"Frankenstein"- THE END!!!

"Polluted by crimes and torn by the bitterest remorse, where can I find rest but in death?" (page 211).

The ending of the book ends in death. Death, which was a recurring theme throughout the novel is once again present. As all of his victims died alone and in a state of pain, so shall the creation finally perish. He intends to take his own life and fulfill his creator's unfinished task. I find the monster's death to be insufficient for revenge. As he stated to Robert, death now seems soothing to him; "where can I find rest but in death?". Death is what he has been seeking all along and by affording him this wish, he is now no longer suffering because of the evils he has caused. In the last few pages of the novel, the reader learns that the monster claims to have felt remorse and agony for his evil actions. Like Victor, he wishes to die in order to feel pain no more. Once again, the monster parallels Victor in this way. They both wish death upon themselves in order to be free of their pain, agony, and guilt. In the end, they both achieve this wish to be freed from their earthly situations.

"Frankenstein"- Victor

Imagine this... you're at the movie theater seeing the newest and scariest movie that just came out. The beautiful girl who is being hunted my the villain hears a noise outside her house. All you can think is "don't go! don't do!!" Of course, the ditzy and clueless girl slowly, against her common sense, walks out side only to meet her ultimate demise.

This timeless scene which is present in most, if not all scary movies is also present in "Frankenstein." While it is slightly different, I see this beautiful and clueless girl to be similar to Victor. Throughout the novel he makes mistake after mistake only to be surprised by what occurs as a result. First, he makes this creation whom he sees as evil and horrid and yet allows it to go off on its own, to fend for itself. This was his first mistake. He realizes that what he did was wrong yet does nothing to fix it. Next, his baby brother, William is brutally murdered by this creation and Victor is the only human being who knows who the real killer is. Once again, he makes the same mistake by letting the monster get away with this murder and allowing Justine to be punished by death for this crime which she did not commit. Once again, Victor fails to atone for his mistakes. When Henry's inevitable death occurs, Victor exclaims in anguish and sorrow "Two I have already destroyed; other victims await their destiny; but you, Clerval, my friend, my benefactor" (page 169). He realizes that what he created has caused all this sorrow and anguish, and yet he allows this monster to continue his path of revenge. He plays the monsters game instead of going off in solitude to suffer alone. He once again walks into the monsters trap when he marries Elizabeth and then proceeds to leave her alone while he searches the house. In this moment especially, he becomes that sitting duck that is present in every scary story. It is at this moment, that I want to scream "open your eyes!! Can't you see what is going to happen? Go stop it! NOW!!!"

"Frankenstein"- theme

NATURE VS. NURTURE

Throughout the creation's early life, he characterizes himself as being kind, loving, and helpful. He tells stories of how he helped the De Lacey family and recounts the horrible ways in which he was treated throughout his life. It is not until he finally reveals himself to the family that he truly becomes evil. He recounts it, saying, "from that moment I declared everlasting war against the species, and more than all, against him who had formed me and sent me forth to this insupportable misery" (page 130). This moment in time is the turning point in the novel. The creation has finally reached his breaking point and can no longer sustain the horrible treatment he has endured. He decides that he will no longer treat the human race with respect and care, but will instead use his power and strength to cause destruction for all, especially Victor. This turning point in the novel proves that the creation was not my nature evil. He had lived a peaceful and good life up to this point. It was when nurture (society and environment) created in him this rage and lack of feeling that he finally became the evil monster that everyone always assumed him to be. He finally decided to take on the role which he had continuously been unjustly put into. It was ultimately his nurture that sent him into the downward spiral of evil and revenge.

"Frankenstein"- Foil Characters

"the young stranger knelt at the old man's feet and would have kissed his hand, but he raised her and embraced her affectionately" (page 112).

This passage which serves to characterize the family and Safie also serves to contrast the monster and Safie as foil characters. While Safie is beautiful and accepted, the creation is ugly and rejected from every human being. This difference of acceptance and rejection is one of the driving factors of the creation's rage. He sees how Felix and his family so openly accept and love Safie, so he expects at least some acceptance from them when he reveals himself. Instead, he receives rejection and is beaten by Felix which causes him much rage and sets him off on his path of evil and destruction. The creation describes Safie's voice as being musical and lovely. This also sets her apart from the creation as he is rough and scary, not sweet and musical. These two foils serve to show how the family truly was accepting and loving to human beings. It shows the extent of horror that the monster caused and serves to "set him off" on his path of rage.

"Frankenstein"- foreshadowing

Throughout Victor's narration, there are multiple points in which he foreshadows the unfortunate upcoming events which he will endure. For example, when he says, "the monster had blinded me to his real intention; and when I thought that I had prepared only my own death, I hastened that of a far dearer victim" (page 182). While the death of Elizabeth has yet to take place, Frankenstein is letting the reader know that some type of misfortune is going to take place without directly telling the reader what happened. This is not only foreshadowing, but it also creates much suspense. He leaves the reader wondering if Elizabeth will die and when she will die. The reader has no idea if their union will take place or if the now evil monster will steal her away before they have the time to be united in marriage. Also, this statement in some ways turns the reader against the monster as Victor claims that the monster deceived him. This same technique is used when Victor is re-telling his story earlier before Henry is murdered by the monster. These techniques which are repeatedly used show the reader the guilt and agony Victor has because of what his creation has done.

"Frankenstein"- THE MONSTER!!!

The so called "monster" depicted in the book up to this point is FAR from any monster i have ever imagined. Not only does he not suck out people's brains and kill everyone in sight, but actually performs good deeds and seeks the love and attention of human beings. He realizes early on that he is not wanted and that he must be careful as to who he allows to see him. He is treated horribly when people do see him and is therefore forced to live a life of solitude. As he tells Frankenstein when he is retelling his story, all he wants is someone to talk to and to treat him kindly. Instead of being evil, he actually goes out and actively does good. At one point in time he is actually described as being '"good spirit[ed]" and "wonderful" by the family who he helps out (page 109). Although they do not know his identity, they do know that there is a stranger who is clearing paths in the snow for them and gathering wood for them at night. This shows that he is not mistreated because he is "evil" or mean, but because he does not look like everyone else. He even says that "[he] longed to discover the motives and feeling of these lovely creatures" (page 109). He doesn't wish to hurt them or to scare them, but simply to be liked by them and treated with respect. He is just like every other human being and for this reason, I sympathize with "the monster" who is really not a monster at all.

"Frankenstein"- Connection

In "Frankenstein," one of the main themes is the guilt that Frankenstein feels for the supposed acts of his "creation." After the untimely deaths of both William and Justine, he expresses that he is "torn by remorse, horror, and despair," all of which caused because of the "first hapless victims to [his] unhallowed arts" (page 85). He admits that it is because of his acts to achieve such greatness that Justin and William had to die and he also puts all of this blame on himself. This guilt appears to be what is going to drive most of the novel and the actions which Frankenstein performs.

Like in "Frankenstein," guilt was also what drove the action in "The Kite Runner." Like Frankenstein, Amir was driven by his guilt for what had happened between Hassan and him and this also drove the action of the novel. He sought redemption and Frankenstein is also seeking a form of redemption through revenge when he decides he will seek out his creation. As Amir's guilt affected him throughout his entire life, the reader also gets a sense that the same is true for Frankenstein. This glimpse is shown through Robert Walton's testimony during the letters of the way Frankenstein acted. These two books are connected through this common theme of guilt and how to make things right again.

"Frankenstein"- Imagery

Throughout the novel, imagery is constantly present, playing a large role in the mood and meaning of the work. For instance, on page 92, while describing the imagery of the mountains, Frankenstein begins by describing it as calm and serene, saying, "the unstained snowy mountaintop, the glittering pinnacle, the pine woods, and ragged bare ravine, the eagle, soaring amidst the clouds-- they all gathered round me and bade me be at peace" (page 92). This imagery serves to set a peaceful tone and also serves to contrast the imagery in the next section. Directly after this imagery is presented, Frankenstein tells of how he fell asleep and also describes the scene he awoke to. He says, "all of soul-inspiriting fled with sleep, and dark melancholy clouded every thought. The rain was pouring in torrents..." (page 92). The sudden change in imagery here serves a specific purpose. It serves to hint that something bad or seemingly bad is going to happen. It allows the reader to know that something is going to happen which will damper Frankenstein's short-lasting peaceful spirits which were brought on by the beautiful nature. This event which brings him back down is his unexpected encounter with the monster. When he encounters the monster, all of his furry and rage is brought back to the surface and he is once again reminded of his guilt for the deaths of William and Justine. The imagery serves as a for-warning for what is about to come.

"Frankenstein"- theme

In "Frankenstein", one major theme which comes up during the monsters retelling of his story is that of nature vs. nurture, nature being that which people are inherently born with and nurture being what they are formed into by surrounding people or the environment. Unlike most misconceptions of the monster being a big green scary thing that is evil and takes out people's brains, the monster is not my nature "evil" or "big green and scary." When he is watching the family and learning of their unfortunate circumstances, the monster admits that "[he] had been accustomed, during the night, to steal part of their store for [his] own consumption, but when [he] found that doing this [he] inflicted pain of the cottagers, [he] abstained and satisfied [himself] with berries, nuts , and roots..." (page 106). Along with feeling regret for causing them pain, he also goes out of his way to make life easier on the family by gathering wood for them and clearing a path in the snow so the husband/son will not have to. This all shows that it was not in the monster's nature to be evil or bad, but he was actually kindhearted and caring. It is through nurture, that the monster learns how people act and also how to speak. Unfortunately, it is also because of nurture that he begins to despise people and want to cause him harm as he told Frankenstein when he encountered him on the mountain. People mistreated him so badly, that the nurture or environment around him cause him to want to do evil things.

"Frankenstein"- Frame Story

So far, "Frankenstein" has switched narration three times. Each time the point of view changes, a new story is told, making this novel a frame story. First, is Robert Walton with his letters to his sister. His purpose in the story line is to introduce Victory Frankenstein which happens when he picks up this "Pacific Hitchhiker" who then opens up to him telling the story of his past. The change happens when one day Frankenstein says that he feels Walton can learn from his past misfortunes telling Walton to

"listen to my history, and you will perceive how irrevocably it is determined" (page 29).

While sharing his past misfortunes, Victor includes the monsters life story, which provides another switch of narration. This happens when Victor encounters the monster he created and in trying to win over Victor, the monster shares what he has gone through. He pleads with him, saying "hear my tale; it is long and strange..." (page 97). This line which serves as a connection from Frankensteins story to the monsters story, is similar to the way in which Frankenstein approached Walton when asking to share his story. They both ask their listener to listen to the entire story before judging what has happened. Maybe, Frankenstein and the monster are more similar than Frankenstein originally believed.

"The Kite Runner"- Rahim Khan

"I remember he said to me, 'Rahim, a boy who won't stand up for himself becomes a man who can't stand up to anything.' I wonder, is that what you've become?'" (page 221). Throughout the novel, I was often confused as to who Rahim Khan was and what role he played in the storyline. It was during this section that I realized, Rahim Khan was in some ways Amir's living conscience who was always calling him back to his past life. Rahim Khan was not only Baba's business partner, but he also played the role of Amir's advisor throughout the majority of his life. He drew Amir's attention to things that he had not seen before and made him realize what he needed to do. It was during this passage that I realized the major role Rahim Khan plays in the novel. He is the one who leads Amir to Sohrab and redemption. He brings Amir and Hassan back together at last when he unites Amir with Sohrab. He also allows Amir to move on with his life with less blame and regret by passing on Hassan's letters to Amir. It is because of Rahim Khan that Amir is able to forgive himself and Sohrab is able to be saved and live a better life in America. Rahim Khan is in many ways Amir's spiritual guide and he leads him through the mazes of life.

"The Kite Runner"- Hassan and Amir

"Hassan had loved me once, loved me in a way that no one ever had or ever would again. He was gone now, but a little part of him lived on. It was in Kabul. Waiting" (page 227). In this passage, Amir finally realizes what he must do in order to make up for his "past of unatoned sins." He realizes that everyone in his life betrayed him in some way, but Hassan was the only person who had never done so. He also finally recognized the unwavering love that Hassan had for him. This passage shows that not only did Amir go to save Sohrab for redemption, but he also did it for Hassan. He went to save a boy he didn't even know simply because he loved his childhood friend that much. While at first, he was reluctant to go, he eventually came to his senses and realized what he must do. He broke out of his cowardice and came to terms with everything he had done. In a way, he was proving his unwavering love for Hassan by rescuing his son and bringing him back to safety. Because of what Amir finally did, he is one of my personal favorite characters. He realized the change he must make and he did what had to be done plus more.

"The Kite Runner"- dynamic character

"Then I did what I hadn't done in fifteen years of marriage: I told my wife everything. Everything. I had pictured this moment so many times, dreaded it, but, as I spoke, I felt something lifting off my chest" (page 325). At the beginning of the novel, Amir has trouble coming to terms with his past. He sees himself as a coward and he is constantly lying about his past. Because of his denials and lies, he faces many problems in his future life. Throughout the entire first half of the novel, Amir is battling with this internal conflict of the past he has lived and whether or not he should attempt to redeem himself or share his past with others. When he finally, goes to "make himself good again," he starts to make a dynamic change. He eventually goes to Afghanistan and the peak moment of his transformation from a coward to being brave and standing up for himself and others comes when he fights Assef and refuses to leave without Sohrab. Amir finally makes this cross-over for cowardice to bravery, and at the same time, achieves his redemption. When he calls Soraya and tells her about his past, he is once again making an important change and allowing others into his life to help him. Because of these changes Amir makes, he can be classified as a dynamic character.

"The Kite Runner"- theme

"What was so funny was that, for the first time since the winter of 1975, I felt at peace. I laughed because I saw that, in some hidden nook in a corner of my mind, I'd even been looking forward to this... I hadn't been happy and I hadn't felt better, not at all. But I did now. My body was broken- just how badly I wouldn't find out until later- but I felt healed. Healed at last. I laughed" (page289). The theme of redemption which shows up in this passage is a central focus and a theme throughout the novel. The action of the novel is driven by this need and want for redemption. It is because of his seeking of redemption that Amir goes to Afghanistan in order to save Sohrab. Throughout his entire life, he feels guilt because of his cowardice when Hassan was being raped. When Assef finally beats Amir close to death, he feels relief and redemption. He believes that he finally got what was coming to him. He achieves full redemption when at the end of the novel, he brings Sohrab back to America with him and helps him to start a new life. This particular passage describes the relief Amir felt when he finally began his redemption. He was so broken that when he was beat close to death, he felt healed. He finally believed he had gotten what he deserved all those years, to feel as hurt as Hassan had all those years before.

The Kite Runner- symbols

"I looked down at Sohrab. One corner of his mouth had curled up just so. A smile. Lopsided. Hardly there. But there... 'Do you want me to tun that kite for you?' His Adam's apple rose and fell as he swallowed. The wind lifted his hair. I thought I saw him nod. 'For you, a thousand times over,' I heard myself say" (page 371). Throughout the novel, kites are a recurring image: at the beginning, in the park in America, throughout Amir and Hassan's childhood, the day that Amir and Hassan's lives were changed forever, and in this final scene, when Amir achieves true redemption. Throughout the novel, kites represent hope in many different ways. In America, it shows up as a hope for redemption. Amir sees the kites after he has talked to Rahim Khan who offered him a chance at redemption. Even though the reader does not connect the kite with hope until later on, the symbol is still present. Because of Rahim Khan's offer, Amir has a hope for redemption. Later in the novel, kites show up in Amir's childhood. In this situation, they show up as Amir's hope/desire for his father's love. When he finally wins the kite fight, his hopes are granted and his father praises him and is finally proud of him. Because of Hassan's rape though, Amir no longer flies kites for a very long time. This is symbolic of a loss of all hope in Amir. He no longer has any hope for himself, therefore he sees himself as a coward and a failure in life. This leads to many of the problems of his young adult and adult life. The symbol of the kite shows up one last time at the very end of the novel. It is when they are flying kites that Amir finally sees Sohrab smile for the first time in over a year. By having this bonding moment while flying the kite, Amir finds hope that one day, Sohrab will be happy again. The kite symbolizes hope for Amir, Sohrab, and their whole family