Question

answer the multiple choice questions for volume three, chapters iv - vi (pages 179 - 204).

1. reread the following sentences from pages 186 and 187:

\i did not participate in these feelings, for to me the walls of a dungeon or a palace were alike hateful.\ (186)
\sometimes, indeed, i felt a wish for happiness... but my general state of feeling was a torpor in which a prison was as welcome a residence as the divinest scene in nature; and these fits were seldom interrupted but by paroxysms of anguish and despair.\ (187)
how do the juxtapositions in the bolded lines contribute to frankensteins characterization? rl.3
a. they reveal his despair.
b. they reveal his vengeance.
c. they reveal his repentance.
d. they reveal his disorientation.

1. reread the following sentence from page 204:

\i trembled with excess of agitation as i said this; there was a frenzy in my manner, and something, i doubt not, of that haughty fierceness which the martyrs of old are said to have possessed.\
why does frankenstein compare himself to \the martyrs of old\? rl.4
a. to emphasize his grief
b. to rationalize his revenge
c. to demonstrate his hostility
d. to persuade others to learn from him

1. reread the following sentence from page 194:

\elizabeth alone had the power to draw me from these fits; her gentle voice would soothe me when transported by passion, and inspire me with human feelings when sunk in torpor. she wept with me and for me. when reason returned, she would remonstrate and endeavor to inspire me with resignation.\
why is this description of elizabeth important to the novel as a whole? hint: torpor and remonstrate are defined in the box at the top of the during - reading questions handout rl.5
a. it reinforces the dangerous situation frankenstein created for elizabeth.
b. it demonstrates frankensteins compassion for elizabeths struggles.
c. it explains frankensteins later inability to control his emotions.
d. it provides a reason for frankensteins future tranquility.

Explanation:

• Question 1: The text mentions "torpor", "anguish", and "despair", which are all related to a state of despair. There is no indication of vengeance (no mention of seeking revenge), repentance (no sign of regret for past actions), or disorientation (no confusion about self or surroundings).
• Question 2: The description of "agitation", "frenzy", and comparing to martyrs (who often sacrifice or have strong beliefs, here related to a passionate, perhaps extreme, state which in context is about revenge - as he is driven by his actions and the consequences, trying to justify or rationalize his vengeful path). There is no emphasis on grief (more about a strong, perhaps erratic, state related to his actions), no demonstration of hostility (the comparison is more about his internal drive which is revenge - related), and no persuasion (no attempt to teach others).
• Question 3: Elizabeth's role as someone who could soothe him contrasts with later events. When bad things happen (like her death), his lack of her soothing presence (since she is gone) helps explain his later inability to control emotions (as she was his emotional anchor). There is no reinforcement of a dangerous situation for her (the description is about her effect on him), no demonstration of his compassion for her struggles (it's about her effect on his emotions), and no reason for his future tranquility (as things go wrong later).

Answer:

1. A. They reveal his despair.
2. B. to rationalize his revenge
3. C. It explains Frankenstein’s later inability to control his emotions.