Characters
Who is the ambitious Arctic explorer writing letters at the start of the novel?
Robert Walton
What is the Creature’s first experience when he comes to life?
Confused, frightened, abandoned by Victor
The danger of pursuing knowledge without considering consequences is called…
Ambition / Pursuit of knowledge
A word meaning “thinned out, made very skinny.”
Emaciated
“I am so curious. I must see this unknown land.” — Who says this?
Robert Walton
Who creates the Creature?
Victor Frankenstein
What is the Creature’s request to Victor after learning to speak and read?
To make him a companion (female creature)
What theme explains how the Creature turns violent due to loneliness and rejection?
Isolation / social rejection
A word for “passionate, intense, or burning in feeling.”
Fervent
“What may not be expected in a country of eternal light?” — This expresses Walton’s…
Optimism / excitement about discovery
Who is Victor’s closest childhood friend, later killed by the Creature?
Henry Clerval
How does Victor first learn about the Creature’s crimes?
Through letters or accounts describing deaths (William, Clerval, etc.)
This theme shows the contrast between appearances and reality, or who the real “monster” is.
Appearance vs. reality / True monstrosity
The term for “never-ending; continuous,” used to describe the northern sun.
Eternal
“Without friends we are unfinished creatures.” — Who reflects this idea?
Walton
Who is Victor’s fiancée who is eventually killed by the Creature?
Elizabeth Lavenza
Where does Victor chase the Creature to in the end?
The Arctic
The theme that suggests humans must take responsibility for their actions.
Responsibility / consequences
A word meaning “large, spacious, or capacious,” used to describe Walton’s ideal friend.
Capacious
“You seek for knowledge and wisdom, as I once did. I hope that the gratification of your wishes may not be a serpent to sting you, as mine has been.” — Who warns Walton this?
Victor Frankenstein (the stranger)
Which character provides the moral and philosophical lens through which the story is framed, warning Walton about the dangers of ambition?
Victor Frankenstein
How does the Creature try to integrate into human society before seeking revenge, and what is the result of these attempts?
He observes the De Lacey family and learns to speak and read, but when he reveals himself, he is rejected and attacked.
How does Shelley use the Arctic setting to symbolize the consequences of unchecked ambition?
The frozen, isolated Arctic mirrors the dangers and loneliness that result from pursuing knowledge and ambition without restraint.
What does “emaciated” reveal about the Creature’s condition when Walton finds him, and why is this important to understanding his character?
It shows he is physically weakened from suffering and neglect, highlighting the consequences of Victor’s abandonment and the Creature’s vulnerability.
“Unhappy man! I fear that you share my madness! I fear that you have drunk from the same intoxicating cup!” — What warning is Victor giving Walton here, and how does it reflect a central theme of the novel?
Victor warns Walton that the pursuit of knowledge and ambition can lead to obsession and destruction; it reflects the theme of ambition and responsibility.