Gothic Tradition and Supernatural in Fiction and Poetry di Anna Foco

Activities on Frankenstein

Warm up: (10 min)

1) On the basis of your personal knowledge:

  1. Who is Frankenstein?
  2. What do you know about the monster?
  3. Here are two photos, showing the creature, taken from the old film of 1931. How do you imagine the monster?

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While Reading

[first reading - individual - time: 20 minutes]

1) Read the text below and try to answer these general questions:

  1. Who is speaking?
  2. Where is the scene set?
  3. What natural and human elements does the narration give a special attention to?
  4. What about the structure? Could divide it into parts? How many?

2) [time: 15-20 min] Reread the text, sit in pairs and focus on the first part. Consider the setting and underline the parts that convey the monster’s feelings. What relationship could you see between human nature and natural world?

3) [time:15 minutes] Now focus on the second part:

  1. What is the event that led the creature to change her feelings?
  2. How could you define the monster’s character after the meeting with humans and their reaction? Fill in a chart with adjectives and nouns that refer to the monster as a “bad creature.

Nouns=.............................................

Adjectives=........................................

[Students now go back to their chairs and work individually]

5) Vocabulary: [time: 5 min] Match each term of the column with the correspondent word or definition given below:

  1. Balminess
  2. Bedewed
  3. Bestowed
  4. Fled
  5. Shattered
  6. Entertained
  7. Vowed
  8. Endured

1) Felt; 2) Suffered; 3) Broke; 4) Wetted; 5) Fragrance; 6) Gave as a present; 7) Escaped; 8) Declared; 9) Solemny.

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6) [time:10 min] Complete this paragraph about Frankenstein, using the following words given in jumbled order.

Danger; mankind; tradition; gothic; mystery; research; benevolent; science; vengeance; pleasant.

Suspence, a sense of impending (1)…………and the use of emotional language are typical of (2)………tradition, but Frankenstein differs from the (3)………..in including the type of dreadful event which is not based on (4)…………………. But on consequences of scientific (5)………… As such it is also considered the first novel of (6)………fiction. In the extract the scene in a (7)……spring landscape and the monster expresses (8)……………….feelings which soon turn into rage and desire for (9)……..when he is rejected by (10)………………… .

[25 min for the correction together: the Teacher calls the students by name and they have to give their answers. Students that don’t agree give their opinions or say what they think is right.]

Post Reading

7) Assignment: What do you think about Victor’s attempt to go beyond the limits permitted by science with a typical attitude of an overreacher? Write in 60-70 words your opinion. (homework)

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