Question

Would someone be willing to discuss with me some underlying themes in Shelley's Frankenstein?

Answer 1

Ok have you come up with any so far or are we starting from scratch?

Answer 2

Well, I have read it and understand the most popular themes (fire and ice imagery, gothic literature/romanticism, etc) but I would like to talk more about the fire and ice concept, and perhaps get a different perspective on it.

Answer 3

Would you mind sharing your view on fire and ice and we can go ahead and talk about it from there?

Answer 4

Well, I understand the most simple example of this; Victor telling his tale in the middle of icy waters while the monster shares his story around a fire in his cave. But I guess I cannot connect their many differences to fire and ice, because I see the two characters as very similar.

Answer 5

Ok well lets think about these symbols independently. Fire and Ice are normally the complete opposites of one another. Fire symbolizes knowledge. But knowledge is also dangerous which we can see by what we read in this book. Its a dangerous knowledge in that Frankenstein learns that fire lights up the night BUT its dangerous in that it can also burn him.

Answer 6

One other instance we see with Ice in particular is when Walton is trapped underneath the ice.

Answer 7

Ah, I didn't know that fire was knowledge. This makes sense. Yet would it be fair to again draw on the fact that Victor and his monster are similar with their thirst for knowledge?

Answer 8

Yes Victor's search for knowledge is on a more scientific level. Frankenstein wants knowledge more on the level of he's getting to know the world.

Answer 9

Okay. I get that. What does the ice symbolize?

Answer 10

The ice isn't as big of a deal as the fire. The ice isn't a major player in this particular novel. It mainly comes up when Walton is trapped and its because of the ice that he meets Victor.

Answer 11

If anything I would focus on fire/light as a major symbol in Frankenstein

Answer 12

Okay. Seems fair. So how would I draw the major contrast between the fire and ice? (because the prompt for my essay tomorrow mentions this) Or at least how would I deter from the ice concept?

Answer 13

Ok well maybe you can look at it as maybe the ice is a symbol for entrapment where as fire seems to be more free reign because it does not encompass a particular shape like ice. Ice is physically solid and when something is frozen it is somewhat entrapped. Fire takes on different shapes and seems to be ever flowing.

Answer 14

Oh, I really like that. That makes a lot of sense.

Answer 15

And the monster is somewhat trapped in his own isolated, miserable existence.

Answer 16

Then in that case you can say Victor is also entrapped. He is trapped by his own creation. It has killed off those he loves and he like the monster is very much isolated. Through his thirst for knowledge he took everything away from himself and that brings us back to the "dangerous knowledge" concept

Answer 17

So, essentially, they can be again compared to one another as being incredibly alike. Thank you so much. You have helped immensely.

Answer 18

You're welcome.