Pick one of the questions (prompts) below and write a one-two page essay in response. Essays should be
driven by a deliberate use of detail and example, and exhibit clear engagement with the text. They should also
fully answer all of the question (watch for those questions within questions) and begin with a clear thesis
statement. Any quotes should be carefully incorporated into your own writing, introduced with a signal phrase
(Shelley writes… As the monster explains…), and contained in quotation marks. If your online copy of the novel
has pages numbers, include the page number in parentheses after the quote.
1. Who do you think is the real monster in Mary Shelley’s novel, Frankenstein, Dr. Frankenstein or his
creation? Make sure that your answer is thoughtful and detailed and well-supported with evidence from the
text.
2. Imagine the story of Frankenstein and his monster as an analogy, an extended metaphor that describes
another real life experience, situation, or condition. Support your answer with comparative details from both the
story and the idea you’ve selected.
3. Theme! Pick one of the following—science, isolation, love, human nature—
and explain how it is explored by Shelley in her novel.