1. Synopsis:
Chapter 4:
The monster continues telling his side of the story. He continues watching the cottagers, longing to be with them. He notices that some of them aren’t happy, and feels deeply for them. He continues to observe them and comes to realize that their unhappiness is from the poverty they have been struck with. Because of this, he stops stealing from them during the night, and instead starts leaving piles of wood in front of their door, for them to find when daylight comes. The monster also starts learning their language, starting with things like “wood”, and “food”. His feelings start to mirror those of the villagers as he becomes closer to them. Their sadness impels him to be sad, same with their happiness. The monster keeps learning more words from listening to De Lacey read stories out loud. He starts creating a routine for himself of observing the cottagers during the day, and helping them find supplies during the night. Here, he also begins to imagine the family in the cottage receiving him and accepting him as one of their own.
Chapter 5:
The monster is surprised by the abundance of new life that spring brings with it. In the midst of observing the cottagers, a lady on horseback wearing all black and veil rides up, making Felix extremely happy. Her name is Safie. She moves into the cottage with the family and the everything and everyone in the cottage brightens up. Safie begins to learn the language of the cottagers, and the monster does the same as well. The monster also learns how to read and a little about history since Felix teaches Safie with french literature works. Since the monster is now able to speak and write the language of the cottagers he learns a great deal about human society by listening to the conversations of the cottagers. He then reflects and realizes that he is deformed and alone. He also learns about the deeper meaning of family and human relations which draws him deeper into isolation.
Chapter 6:
By listening in on the cottagers constantly the monster is able to envision the history of the cottagers. De Lacey was once a citizen in Paris and he and his children, Agatha and Felix, were respected members of society. Safe’s father was falsely accused of a crime and condemned to death. Felix visited this man in prison and met his daughter, they both fell in love. Safie thanked Felix for trying to help her father through letters. Safie’s letters told of her mother being a slave before marrying her father as well as the life women of Turk live. Safie wanted to marry a European to escape the slavery. Felix helped with rescuing her father from prison but they were caught and Felix, Agatha, and De Lacey were exiled from France and wealth taken away. They moved to Germany and lived in the cottage ever since. Safie’s father wanted to go back to Constantinople but she escaped with money and knowledge of where Felix lived.
Chapter 7:
Despite their troubled past, the monster still wants to be a part of the human community. While picking up wood one evening, he stumbles across some books, including Sorrows of Werter, a volume of Lives, and even Paradise Lost. He takes them back to his hovel and decides to continue learning the language through literature. As he reads through the books, he comes to the realization that he can identify with certain aspects of each book, specifically the character of Adam in Paradise Lost. The monster recalls that he is also in ownership of Victor’s journal, and is able to read it now. He compares the beautiful, natural qualities of the creation of man with the horrific creation of himself and is appalled. He keeps struggling with his desire to be loved by the ones he’s observing, and decides to present himself to them. Deciding to speak with the blind (and thus externally unprejudiced) De Lacey, he takes advantage of the moment when Safie, Felix, and Agatha go on a walk. However, just when the monster tries to communicate his situation, the three return and Felix chases the monster away.
2. Characters:
-Monster (narrator)
-boy called “Felix”, “brother”, or “son”
-girl called “sister” or “Agatha”
-old man named De Lacey (blind grandfather)
-Safie
3. Vocabulary:
1. Execration (n.): The act of cursing or denouncing
2. Disquisitions (n.): A long speech or written report on a subject
3. Hovel (n.): a small, poorly built, and often dirty house
Source: Merriam-Webster Dictionary
4. Discussion Questions:
How do the changing seasons and moods of nature impact the Monster’s progress in his hope for a family and friends? Does this connect back to previous experiences our characters have had with the natural world and weather?
Why does the monster feel so attached to the unhappiness of his companions? What does this say about the monster’s ability to feel emotions such as empathy and sympathy. Which (if either) of these two does the monster express? Or is it a mix of both? (Possibly include Adam Smith’s perspective on sympathy).
Throughout these chapters, the Monster often compares himself to Adam, not having another person to share life with. However, God saw Adam’s sadness and gave him Eve to share life with. Does the monster feel as though he is worthy of an Eve, and is it up to him to find her himself?
Frankenstein spies the cottagers as being happy even though they didn’t have any money, yet he is poor and also unhappy. Given this, what makes one happy? What makes one unhappy? Do the eyes of an innocent, newly born to the world, give clarity to these questions?
The story of the villagers is being told through the monster’s perspective, who is described by the narrator, who is portrayed by Shelley. What more complicated aspects do these layers add to the novel? What more could Shelley be trying to tell us by adding so many layers to her story?
Now that we have heard most of the monster’s story, does Shelley portray him as a samaritan, a sinner, or simply a victim? How has this perspective changed throughout the novel?
Does Felix and Agatha’s rejection to befriend the monster highlight important characteristics about human nature? What is Shelley saying by having the blind grandfather accept him first? How does this first act of kindness affect the monster’s perception of people?
The monster mentions his reflection in the pool of water several times throughout the reading. Connecting back to the tale of Narcissus and the allusion through Eve, how does the monster’s vision of himself compare to that of these other spectators? What does this imply?