Murder!!!! (The Extra Exclamation Points Are Completely Necessary)

“A flash of lightning illuminated the object and discovered its shape plainly to me; its gigantic stature, and the deformity of its aspect, more hideous than belongs to humanity, instantly informed me that it was the wretch, the filthy demon to whom I had given life. What did he there? Could he be (I shuddered at the conception) the murderer of my brother? No sooner did that idea cross my imagination than I became convinced of its truth; my teeth chattered, and I was forced to lean against a tree for support.”

-p 73

I must admit I’m intrigued by this particular passage. I was rather perplexed initially by the relevance of William’s murder. Now, however, it appears that it was Frankenstein’s monster that actually killed him. Though we do not yet know the reason for this murder, I find it interesting that it was Victor’s brother whom the monster killed. Of all the possible people the monster could have killed, it was his creator’s brother. More significantly, I feel like this will create a deeper sense of despair and regret to Victor’s demeanor. He essentially brought about his brother’s death; I highly doubt he will be able to live well with that on his conscience. I’m interested to see how Victor lives with this truth in his heart, and if he will attempt to hunt down the monster.

Mad World (Question 10)

In "I felt a Funeral, in my Brain," Emily Dickinson utilizes powerfully vivid and unique imagery. In describing the funeral, Dickinson almost exclusively appeals to the sense of hearing. The speaker hears the service as "like a Drum--/Kept beating--beating" (5-6). She hears "them lift a Box" (9)--that is, her casket--rather than feeling it being lifted, and she hears the pallbearers "creak across [her] Soul" (10). Space "tolls" (12), "the Heavens were a Bell" (13), and she is simply "but an Ear" (14), with "Silence" as "some strange Race" (15). These strong, thunderous sounds and descriptions evoke a sense of entrapment and despair. The lack of sensations other than hearing also reflect the speaker's feeling of mental and/or emotional death, extending the image of the funeral in her brain. In the dark of night, it is not only the lack of vision that frightens many; it is the enhanced sense of hearing that truly spooks. By relying nearly solely on this sense, Dickinson writes into her poem a sense of fear, despair, and utter hopelessness.