Frankenstein

A. Research the characteristics of Gothic literature and make a list of everything you learn about it. Then review passages from the novel Frankenstein and compare the list of Gothic characteristics to the novel. What similarities do you find? Explain how Frankenstein is a Gothic novel. In your portfolio, write about the elements that make up the story such as the setting, character development, narrative voice, tone, and theme. Choose a few of these, and explain how they contribute to the novel’s identity as a Gothic novel. Support your findings with lines from the novel and researched information. Do not write a book report or summarize the plot. Instead, prove that this novel is Gothic through the evidence gathered during research.

B. Research the scientific advancements of the late 1700s and early 1800s in Britain. Choose a few of these advancements that happened BEFORE 1818 when the novel was published, and explain how those advancements created perceived dangers to the public, and may have influenced Mary Shelley when she wrote Frankenstein. Compare and contrast the advancements of the late 1700s and early1800s with more recent advancements in science. Discuss the influence the advancements from both periods. For example, explore the debate surrounding grafting human body parts, etc. and discuss how issues like these relate to the novel. Support your findings with lines from the novel and researched information.

C. The subtitle of Shelley’s novel, Frankenstein, is “The Modern Prometheus.” Read the myth of Prometheus, and then research the figure of Prometheus from Greek mythology. Write a research portfolio that explores the connection between Shelley’s novel, the Greek myth of Prometheus, and modern technology. Compare and contrast the characters of Victor Frankenstein and Prometheus to determine the consequences each faced when introducing their discoveries to the world at large. Then, choose a modern-day inventor / innovator and explain how their creation / innovation has or will change the world and whether that individual will face the same type of consequences as either Victor Frankenstein or Prometheus. To support your findings, include lines from the myth and the novel as well as researched information.

Page Length
• Final draft: three to five pages + a works cited page. The final draft must show editing, proofreading, and evidence of changes made from the first draft to earn full credit.
Format
• MLA Format: Follow MLA formatting guidelines when formatting the portfolio, adding in-text citations (parenthetical citations), and creating the works cited page. Submit the research portfolio and the works cited page as one document, not as separate documents. Use page break in Word to create a new page for the works cited at the end of the portfolio.
• Perform research to find four or five reliable sources.
• The British Literature textbook or the novel we read may be used as one source.
• Include in-text citations (parenthetical citations) in the body paragraphs that state researched facts and evidence from the reliable sources.
• Also cite these sources on the works cited page.
• Unreliable and user-created sources like Wikipedia, About.com, Shmoop, SparkNotes, and free portfolio sites, etc. may NOT be used. If all your research is done through EBSCO, this should not be a problem.