longer care for her.
Explain how Shelley portrays the women, Caroline, and Elizabeth, in Chapter 1. - (answers)Caroline and
Elizabeth are both portrayed as virtuous women who are recued, cared for, and protected by men.
Elizabeth is also presented to Victor as a gift.
Describe Victor's childhood. - (answers)Victor enjoys an idyllic childhood and is doted on by his parents
as they travel throughout Europe.
Explain how Elizabeth comes into the Frankenstein home. - (answers)When Caroline meets a peasant
family who has taken in Elizabeth from a Milanese noble man. The family can no longer afford to care for
Elizabeth, so the Frankensteins adopt her.
How does Victor feel about Elizabeth? - (answers)He adores her and feels that she is "mine to protect,
love, and cherish" and she is "my more than sister, since till death she was to be mine only."
Explain Victor's social tendencies and how he interacts with friends. - (answers)Victor tends to avoid
crowds and instead, forms close friendship with only a few people (Henry Clerval).
Contrast (Compare) Victor's academic interests with those of his friend, Henry Clerval. - (answers)Victor
desires to learn about science- the secrets of heaven and earth, and the "inner spirit of nature" and the
"physical secrets of the world," while Henry Clerval prefers the "moral relations" of things, including
history and literature.
,Infer Victor's meaning when he says of his desitre to learn about science: "I find it arise, like a mountain
river, from ignoble and almost forgotten sources; but, swelling as it proceeded, it became the torrent
which, in its course, has swept away all my hopes and joys." - (answers)While his intrest in science begins
as an innocent search for knowledge, it grows to overwhelm and eventually destroy him and everything
he loves.
Which authors and topics does Victor become obsessed with reading? - (answers)He becomes obsessed
with reading the works of early alchemists (Cornelius Agrippa, Paracelsus, and Albertus Magnus). An
interest in alcherny then proceeds to an interest in anatomy.
Generalize how Victor learns about alchemy and natural science. How does this fit with the
characteristics of Romanticism? - (answers)It reflects a Romantic focus on sef-education and parallels
Robert Walton educating himself about sailing the world.
Describe Victor's experience with lightning. How was it a turning point in his life? - (answers)When he
was 15 he saw a lightning bolt destroy a tree and wondered about the power of ligthtning and electricity.
Explain Victor's destiny. Locate a quote from the novel to support your answer. - (answers)His destiny
was to study the science of unknown: "It was a strong effort of the spirit of good..."
Tell what Caroline Frankenstein hopes for Elizabeth and Victor's future. - (answers)Caroline hopes that
Victor and Elizabeth marry each other.
Summarize Elizabeth's response to Caroline's death. - (answers)She becomes the family's maternal
figure. Rather than grieving, she devotes herself to caring for the family.
Explain why Henry Clerval's father disapproves of education. - (answers)He wants Henry to follow in his
foot steps in the world of commerce and trade.
, Deduce what Victor means when he state,"Chance-or rather the evil influence, the Angel of Destruction,
which asserted omnipotent sway over me from the moment I turned my reluctant steps from my father's
door..." - (answers)Victor is destined for evil- his destiny was to have the Angel of Destruction decide his
future.
Examine how Victor interacts differently with M. Krempe and M. Waldman. - (answers)Victor finds M.
Krempe to be conceited and condescending. Victor likes M. Waldman better, and respects him. He likes
his lecture which prompted Victor to keep searching for answers to keep moving forward.
Evaluate Victor's assertion, "In other studies you go as far as others have gone before you, and there is
nothing more to know; but in a scientific pursuit there is continual food for discovery and wonder." -
(answers)In science, an ending point does not exist, however, because there is always more to learn and
explore.
What specific aspects of biology does Victor study? - (answers)Human anatomy; how life is created,
death, and decay.
Explain how Victor thinks that his creation will regard him. - (answers)He thinks his creation will be
grateful to and appreciative of him, like both a father, and great creator.
Analyse how Victor violates his own advice: "A human being in perfection ought always to preserve a
calm and peaceful mind, and never to allow passion or a transitory desire to disturb his tranquility." -
(answers)He becomes obsessed with science and his creation. It dominates his life at the expense of his
health, family, and mental health.
Summarize why Victor "shuns his fellow-creatures" while working on his creation. - (answers)Victor
knowns that he is doing something wrong and isolates himself from others so they will not learn of his
actions.
How does Victor react when his creations comes to life? - (answers)He is disgsted and runs screaming
from the room.
ANSWERS – COMPLETE LITERATURE STUDY GUIDE
Explain how Victor Frankenstein's parents met. - (answers)Victor's father, Alphonse Frankenstein helped
a freind, Beaufor, who fell on hard times. After Beaufort died, Alphonse cared for and eventually married
Beaufort's daughter, Caroline.
Summarize how Mary Shelley interjects her social interest of caring for the poor into Frankenstein. -
(answers)Alphonse cares for Beaufort when he becomes poor. Caroline regularly visits and helps the
poor. Elizabeth is adopted from a poor family who can no longer care for her.
Explain how Shelley portrays the women, Caroline, and Elizabeth, in Chapter 1. - (answers)Caroline and
Elizabeth are both portrayed as virtuous women who are recued, cared for, and protected by men.
Elizabeth is also presented to Victor as a gift.
Describe Victor's childhood. - (answers)Victor enjoys an idyllic childhood and is doted on by his parents
as they travel throughout Europe.
Explain how Elizabeth comes into the Frankenstein home. - (answers)When Caroline meets a peasant
family who has taken in Elizabeth from a Milanese noble man. The family can no longer afford to care for
Elizabeth, so the Frankensteins adopt her.
How does Victor feel about Elizabeth? - (answers)He adores her and feels that she is "mine to protect,
love, and cherish" and she is "my more than sister, since till death she was to be mine only."
Explain Victor's social tendencies and how he interacts with friends. - (answers)Victor tends to avoid
crowds and instead, forms close friendship with only a few people (Henry Clerval).
Contrast (Compare) Victor's academic interests with those of his friend, Henry Clerval. - (answers)Victor
desires to learn about science- the secrets of heaven and earth, and the "inner spirit of nature" and the
"physical secrets of the world," while Henry Clerval prefers the "moral relations" of things, including
history and literature.
,Infer Victor's meaning when he says of his desitre to learn about science: "I find it arise, like a mountain
river, from ignoble and almost forgotten sources; but, swelling as it proceeded, it became the torrent
which, in its course, has swept away all my hopes and joys." - (answers)While his intrest in science begins
as an innocent search for knowledge, it grows to overwhelm and eventually destroy him and everything
he loves.
Which authors and topics does Victor become obsessed with reading? - (answers)He becomes obsessed
with reading the works of early alchemists (Cornelius Agrippa, Paracelsus, and Albertus Magnus). An
interest in alcherny then proceeds to an interest in anatomy.
Generalize how Victor learns about alchemy and natural science. How does this fit with the
characteristics of Romanticism? - (answers)It reflects a Romantic focus on sef-education and parallels
Robert Walton educating himself about sailing the world.
Describe Victor's experience with lightning. How was it a turning point in his life? - (answers)When he
was 15 he saw a lightning bolt destroy a tree and wondered about the power of ligthtning and electricity.
Explain Victor's destiny. Locate a quote from the novel to support your answer. - (answers)His destiny
was to study the science of unknown: "It was a strong effort of the spirit of good..."
Tell what Caroline Frankenstein hopes for Elizabeth and Victor's future. - (answers)Caroline hopes that
Victor and Elizabeth marry each other.
Summarize Elizabeth's response to Caroline's death. - (answers)She becomes the family's maternal
figure. Rather than grieving, she devotes herself to caring for the family.
Explain why Henry Clerval's father disapproves of education. - (answers)He wants Henry to follow in his
foot steps in the world of commerce and trade.
, Deduce what Victor means when he state,"Chance-or rather the evil influence, the Angel of Destruction,
which asserted omnipotent sway over me from the moment I turned my reluctant steps from my father's
door..." - (answers)Victor is destined for evil- his destiny was to have the Angel of Destruction decide his
future.
Examine how Victor interacts differently with M. Krempe and M. Waldman. - (answers)Victor finds M.
Krempe to be conceited and condescending. Victor likes M. Waldman better, and respects him. He likes
his lecture which prompted Victor to keep searching for answers to keep moving forward.
Evaluate Victor's assertion, "In other studies you go as far as others have gone before you, and there is
nothing more to know; but in a scientific pursuit there is continual food for discovery and wonder." -
(answers)In science, an ending point does not exist, however, because there is always more to learn and
explore.
What specific aspects of biology does Victor study? - (answers)Human anatomy; how life is created,
death, and decay.
Explain how Victor thinks that his creation will regard him. - (answers)He thinks his creation will be
grateful to and appreciative of him, like both a father, and great creator.
Analyse how Victor violates his own advice: "A human being in perfection ought always to preserve a
calm and peaceful mind, and never to allow passion or a transitory desire to disturb his tranquility." -
(answers)He becomes obsessed with science and his creation. It dominates his life at the expense of his
health, family, and mental health.
Summarize why Victor "shuns his fellow-creatures" while working on his creation. - (answers)Victor
knowns that he is doing something wrong and isolates himself from others so they will not learn of his
actions.
How does Victor react when his creations comes to life? - (answers)He is disgsted and runs screaming
from the room.
