Chapter 11
To begin, the creature explains the incredible discombobulating sensations brought on by his creation, and the reality he had to face in so quickly adapting to the new world he was in.
He emphasises the idea of light and dark, the uncomfortable feelings of hunger and thirst, and the rather primitive discovery of fire, finding fondness of the warmth but sadness when it burns him. Much like early man, he quickly comes across the usefulness of fire, realising its potential to make food more easily digestible.
The monster then describes his journey for food, telling of a small hut he entered, causing an older man inside to cry with fear and flee, witness to his frightening visage. Finding a village close by, the monster yet again sees the folk flee, also terrified of his appearance.
This teaches the creature that he should avoid humans. The creature finds a small shelter attached to a hut which offers him all he needs for the night. He finds a small crack in the wall which affords him observation of the interior of the cottage, seeing a group of a young man and woman, and an old fellow.
Frankenstein
Frankenstein is the classic gothic horror novel which has thrilled and engrossed readers for two centuries. Written by Mary Shelley, it is a story which she intended would ‘curdle the blood and quicken the beatings of the heart.’ The tale is a superb blend of science fiction, mystery and thriller.
Victor Frankenstein driven by the mad dream of creating his own creature, experiments with alchemy and science to build a monster stitched together from dead remains. Once the creature becomes a living breathing articulate entity, it turns on its maker and the novel darkens into tragedy.
The reader is very quickly swept along by the force of the elegant prose, the grotesque, surreal imagery, and the multi-layered themes in the novel. Although first published in 1818, Shelley’s masterpiece still maintains a strong grip on the imagination and has been the inspiration for numerous horror movies, television and stage adaptations.