EmilyAlmendarez

APEnglishLanguage,Period3
January8,2014

FrankensteinbyMaryShelley
40ishquotes

Quote&PageNumber

Response

...fornothingcontributessomuchto
tranquilizethemindasasteadypurposea
pointonwhichthesoulmayfixits
intellectualeye.
pg2

Ifeelasthough,weashumanbeingsare
alwaysmoreinclinedtohaveagoalaswe
perusethisjourneyoflife,becauseweare
heavilyturnedoffbythethoughtofwalking
aimlessly.Withoutagoal,atarget,weare
obliviousastowhetherwehaveprogressedor
evolvedincharacter.Itmakesoureffortsand
minutesonthisplanetmeansomething,when
weconsciouslyrealizethatweareworking
towardsomethingthus,givinguspeaceof
mind.

Whatcanstopthedeterminedheartand
resolvedwillofman?
pg8

Death.Deathistheanswer,unlessyou
believeinsupernaturaloccurrences.
Regardlessofwhattheanswermayormay
notbe,Ifeelasthoughthewillandfeelings
ofanindividualisthemostpowerfulthingin
theworld.Withit,mountainshavebeen
moved,whichisextraordinary.
Throughoutthenovel,angerfueledthethirst
forrevengetheprincipalcharactersfelt,
which,didnotend,untiloneoftheparties
demise.

Onemanslifeordeathwerebutasmall
pricetopayfortheacquirementofthe
knowledgewhichIsought,forthedominionI
shouldacquireandtransmitoverthe
elementalfoesofourrace.
pg13

Iamextremelyconflictedonthisquote.
Ifeelasthoughmyconsciencetutsand
shakesherhead,becauseeachlifeis
importantandshouldbevaluedasso,
regardlessofwhethertheireffortsand
inevitablepassingmaybringgreatbenefitsto
oursociety.
However,Ialsofeelasthoughoursocietyis

builtonpushingboundariesandtakingrisks,
ofwhichisimpossibleandabitnaiveto
believethatnonewillperishintheeffort.
...weareunfashionedcreatures,buthalf
madeup,ifonewiser,better,dearerthan
ourselvessuchafriendoughttobedonot
lendhisaidtoperfectionateourweakand
faultynatures.
pg14

Thisoverwhelminglytrue.
HereinLosAngeles,thereisthismuralin
whichanangelwithonewingissoaringwith
thehelpofanotherangelwiththesame
anatomy,thecaptionsayingsomethingalong
thelinesof,Wecansoaronlybyembracing
oneanother.
Wearefoilcharactersforoneanother,
balancingeachotherout,andthroughthe
creationoffriendship,weevolveas
individuals.

...hisgriefonlybecamemoredeepand
Ithinkthatwhilesometimestimealonemay
ranklingwhenhehadleisureforreflection bebeneficialthehealthoftheindividualinall
pg18
aspects,therecomesatimeinwhichthe
demonsofwhichtheystruggleusethis
momentofsilencetopreyontheperson.
ThisisoneofthereasonswhyIdetestsilence
withapassion.Thereissomuchspaceto
regret,overthinkandblameoneselffor
variousinstancesofourpast,andweare
suddenlysuckedintothisblackholeof
depression,renderingourselvessilentaswell.
Itseemedtomeasifnothingwouldorcould Ithinkthatisthepoint.Thatisthebeautyof
everbeknown.
life.
pg21
Theonethingthatistrulyinfinite.
Informationstillunknown.
Whileknowledgeisgreat,Ifeelasthoughthe
pathtoacquiringandrealizingitismuch
morevaluableandexciting.Ibelievethisis
whychildrenarealwaysgiddywhengrowing
up,becauseofthefactthattheyare
experiencingamultitudeofthingsatsucha
rapidrate,forthefirsttime.Thisquote,
insteadofdeflatingmyspirits,makesmefeel
asgiddyasatwoyearoldwalkingforthe
firsttime.Thejourneytodiscoverywill
nevercease.
Destinywastoopotent,andherimmutable

Thisisanotherquotethattroublesme.Inthe

lawshaddecreedmyutterandterrible
destruction
pg27

novel,thereisnoquestionthatFrankenstein
wastohaveamiserablelifeassoonashe
createdlifeandneglecteditandthe
responsibilitieshegainedbecauseofit.
However,inlife,Ihavealwaysquestioned
whetherourlifeisalreadywritten,oratleast
outlinedbytheuniverse.Iforone,liketo
believemyselfautonomousanddonot
believeinahigherpower.Ibelievethat,like
inphysics,everyactionproducesareaction,
whichishowtheuniverseoperates.Because
ofthis,Ithinkthatwecreateourowndestiny,
whichnowthatIanalyze,ismorefrightening
thansomethingalreadypreestablished.

Itissolongbeforethemindcanpersuade
itselfthatshewhomwesaweverydayand
whoseveryexistenceappearedapartofour
owncanhavedepartedforeverthatthe
soundofavoicesofamiliaranddeartothe
earcanbehushednevermoretobe
heard...butwhenthelapseoftimeprovesthe
realityoftheevil,thentheactualbitternessof
griefcommences.
pg29

Itisimpossibleandstuntingtohavealiving,
breathingindividualdeartoyourlife,
suddenlybecomenothingIveexperienced
thisunfortunately.Weoftentimespride
ourselvesonthedurabilityofman(and
woman)yet,wefailtoacknowledgejusthow
fragileourbonesandheartare.
Itistruethatgriefactsinsteps,butIfeelas
thoughwewillallbeperpetuallystuckinthe
purgatoryofbitternessandanger,atleasttoa
certainextent.Inafewwords:deathisntfair,
andhurtsthesurvivorsmorethanthe
deceased.

Amanwouldmakebutaverysorrychemist
ifheattendedtothatdepartmentofhuman
knowledgealone.
pg34

Itisimportanttonottransfixoneselfonone
areaofwisdomandknowledgeonly.Thisis
duetothefactthat,withallthingsinnature,it
isallconnectedinonewayoranother.
IfeelasthoughFrankensteinfailedto
acknowledgethetruththatElizabethhad
realizedinherappreciationofnatureLife
anddeatharenottobemessedwith.
Frankensteindisregardedhishumanistic
moralsandvalued,simplyenvelopinghimself
inthepossibleadvancementofthesciences,
causingfatalresults.

...howdangerousistheacquirementof
TheoldsayingIgnoranceisbliss,truly
knowledgeandhowmuchhappierthatmanis speakstruth.
whobelieveshisnativetowntobetheworld, MydadoncesharedwithmysiblingsandI

thanhewhoaspirestobecomegreaterthan
hisnaturewillallow.
pg39

thathewouldhavebeenahappiermanifhe
hadstayedinhislandsofHonduras,freeof
technology.Whenaskedwhy,he
communicatedthatthere,theonlyproblem
thatarosewasthewolvesattackingthecattle
atnight,andnottheevergrowingwealthgap,
wars,andalloftheotherglobalissues
televised.Ofcourse,thesepredicaments
wouldexistwhetherhewasenlightenedor
not,buthismind,soul,andaspirationswould
betranquilifhehadnotbeen.

...butmyeyeswereinsensibletothecharms
ofnature.Andthesamefeelingswhichmade
meneglectthescenesaroundmecausedme
alsotoforgetthosefriendswhoweresomany
milesabsent,andwhomIhadnotseenforso
longatime.
pg41

Iamconstantlybattlingwithmyselfto
designatetimetomyfamilyandfriends.I
believethatsometimeswearesotransfixedin
reachingourgoalsandgrowingupfasterthan
weareintendedto,thatweforgettosmellthe
roses,andasoursightsaresetonthefuture,
thepresentisablurrycycleofwork.
Idontwanttoreachtheageof30or40,to
discoverthatIdidnottakeadvantageofthe
individualsthatdeathmayormaynotrob
fromme,beforemyowndemise.
Imean,thatbookwillforeverbeavailableto
readandthatessaycanwaituntilthe
afternoon,butspendingqualitytimewith
parents,andlaughinguntilsugarydrinks
shootoutofournoses,maynotalwaysbeat
ourdisposal.

Ifthestudytowhichyouapplyyourselfhas
atendencytoweakenyouraffectionsandto
destroyyourtasteforthosesimplepleasures
inwhichnoalloycanpossiblymix,thenthat
studyiscertainlyunlawful,thatistosay,not
befittingthehumanmind.
pg41

Thisquoteappliestothequoteabove.
Wemustfeedoursoulsandenvelop
ourselvesingoodvibeswiththeeverpresent
simplepleasurestheuniversesupplies.
Itisgoodtohavepassions,greattohave
goals,butonceitbecomesanobsessionthat
impedesyoufromtrulyenjoyingeverything
lifehastooffer,itisnthealthyatall.

Hecannolongerbeasubjectforpitywe
ThisgoesbacktothethingImentionedabout
mustreservethatforhismiserablesurvivors. deaththesurvivorssuffermorethanthe
pg61
deceaseddo.
Itisunfortunateandunnervingtorealizethat
thedeadarenotcapableofsuffering
anymore,whichiswhywemustconcentrate

oureffortsofinducinghappinessonthe
individualsthatmustliveon.
...buthersalsowasthemiseryofinnocence,
which,likeacloudthatpassesoverthefair
moon,forawhilehidesbutcannottarnishits
brightness.
pg75

Iaminlovewiththeimagethispassage
illustrates.
Aninnocentmind,bright,vivid,andpureof
anyoftheworldsgrimeisimpossibleof
beingdestroyed.Themiserydoesnotleavea
permanentmark.
Ijustreallyappreciatethesestringofwords.

Nothingismorepainfultothehumanmind
than,afterthefeelingshavebeenworkedup
byaquicksucessionofevents,thedead
calmnessofinactionandcertaintywhich
followsanddeprivesthesoulbothofhope
andfear.
pg77

Weclingtohope.
Whenaseriesofeventsoccurthatfuelsour
hope,wecreatetheseexpectationsinwhich
wereachnirvanayet,whenthesesaid
expectationsaredestroyedbythepainful
silenceandavoidanceofchange,thehopeis
alsoextinguished.

Remorseextinguishedeveryhope.
pg79

Idontbelievethatyoucanfeelhope,when
holedupandsubmittedtoguilt.Ithinkwe,as
humans,feelthatwedontdeservehappiness
orpeace,whenweacknowledgethatwehave
donewrong.
Webecomecynics,bathinginourflaws,and
breathinginnegativity.

...butnowmiseryhascomehome,andmen
appeartomeasmonstersthirstingforeach
othersblood.
pg79

AsIgrow,Iponderwhethertheworldhas
alwaysbeenasscrewedup,orthatmyeyes
haveagedandaremoresusceptibleto
recognizeoursocietysflaw.
Wewillbeourownruin.

Ifourimpulseswereconfinedtohunger,
thirst,anddesire,wemightbenearlyfreebut
nowwearemovedbyeverywindthatblows
andachancewordorscenethatwordmay
conveytous.
pg83

Icannotstringtogetheraseriesofwordsin
anyofthelanguagesknowntohumankind
thatwouldadequatelydescribehowinloveI
amwiththisquote.
Ifweweremorebasicmulticellular
organisms,notcapableofthinkingand
feeling,wewouldonlyneedtogoaboutthe
endlesscyclesofeating,sleeping,and
reproducing.Asboringasitmaybe,we
wouldnotrealizeorbeconsciousofallthe
thingsthattroubleuscurrently(unrequited
love,death,poverty,etc).

Itwouldbeignoranceinthemostprimal
sense.IdontknowwhichIwouldchoose,if
giventhechance.

Iwasbenevolentandgoodmiserymademe IsympathizewithFrankensteinscreation.
afiend.
Hewasneverenvelopedwithlovenor
pg87
empathy.
Atseveraltimesduringmyreadingofthe
book,Iwasmoreinclinedtofeelforhimthan
Frankensteinoranyofthosetargeted.Hewas
marginalized,beingmoldedandsuccumbing
toallthenegativitysurroundinghim.
Wasman,indeed,atoncesopowerful,so
virtuousandmagnificent,yetsoviciousand
base?
pg107

Fromwhatweknow,homosapiensarethe
mostevolvedcreatures.
Insomeaspectsweare,inourdiscoveriesand
inventions.However,ittroublesme,aswell
asitdidFrankensteinscreation(Idontwant
toreferencehimasamonster.),themannerin
whichourhistoryshowshowprimaland
ghoulishwearetoobtainthepowerwe
possess.Itsendsshiversdownmyspine.

...sorrowonlyincreasedinknowledge.
pg108

Oursorrowandmiseryisproportionaltothe
knowledgeandwisdomwepossess.

Thepathofmydeparturewasfree,and
therewasnonetolamentmyannihilation.
pg117

Nonetogriefhisdeath.
Thisisoneofthemanyexamplesthisbookis
brimmedwith,thatshookme.

...butmyformisafilthytypeofyours,more IfeelasthoughFrankensteinscreationwas
horridevenfromtheveryresemblance.
thereflectionofeveryonesinnerself,both
pg119
physicallyandthroughhisactions.
Imean,everyoneheencountereddeveloped
hishateforhumanityevenmore.Hiseyes
wereabletoidentifyeachandeveryoneof
theirflaws.
ButIamablastedtreethebolthasentered
mysoulandIfeltthenthatIshouldsurvive
toexhibitwhatIshallsoonceasetobea
miserablespectacleofwreckedhumanity,

Anotheramazingpassage.
Idontreallyhaveanythingtoaddotherthan
thefactthatthis,Ifeel,reallyencompasses
themannerandextentthatthecharacterhas

pitiabletoothersandintolerabletomyself.
pg149

givenuphope.Itsaddensandintriguesme.

Howmutableareourfeelings,andhow
strangeisclinginglovewehaveoflifeeven
intheexcessofmisery!
pg162

Thispuzzledmealso.
IfIrecallcorrectly,Frankensteinscreation
communicatedhewouldprotecthislifeeven
thoughitwasnothingbutanguish,andit
mademerealizethatthisisallwellever
have.Themostvaluablethingreallyislife.
Weclingtoitobsessivelyforfearoffeeling
nothingatall.Miserysoundsmoreattractive.

Deathsnatchesawaymanyblooming
children,theonlyhopesoftheirdoting
parentshowmanybridesandyouthfullovers
havebeenonedayinthebloomofhealthand
hope,andthenextapreyforwormsandthe
decayofthetombe!
pg167

ThisvoiceshowunjustIfeellifeis.Theway
thosethatdeservetoliveandspreadtheir
love,aredeprivedtheopportunity.
Thegreatestthief,atthehandsofdeath.
Suchadamnshame.

Ifear,mybelovedgirl...littlehappiness
remainsforusonearthyetallthatImayone
dayenjoyiscentredinyou.Chasewayyour
idlefearstoyoualonedoIconsecratemy
lifeandmyendeavoursforcontentment.
pg180

Thisallwecaneverdo,right?Hopethatwe
willexperienceadayfullofhappiness,and
findsomeonetobestowallofourheat?
Itpainsmethathislifelinewasrobbedfrom
him,byhisowncreation.
Iactuallyscreamedhisname,tellinghimnot
toleaveElizabethalone.

...whatnowappearedcertainandtangible
happinessmightsoondissipateintoanairy
dreamandleavenotracebutdeepand
everlastingregret.
pg182

Thecynicismandtruthinthisbookistoo
strong.
Ithinkthatthisshouldservetosurgetowards
opportunitiesofhappiness.Ifeelasthough
Frankensteinwasalwaysparanoidonhis
creationcontinuouslyobliteratinghischances
athappiness,thatheforgottorejoiceinthe
fewmomentsofpeace.
Hewasleftwith,notonlydeepsadness,but
regret.

Lifeisobstinateandclingsclosestwhereit
ismosthated.
pg186

Ifinditcruelhowwemorelikelyto
rememberthethingsthatproducenegative
emotion,howtheyaresoeasilyingrainedin
ourbeing,moresothananymoment
happiness.

Nothingissopainfultothehumanmindasa Changeisnecessary,yetpainful,evenmore
greatandsuddenchange.
sowhentheendofapersonoccurs.
pg188
Itisdifficulttogrowaccustomedto
something,onlyforittobesusceptibleto
manipulationanderadication.
Youwillfindnearhere,ifyoufollownot
tootardily,adeadhareeatandberefreshed.
Comeon,myenemywehaveyettowrestle
forlives,butmanyhardandmiserablehours
mustyouendureuntilthatperiodshall
arrive.
pg195

ThisisthepointwhenIfinallyunderstood
Frankensteinandhiscreationsobsession
withmakingtheotherunhappytheyfinally
hadsomethingconstant.
Ifeelasthoughhiscreationfoundcomfortin
havingsomeonethinkofhimandhislocation,
evenifitmaybefornegativeintentions,as
twistedasitmaysound.
Frankensteinhimselfreachedthelowestpoint
ahumanbeingcouldeverreachathirstfor
revenge.However,Ihighlydoubtheever
intendedinkillinghiscreation.Hisreasonfor
continuingonwithlifewoulddiewithhim.

...Imustpursueanddestroythebeingto
whomIgaveexistencethenmylotonearth
willbefulfilledandImaydie.
pg202

ThisiswhyIthinkthatFrankensteinwould
neverdoit.
Ifeelasthough,becausehelosteverything
deartohim,hetransfixedhissightonthegoal
ofmurderingtheirmurderer,restoringa
twistedsortoftranquility.Thisiswhatkept
himgoing.

...Iratherdiethanreturnshamefully,my
purposeunfulfilled.
pg205

Ithinkthisquotereallyspeakswhy
homosapiensarekindofdumb.Imean,to
risksomethingasdearanduniquetousas
life,inordertosaveourprestigeandnothave
toswallowourpride,makesnosensetome.

Mydutiestowardthebeingsofmyown
specieshadgreaterclaimstomyattention
becausetheyincludedagreaterproportionof
happinessormisery.
pg207

RoundofapplauseforFrankenstein.
Ithinkitisaquiteamiabletraittobeableto
takeintoaccountthelivesatstakes,and
chosetopreservethemajorityschanceat
happinessthanyourown.

OhFrankenstein!Generousandself
Thistuggedatmyheartstrings.Althoughhis
devotedbeing!WhatdoesavailthatInowask creationwasnotmeanttobeillustratedina
theetopardonme?I,whoirretrievably
warmlight,Ifeelasthoughhewasavictim

destroyedtheebydestroyingallthoulovedst.
Alas!Heiscold,hecannotanswerme.
pg209

oftheevilsofourworld.
Geez,hejustneededfriends.

Itisnotpitythatyoufeelyoulamentonly
becausethevictimofyourmalignityis
withdrawnfromyourpower.
pg210

Idontthinkitwasbecausehewasableto
bestowallofhisevilsontoareceptacle
sourceatall,atleasttohisknowing.Ithink
hefoundwarmthinhavingsomething
constantatlastinhisshortlife,evenifitwas
negative.

Pollutedbycrimesandtornbythebitterest
remorse,wherecanIfindrestbutnotin
death?
pg212

IsittwistedthatIwantedthemaincharacter
tobefriendthecreation,andstophim?
Hewascreatedalone,livedalone,lived
withinhisownthoughts,andfinallycameto
theconclusiontobehisownmurderer.The
ideasaddensmetonoend.