Frankenstein

The second novel of my novel class this semester was Frankenstein, and I finished it this morning. Compared to Humphry Clinker, I enjoyed Frankenstein much more. Part of the reason why is because I feel it is much more enjoyable story, but the other reason is that it does not consist of all those letters like Humphry Clinker.

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There are many misconceptions about this book, and unless you have read it before, you may have been told some false information. Frankenstein is not the monster. Because of movies and media, most people probably think that Frankenstein is the name of the monster, but that is not true. Frankenstein is the last name of the man that created the monster. The monster is never actually given a name. He is referred to as the demon or a wretch.

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And the story does not revolve around the creation of the monster, or even around the actions of the monster. Those are events are present, but they are not the whole story. First off, this story is being told to another man, Walton, by Frankenstein (who recounts his life). And there is only a brief discussion about the creation of the monster. While the monster does kill other characters, more of the story is about Frankenstein and how he deals with the fact that he has created a murderer.

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So in America today, we are generally confused about this story. But it does seem to be a classic and a favorite. And even the real story is good. I enjoyed reading through the real story of Frankenstein this past week. And I would definitely encourage anyone who has not actually read the story, written by Mary Shelley, to read it. I think you would enjoy the real story.

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Matt