Frankenstein Novel Analysis: Themes, Characters, & Context
Understanding Frankenstein: Key Insights
Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus (1818) is a timeless classic that marked the beginning of the science fiction genre. More than a horror story, it offers profound reflections on the limits of scientific research, the responsibility of creation, and the essence of human existence.
Novel Summary & Plot Points
Epistolary Structure & Robert Walton’s Role
The novel employs an epistolary structure, presented as a series of letters from
Read MoreGatsby & Crucible: Themes, Narrators, Plot Analysis
Comparative Literary Analysis
Setting, Social Class, and Religious Beliefs
This section explores how the settings of The Great Gatsby and The Crucible reflect social structures, the American Dream, and the impact of religious beliefs.
The Great Gatsby: Setting and the American Dream
The setting is mainly in West Egg and East Egg, representing distinct social classes: West Egg for the “new rich” and East Egg for the “old money” elite. This setting reflects the American Dream’s focus on wealth and status,
Read MoreMiguel Hernández: Social Commitment and Poetic Evolution
Miguel Hernández: Social and Political Commitment
Poetic Career and Influences
Miguel Hernández, though often associated with the Generation of ’36 (alongside Luis Rosales), also shares strong connections with the Generation of ’27, particularly with Vicente Aleixandre. His work acts as a bridge between these two significant literary movements.
Attitudes in Spanish Contemporary Poetry
Hernández’s poetry reflects three key attitudes prevalent in Spanish contemporary poetry:
- Neogongorine Avant-Garde:
Literary Legacies: Fitzgerald, Hemingway, Porter, Faulkner
F. Scott Fitzgerald (1896-1940)
F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel, The Great Gatsby, is largely autobiographical. Born into a middle-class family in Minnesota, Fitzgerald felt inferior to the much richer parts of his extended family. This feeling of inferiority became an important theme in his work. Clever and ambitious, he managed to get a scholarship and went to an elite university, Princeton. He wanted to be on the American football team, believing it was the only way to be popular, but he eventually
Read MoreLiterary Genres Explained: Poetry, Narrative, Drama, and Didactic Forms
Literary Genres: Forms of Poetry, Narrative, Drama, and Didactic Works
Lyrical Gender: Major Forms
- Ode: A poem of elevated tone and metrical variety, addressing varied issues.
- Anthem: A solemn tone poem focusing on a person’s praise.
- Song: A poem that expresses feelings such as sadness or love.
- Eclogue: A poem expressing feelings through the voices of shepherds.
- Epistle: A poem offering confidences, in letter form, often on doctrinal issues.
Lyrical Gender: Minor Forms
- Elegy: A poem that reflects sentiments
Literary Analysis Terms for Deeper Textual Interpretation
Connotations and Implied Meanings
- Psychological fragility: Mirroring the character’s inner conflict.
- Internalized trauma: Suggesting emotional damage beneath the surface.
- Emotional dislocation: Reflecting a break between thought and feeling.
- Subtle power dynamics: Showing manipulation or dominance.
- Moral unease: Implying something ethically or emotionally disturbing.
- Liminal state: Where the character is caught between two emotional extremes.
- Descent into instability: Hinting at collapse or breakdown.