Frankensteinby Mary Shelley

English 12H

Ms. DiSavino

When reading Frankenstein, I will provide you with essential questions, symbols and motifs to track, and intertextual connections. You will read actively, take “Frankennotes” using SIFTT, and select aMIP and MIW (including your reasoning.)

You will also consider text to text and text to world connections, and develop questions for Thursday’s “literary salon” (a variation on Socratic Seminar).You will also earn a maximum of 20 points for your contributions to this.

You will thoughtfully respond to three blog posts and take a final exam(30 pts. for each post and 75 pts. for the final exam).

Monday – Wednesday– See blog for reading schedule. Discuss reading and share notes. Develop questions for Thursday’s salon and read intertextual work.

Thursday – Literary “Salon” to discuss reading and intertextual connections. Salon “hosts” (a rotating group of four students) will start and lead conversation on Frankenstein and a connected text.

Friday – Film and intertextual connections

Essential questions:

To what degree does Shelley explore the moral and ethical questions that first emerged in the enlightenment?
How is her moment in history akin to ours? What concerns overlap when considering both ages?
How should our “dawning age” establish moral values that keep pace with rapidly changing technological advances?
How should an individual balance ambition and relationships?
What devices does Shelley use to explore the relationship between creation and destruction?
How do writers structure their work to reflect their message?

Here is the format for your Frankennotes. (These will be checked and occasionally collected).

1. Brief Summary of reading assignment; the form may be an outline. Highlight main characters’ development, any new characters, and main action.

2. Notes from your SIFTT annotations.See below. How does the writer’s use of language (literal and figurative) contribute to meaning? What themes or motifs are developed?

3. MIP and MIW: include page number and paragraph. Briefly explain the reason you chose the quotation, as well as the significance of the quotation itself.

4. Reaction / Response: additional thoughts, questions, or responses to the reading. This can include connections with the historical period and background and/or intertextual connections.

SIFTT Annotation

Symbols: A literalobject that appears (or echoes) at least three times. What new layer of meaning does the symbol uncover or amplify? Be on the lookout for the light and fire, edges and boundaries, as well as the sublime (terror and delight in equal measure), Biblical and other textual allusions and the paradox of creation and destruction.

Imagery: What images does the writer create and how does this engage the reader’s senses? Closeattention to imagery is important to understanding an author’s message and attitude. (See above -mountains and lakes, ice and snow, the color yellow)

Figurative Language: Figurative language includes similes, metaphors, and personification. Figurative language often reveals deeper layers of meaning.

Tone: Tone is the overall attitude achieved through the use of diction and syntax. Consider how the author’s choice of words (use word families) contributes to the mood and tone. Be aware of syntax and sentence length. How is meaning reinforced and clarified by sentence length?

Theme: In literature, a theme is a broad idea or a message conveyed by a work. This message is usually about life, society or human nature. Themes explore timeless and universal ideas.

While reading Frankenstein, be on the lookout for the following thematic ideas:

Family, society and isolation
Ambition, exploration and testing boundaries
Romanticism and nature
Judgment, innocence and revenge