Originally, when I learned we had to read Frankenstein for English class, I expected the book to be dull and boring. I knew it was written a very long time ago, so I suspected that the “horror” aspects would be old-fashioned and outdated. Also, my preconceived notions of Frankenstein stemmed from the classic Hollywood portrayal of him – big, green, and a monster. Upon reading the book, however, I was pleasantly surprised. I didn’t know that Frankenstein could actually speak. I also discovered that Frankenstein was actually a vegetarian – who knew? That part is clearly a comment on how we should not judge people on their appearances. The fact that Frankenstein is secluded and ostracized due to his looks (he is huge and grotesque) also makes a commentary on society’s values at the time. It’s interesting and a little sad to me that little has changed in societal expectations since this book has been published and now. It is also fascinating how this isolation causes Frankenstein to become a murderer, leading him to say, ““My protectors had departed, and had broken the only link that held me to the world. For the first time the feelings of revenge and hatred filled my bosom.” His seclusion from others because he is labeled a “threat” is ultimately a self-fulfilling prophecy as it leads him to indeed become one.
Overall, I felt the book was both suspenseful and thought-provoking. Some parts were a little boring, such as the breaks in the text where Frankenstein would talk poetically about something random, but overall the book managed to hold my attention relatively well for an “old” book.