Connections

=** Current Connections **=

Snakes in the Everglades (Christie Huchro)
Burmese Pythons have started extensively breading in the Florida everglades. These large, predatory snakes do not belong in this specific ecosystem, and are eating many endangered species. Twenty years ago, there were no Burmese Pythons in Florida, but today, scholars predict that there are currently over 100,000 pythons living in the Everglades. Why the dramatic increase? Many people buy these pythons when they are young, not knowing that the Burmese Python can grow up to 8 feet long and can weigh over 200 pounds. The owners are unable to handle the pythons and decide to release them into the wild, not understanding the consequences of these actions. In __Frankenstein__, Victor unleashes his creature into the world just like many Florida families released their pythons. As a result of these irresponsible actions, many innocent people suffer. Victor loses almost his entire family because he was unable to take responsibility for his actions, just as Florida is in danger of losing many amazing animal species.

**"For the sake of a single child..." (Bianca Chiappelloni)**
When Madeline Sophie Barat opened her first school, she did not realize that her mission would reach thousands of children and their families worldwide. She once said, "I would have founded the society for the sake of a single child." This symbolic child who Barat started her mission for has saved, and will save, generations of children all over the world from possibly never experiencing the wonderful touch of a passion for learning and compassion for others that Sacred Heart instills in a person. It is because of this child that Sacred Heart educations entered into the world, bringing a whole new love of learning to the children who are subject to the educations they are now being offered. If this child that Madeline Sophie refers to had never inspired her, Sacred Heart education would never have even existed. Similarly, the creature in //Frankenstein// wishes for one loving human being to inspire him to save the rest of the human species from the destruction he currently wishes to befall them. Without a reason to avoid destroying humanity, Frankenstein will bring havoc to the whole world. The creature does not want to hurt humanity and says, "If any being felt emotions of benevolence towards me, I should return them an hundred and an hundred fold; for that one creature's sake, I would make peace with the whole kind!" (98). Just as Madeline Sophie Barat's single child inspires a world wide movement in education, the creature's one kind person will have an effect on saving the whole human world.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/13/us/13surrogacy.html?_r=1&hp
 * Building a baby: Ethical issues**


 * Are the creature and Ben similar? (Jacqueline Thomas)**

Within minutes of his animation, the creature is isolated and abandoned by its creator, Victor Frankenstein, in the text by Mary Shelley. Without even given a chance to prove his goodness, the Creature is forced into the world. The Creature is not even taught or shown the suitable ways to use his senses and body parts properly. Raising the question of the importance of education, Shelley stresses that wisdom comes from both schooling and experience. However, for this young, innocent being, knowledge is only obtained through experience. He must learn by observing the behaviors and personalities of those surrounding him with the guidance of no one. As a result, the creature will gain knowledge in ways unlike the "norm". He will develop a different side to him, as does Ben in //The Fifth Child// by Doris Lessing.

Although Ben attends multiple schools, his knowledge lacks to thrive in an isolated environment. Due to his “different” physical qualities he automatically struggles at school, finding it difficult to make friends. As a result of this challenging atmosphere, Ben seeks comfort in performing reckless activities. Since Ben is “abandoned” by his loved ones, he acts out and sets out on his own journey in the world. Similar to a monster unleashed in the real world, Ben is a source of disaster as well, ready to inflict others. However, the root of the problem comes from his parents or creators lacking mercy or a real desire to connect with him. Similarly, the creature in //Frankenstein// is shown no mercy when Victor Frankenstein abandons him at the sight of his “otherness.” Ultimately, this has a negative effect on the creature’s well-being and education. Overall, both Ben and the creature lack the proper balance of education and support from their loved ones, ultimately leading to their downfalls.


 * Personal connections **


 * Intertextual connections **

Adam and Eve - The Creation Story (Tara Hammonds)

In the story of Adam and Eve, found in the book of Genesis in the Bible, God creates Adam from a handful of dust. God is Adam's master, and provides a place to live and luxuries for him. For a while, Adam is all alone, with only animals to accompany him. However, God eventually provides him with a wife, Eve, to be a suitable partner for him. This story line is much like that of __Frankenstein__. Victor can be seen as God, and the creature as Adam. Victor creates the creature from inanimate objects and gives him life, just like God does to Adam. The creature actually refers to himself as Adam, saying that he should have been the apple of Victor's eye: "I ought to be thy Adam" (66). Again later in his narrative when he is reading __Paradise Lost__, he says, "Like Adam, I was created apparently united by no link to any other being in existence" (87). Both Adam and the creature were alone in their existence, Adam alone due to lack of people, and the creature due to lack of understanding. And lastly, the creature implores Victor, his creator, to give life to another creature, a companion for him. Similarly, Adam wanted a partner for himself who would be his equal. Through the creature's references to Adam, Shelley wants to make sure that the reader understands both the connection between the two stories, and thus the relationship that was meant to be between both Victor and his creature.

(Sort of a continuation from the inquiry question "What Does it Mean to Be Unnamed?") One of the main characters in the musical “Next To Normal” is the “ghost” of the son of the main family, who died as an infant. Throughout the musical he “haunts” his mother, who suffers from many mental disabilities including schizophrenia. Everyone else knows that this is dangerous for her, and they try every way to help her, but he is still more than memory in her brain. However, his name is never said. In one song the son actually sings “until you name me, you can’t tame me,” referring to how he won’t go away until he is named. Once his father finally says his name in one of the last scenes, the lives of the family go back to as normal as they can be, and the mother’s visions of her son get less harmful. The reason this happens is because he just wanted justice and to be completely accepted to finally be let go. This is similar to //Frankenstein// in the way the Creature isn’t named. The Creature keeps haunting Victor and cannot be controlled. A name signifies that someone is taking care of you, but neither the Creature nor the son had someone to look after them, and were silently screaming for someone to love them. (PC)


 * "Frankenstein" in the Media (Maggie Ellison) **

