Please post one of your dialectical journal quotes and comments. Comment intellectually on two of your peers' posts. Please have your post completed by Sunday night 9pm., and have your two responses in by Monday night. Check your email Sunday evening for any changes!
46 Comments
Lauren Collins
1/23/2016 04:31:47 pm
Dialectical Journal - Chapter 2
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Alyssa Hagerman
1/23/2016 06:51:39 pm
I also annotated very heavily in that section for reading. I found it quite interesting that, like Robert, Victor was primarily an autodidact. With their self teachings, both men also found the paths they would forever dream of traveling down. As for the Philosopher's Stone and the Elixir of Life, they seemed to foreshadow Victor's future fascination with anatomy and the life cycle.
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Jenny Glidewell
1/23/2016 09:21:58 pm
I like what you said! I agree that Victor, like Robert, wanted glory not wealth. They both wanted to discover something that nobody else ever had. They both thirsted for knowledge and they could never seem to get enough. Victor and Robert are very alike in a lot of ways. They were also both mostly self-taught which shows that they had a passion for learning new things. They could also both suffer the same fate but maybe Victor, by telling his story to Robert, will be able to show him that more knowledge is not always a good thing.
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Elizabeth
1/24/2016 08:02:12 am
It's interesting how Victor has always been intrigued by human life. Even before his obsession with creating a reanimated being, he was focused on discovering the elixir of life, wishing to "banish disease from the human frame" (Shelley 22). While Victor doesn't follow through with the task to discover the elixir of life, I wonder if there would have been similar disastrous occurrences as befall Victor upon the creation of his monster. The elixir would make humans invulnerable, and to me would also qualify as playing God.
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Kaitlyn Denny
1/24/2016 08:23:37 am
I also annotated this section and put similar things. I also said that he must have had a good heart for wanting to prevent others from horrible deaths rather than wealth. I said this as well as wondered if he wanted this because of the loss he has experienced with his mother. Or this could simply be from the goodness of his heart. Or then again it could possibly just because of the glory he would receive for it. Either way it would be a great accomplishment and many lives would be changed.
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Holmes
1/25/2016 12:18:55 pm
Kristen Denny
1/25/2016 04:57:42 pm
Victor ran into Robert that had the same interests as he did, glory not wealth. With each of their drives to learn and discover more about science, hopefully this will lead both of them to scientific success. Prior to this quote he spoke of him reading frequently and the books were from authors hardly anyone had heard of. He then goes on saying how he was wanting to "penetrate the secrets of nature" (Shelley 21). This just further emphasizes that he was in it for the knowledge, as well as the glory, not the money that would also come with success.
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Destiny Mabe
3/9/2016 04:39:30 pm
I Think this knowledge will end up getting him into trouble..
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Alyssa Hagerman
1/23/2016 06:28:49 pm
Dialectical Journal- Chapter IV
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Jenny Glidewell
1/23/2016 09:14:16 pm
That is a very good connection! I didn't think of it like that! A lot of times big things are meant to cause destruction! I'm sure when Mary Shelley created the monster she didn't want it to just be like a normal human. It needed to be scary and gigantic in order for her story to be more entertaining. If it had looked like a normal human it wouldn't have been as scary. I think it is also good to infer that Frankenstein's monster may cause a lot of destruction.
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Sarah
1/23/2016 09:53:32 pm
I love the connections you made with the large characters being destructive even if they don't mean to. This brings how often the reality of a situation and someone's or something's intentions are hardly ever the same--especially when it comes to creating something to the caliber that Frankenstein is. Frankenstein's intentions aren't for his creation to be destructive...but I suppose we will find out that the reality will be different.
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Nicole Rogers
1/24/2016 02:12:37 pm
What a great aspect to point out! While reading this, I did not think that much into the description of the creation because often monsters are large. However, especially with the connection on Lennie and accidental destruction, this brings up a good point and points for discussion. Did Frankenstein create the monster deliberately with destruction in mind or was the monster more like Lennie and the destruction was accidental? Since the reason of creating the monster of this size, or the reason Frankenstein says is "As the minuteness of the parts formed a great hindrance to my speed" (Shelley 32). Was the predicted destruction accidental like Lennie or deliberate like other destructive giants?
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Nora
1/24/2016 05:02:28 pm
I never thought about making the connection to other giants! Lennie from Of Mice and Men was a gentle giant that just made a mistake, however I don't think that Frankenstein's monster will be gentle in any way. I think whatever "mistakes" the monster makes will not be seen as mere mistakes.
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Lauren Collins
1/24/2016 08:10:17 pm
The connections that you made were brilliant and accurate to my own assumptions. I do believe that the creation of Frankenstein is going to be a destruction of either him or something else. I think the quote also displays Frankenstein's obsession and madness to create great and grandeur things. As we notice throughout the chapter, this thought becomes a fixation for him. I agree with your ideas, though!
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Holmes
1/25/2016 12:26:22 pm
To all:
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Kristen Denny
1/25/2016 05:04:39 pm
I agree! Seeing Frankenstein as a large monster would instill fear and bring entertainment to the reader as well. Making Frankenstein that much larger also brings out that it is extraordinary and out of the norm. Another idea to point out is that in literature when it comes to men, like in Atlas Shrugged, the bigger their accomplishment, the more power it seems the man has. This was also emphasized in HTRLLAP.
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Jenny Glidewell
1/23/2016 07:18:39 pm
Quote: "Last monday (July 31st), we were nearly surrounded by ice, which closed in the ship on all sides, scarcely leaving her the sea-room in which she floated. Our situation was somewhat dangerous, especially as we were compassed round by a very thick fog. We accordingly lay to, hoping that some change would take place in the atmosphere and weather. About two o'clock the mist cleared away, and we beheld, stretched out in every direction, vast and irregular plains of ice, which seemed to have no end" (Shelly, 18).
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Alyssa Hagerman
1/23/2016 07:56:57 pm
I made the same connection here. From this connection, I also hoped that an albatross would soon find the ship and lead the way to "safety." Conveniently, Victor Frankenstein joined the crew just a page later and soon became Robert's moral coach. We can just hope that Robert doesn't follow in the mariner's footsteps and kill the Christ-like figure that is attempting to be his guide.
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Holmes
1/25/2016 12:34:07 pm
Let me know how you feel later about Victor being a moral coach.
Sarah
1/23/2016 09:59:33 pm
Isn't irony just so sweet! Well, I suppose as long as you aren't in Robert's situation it may be. The connection you've made with Robert and the Mariner is correct, yet all I can seem to think about is how the events Robert is going through is foreshadowing (even though it happened before) to Frankenstein's dangerous tale. Even though we know that Robert eventually listens to all the warnings, it leaves us wondering how exactly Frankenstein's expedition ends.
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Elizabeth
1/24/2016 07:52:50 am
I too have little faith in Walton's judgment. He says himself that he is "too ardent in execution and, and too impatient of difficulties," (Shelley 4) leaving me wondering if his obvious rashness will get him into tough situations. Lack of thought before action is a common flaw within protagonists, as seen in Romeo, as well as many of the characters in "A Midsummer Night's Dream," and the outcome is usually not in the character's favor. Walton's complete and total belief in himself, as evidenced in letter 3, "But success shall crown my endeavors" (Shelley 7), can only lead to that which he believes is impossible- his failure.
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Kaitlyn Denny
1/24/2016 08:39:10 am
I also annotated this passage. I did not write about the Ancient Mariner, but that was a good connection. I also said that the ice foreshadowed misfortune. This does also further show how determined he is to reach his goals. He is clearly very ambitious and, as you said, unstoppable.
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Holmes
1/25/2016 12:35:47 pm
Good to notice the ice, but can you tell me more about the weather and foreshadowing?
Holmes
1/25/2016 12:33:19 pm
Certainly the poem gave Shelley fodder for her work! Jenny, if you take another look at that particular section - what occurs with the weather and what is seen? (The quote you refer to comes from page 8, not 18.)
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Hannah Ross
1/26/2016 01:29:18 pm
I didn't notice the irony of Walton's situation to the mariner's until you pointed it out but I completely agree. I also agree with how Walton is not heading the dangers that he is facing. His confidence is numbing him to the dangers of the sea and could end up hurting him.
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Sarah
1/23/2016 09:47:39 pm
Quote: "...his full-tone voice swells in my ears; his lustrous eyes dwell on me with all their melancholy sweetness; I see his thin hand raised in animation while the lineaments of his face are irradiated by the soul within," (p. 14).
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Holmes
1/25/2016 12:40:33 pm
Nicely chosen quote. The imagery is as vivid as the diction used to create it. Victor is a ghost of his former self (ghost story...) He enthralls Walton and thus we his(her) readers. AS noted in the introduction to Frankenstein, what brought on the creation of Shelley's work?
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Elizabeth
1/24/2016 07:42:38 am
Dialectical Journal- Letter II
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Nicole Rogers
1/24/2016 02:00:09 pm
This is an interesting point that Victor is to Walton as Elizabeth was to Victor. I agree that Victor has the potential to soften Walton as Elizabeth did to Victor. However, I am not sure if this is why Walton is so fond of Victor. I think Walton did not want someone to "soften" him; he wanted someone to share his passion with. People show their passion through their eyes, and Walton wanted someone "whose eyes would reply to mine" (Shelley 4). I think he liked Victor so much because finally, since his sister had not, he found someone who showed passion for his passions.
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Holmes
1/25/2016 12:55:27 pm
Indeed, Walton has found a person of like mind and high intellect in whom he can confide. But... Walton also states the he looks for (n essence) someone to counter him, so he looks for someone to balance him and keep him in line when he goes to far, to share the ups and downs...
Holmes
1/25/2016 12:50:47 pm
Much like Hamlet had foils in Laertes and Fortinbras, Victor too has his foils. Can you make the connections?
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Kaitlyn Denny
1/24/2016 08:19:19 am
Chapter 1 Page 18
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Holmes
1/25/2016 12:58:06 pm
Yes, to love, cherish... (wedding vow-ish). They are not genetically related in a fashion, so the sometimes brother, in deed loves his sister in more than a platonic way.
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Hannah Ross
1/26/2016 01:35:05 pm
I like how you pointed out the diction and how it hints at the possibility of their marriage. Do you think that he is being a protective older brother, or a possessive and entitled man who feels that he has power over this woman?
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Destiny Mabe
3/9/2016 04:36:04 pm
To me this quote also shows that woman were treated as possessions and not actual people, she was just handed off like she was a toy, and not a person, to me this shows what a women's role was to be at this time period.
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Nicole Rogers
1/24/2016 01:53:27 pm
Dialectical Journal - Letter 2 - Page 4
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Holmes
1/25/2016 01:00:24 pm
As in the importance of human bonding? The need for close and meaningful relationships in order to live a more complete life??
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Kristen Denny
1/24/2016 04:18:18 pm
Chapter 3:
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Nora
1/24/2016 05:12:59 pm
I also thought about Hamlet at this part! It is hard to imagine anybody feeling forced to push grief aside, but life must go on I suppose. At least Victor was not being forced to accept someone he hated as his new parent.
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Lauren Collins
1/24/2016 08:15:18 pm
I think you are right to connect this aspect to Hamlet, even though the death was his mother and not his father. Frankenstein, like Hamlet, has endured a tragedy that he must try to overcome, particularly with a fake smile on his face. I also have connected other parts of the book to Hamlet, but in contrast. For instance, Frankenstein is forced to go to school far away while Hamlet is forced to stay home. Other than the connections to Hamlet, this quote shows a characterization of Frankenstein, who is grateful and intelligent.
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Holmes
1/25/2016 01:02:35 pm
Way to go Kristen! Nice pick up and correlation.
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Nora Skinner
1/24/2016 04:48:47 pm
Chapter 4 pg. 34
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Holmes
1/25/2016 01:04:42 pm
Why is the sentence long then? What is Victor out of joint with? (Refer to your Romanticism notes!)
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Hannah Ross
1/26/2016 01:26:45 pm
Passage- "No one can conceive the variety of feelings which bore me onward like a hurricane, in the enthusiasm of success. Life and death appeared to me ideal bounds, which I should first break through, and pour a torrent of light into 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 could claim the gratitude of his child so completely as I should deserve theirs. Pursuing these reflections, I thought, that if I could bestow animation upon lifeless matter, I might in process of time (although I now found it impossible) renew life where death had apparently devoted the body to corruption." Chapter 4 Page 32
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Holmes
1/26/2016 05:23:13 pm
Good work hitting on various points Hannah. This is a section I do like to emphasize, and you have scratched the surface! We will explore this gem further in class.
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Destiny Mabe
3/9/2016 04:33:24 pm
Letter Three Page Seven
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AuthorMrs. Holmes - AP ENG IV Archives
March 2016
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