interpretive Claims About Frankenstein Essay *I will send the secondary sources when accepted*This essay asks you to make a series of interpretive claims a

interpretive Claims About Frankenstein Essay *I will send the secondary sources when accepted*This essay asks you to make a series of interpretive claims about Frankenstein. It is not a thesis driven essay, per say, but rather a series of interpretive questions that you must answer. In
answering these questions, you must demonstrate your close reading skills and showcase your
knowledge of all the assigned lectures and secondary readings about the novel Frankenstein
and show that you have been keeping up with your poetry.
The secondary materials you can incorporate into this essay include:
• Introduction and all appendices in the Broadview edition of Frankenstein
• “Birth of a Monster” documentary
• Lectures by Heather Keenleyside (week 2), Kevin McNeilly (week 6), Wendy Steiner
(week 6)
• Secondary essays in the Week 6 folder
Please submit your essay to Blackboard as an MS Word document by 11:59 PM on Wednesday,
July 8th
In his lecture, Kevin McNeilly points out the word “monster” and “demonstrate” share an
etymological root, which suggests that, through the monster and representations of the
monstrous, Shelley is trying to demonstrate/argue something about society, science, reason,
gender roles, family life, nature, etc. This essay asks you to pinpoint what you think this
“monstrous” novel demonstrates. Please answer the following THREE questions:
1) My Monster, My Mutant: in one-two paragraphs, summarize the essay “Mutant” from
the book An Introduction to Literature, Criticism, and Theory by Nicholas Royle and
Andrew Bennett (available in Blackboard). In this summary, you simply need to
summarize the important points of the essay itself and explain why the monster in
Frankenstein is a “mutant,” as outlined by Bennett and Royle. After you have written
your summary, please write a one-two paragraph argument about how and why
another character in Frankenstein (that is, not the monster) is also a “mutant,” as
outlined by Bennett and Royle. In this argument, which should be character-driven, you
must close read one or two key scenes involving your chosen character that proves your
character is also a “mutant,” though perhaps not the same kind of mutant as the
monster.
2) The Political Mutant: in one-two paragraphs, summarize the essay “Frankenstein’s
Politics” by Adriana Craciun. As above, you simply need to summarize the important
points of the essay itself: what is the central argument or arguments of this essay and
what evidence does Craciun use to prove this argument or argument? After you have
written your summary, please write a two-three paragraph close reading of what you
consider to be the most important political moment, scene, or sequence in the novel.
In this close reading of your chosen scene, your argument can agree with Craciun by
extending some points made in her essay or, on the other hand, disagree with Craciun
by disagreeing with some of the points made in her essay. Consider, also, making
reference to the appendices in the Broadview edition that provide you with source
materials about the political influences on Mary Shelley. The lectures by Steiner and
McNeilly will also help you answer this question. Also, the essay by Andy Mousley is
quite difficult, but I have included it to help you sort out some of the finer political
points Shelley is working with (human vs. posthuman): the Mousley essay is OPTIONAL.
3) Poetic Form: Please answer discussion question #3 on p. 665 in the Norton: your answer
should be 200-300 words long and should discuss a poem that you have NOT previously
discussed or commented on for this course.
For help with questions #1 and #2 above, please consult 1250-1254 in your Norton.