Between Life and Death: The Frankenstein Application Essay

Frankenstein application essay. Literary works like Frankenstein explore the “human condition” or experiences that humans encounter. The study guides for Frankenstein offer several “Real Life Considerations” meant to help you critically analyze the applications of the work's themes in today's world. Now, you will choose one of these topics and explore it using secondary resources to learn more about the novel and its relevant social topics. You might find information about social issues in familiar sources such as magazines, newspapers, or social science journals. Make sure your sources are credible—you do not want a random website or an encyclopedic website such as Wikipedia. Your sources will preferably be a scholarly ones. Here are some ideas of places where you might find appropriate sources for this assignment: • Internet Public Library: http://www(dot)ipl(dot)org/ • Google Scholar: http://scholar(dot)google(dot)com/ (note that this is different from regular Google) • Microsoft Academic Search: http://academic(dot)research(dot)microsoft(dot)com/ • Cornell University’s arXiv (open access sources in math, biology, physics, and other fields): http://arxiv(dot)org/ • Bielefeld Academic Search Engine (BASE): http://www(dot)base-search(dot)net/ • Your local library Your thesis statement and paper must address both the literary qualities and the social issues as you evaluate the novel, Frankenstein. However, keep in mind, your essay does not have to answer ALL of the questions listed under each topic. Only answer the questions you feel are the most relevant to the thesis statement you choose. Develop your essay so it has a clear introduction, body, and conclusion. Ensure that each of your claims is supported with valid evidence from the novel, Frankenstein, and at least three other credible external sources. Using proper MLA style, insert parenthetical citations and signal phrases for all borrowed information in addition to a Works Cited page for Frankenstein and your chosen external sources.

SELECT ONE OF THE 5 OPTIONS BELOW: Option #1: Can science go too far? There is an ongoing battle between faith or spirituality and science that has been active even before the time of Mary Shelley. What are some of the dilemmas she addresses that are still important today? What are some of the ethical questions she brings up regarding the scientific definition of life and death? What does she illustrate about the power science has to blur the line between life and death? What is a current news item that is similar to this issue? Hint: Develop a thesis that answers a question like this one: “How and how well does Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein address ethical issues of science and/or faith for audiences, regardless of when they read the novel?” Option #2: Discovery Both Frankenstein and Walton are trying to discover something important to them. What parts of their real lives drive them to discovery? Does that drive still exist today? While we’ve mapped the globe, are there still geographical places for people to explore? In science, are people still trying to discover the meaning of life, how to save life, and how to defeat death? What methods do they use? Are there better ways to accomplish these goals than others? What are some of today’s motivations for discovery? Hint: Develop a thesis that answers a question like this one: “How and how well does Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein address human discovery as a theme?” Option #3: Death and Suicide At the end of the book, the creature promises to destroy himself. Is this a justifiable end for him? Could he have been redeemed? Would he have had a place in the world of Shelley’s novel? How could this relate to current-day issues like suicide or the death penalty? Hint: Develop a thesis that answers a question like this one: “How and how well does Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein address the value of an individual’s life and death?” Option #4: World Perception and Prejudice Reread the paragraph where the creature describes the book from which Felix teaches Safie. It begins: “The book from which Felix instructed Safie was Volney’s Ruins of Empires…” What are some of the perceptions and prejudices from the book that Felix teaches Safie? How have these perceptions and prejudices changed, if they have, in today’s society? What are some present day situations and references that may claim a lack of prejudice or an open-mindedness, but, in fact, are still very prejudiced, racist, sexist, etc.? Why do you think these situations still happen? Can anything be done about it? Hint: Develop a thesis that answers a question like this one: “How and how well does Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein address human prejudice in the world throughout time?” Option #5: Personal Perception It could be argued that the creature did not consider itself a monster and didn’t do awful things until people treated him like a monster. What are some real world instances in which people’s actions could be a reaction to abuse from others? Who do you feel is accountable in these situations? Why? Hint: Develop a thesis that answers a question like this one: “How and how well does Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein address the effect of peer perceptions on personal development?”

Header: Include a header in the upper left-hand corner of your writing assignment with the following information: Your first and last name Course Title (Composition II) Assignment name (Frankenstein Application Essay) Current Date FORMAT: MLA-style source documentation and Works Cited Your last name and page number in the upper-right corner of each page Double-spacing throughout Standard font (TimesNewRoman, Calibri) Title, centered after heading Save the file using one of the following extensions: .docx, .doc Underline your thesis statement in the introductory paragraph.