Molly Hutson
1/19/2018 06:41:04 am
In the first letter that Robert Walton wrote to his sister, he says, ";but I preferred glory to every enticement that wealth placed in my path." This quote shows that while he could have had many opportunities, he wanted to pursue his education so he did not take them. Victor Frankenstein also did not have to be socially isolated, but chose to be. In the fourth chapter of the book, Frankenstein mentions that he began studying natural philosophy and began to notice that his progress was rapid. For two years Frankenstein studied in this manner and never returned to Geneva to visit his friends and family. While both were socially isolated, it was by their own doing. For people who intend to pursue similar forms of mental labor, the results would most likely be similar. When studying in such depth, there will always be some amount of social isolation, but the amount that Walton and Frankenstein brought upon themselves is not necessary.
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Makayla Peterman
1/19/2018 06:53:15 am
I agree with you, Molly. If you pursue similar lines of work with such determination, you will have similar social results Frankenstein had. The two men did not necessarily have to be socially isolated, they chose to be that way. Frankenstein studied for long hours during his interest in philosophy and human anatomy, which caused him to lose touch with his social life.
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1/21/2018 03:36:51 pm
Interesting and great use of specific examples from the book.
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Makayla Peterman
1/19/2018 06:49:09 am
Robert Walton and Frankenstein are both sort-of preoccupied in their occupations and in college. Frankenstein is enrolled at Ingolstadt where he studied many extra-curriculars which resulted in a lacking social life. Robert Walton did not like interacting with other people making him also socially isolated. Walton was also sailing to the North Pole in the first letter, making him isolated. This may be an indicator for those of us who intend to pursue similar forms of mental labor to be socially isolated, much like Frankenstein and Walton. They became engrossed and submerged in their work so much they lost touch with the outside world.
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Cassidy Weathers
1/19/2018 09:36:48 am
I agree with your discussion Makayla. When you become so submerged in a study or occupation, it pushes you to not be socially active and to give every second of your life to your work rather than to socialize. Like Mrs. Starkey said, this book was published during the Romantic period and people of this era sought inspiration from nature. Shelley most likely knew someone or saw someone with a similiar mental labor and wanted to use her story as a warning to others of the period.
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Corlis
1/19/2018 10:30:30 am
I agree with you Makayla both do get so ingrossed in what they are doing that they loose touch with the outside world.
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Cole Petershagen
1/19/2018 11:18:47 am
Makayla,
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Bailey Wilkinson
1/19/2018 11:32:37 am
Makayla, I agree. They became very isolated from society and they are a good example for the mental labor this type of job can put on one person. They became so preoccupied with their studies that they had absolutely no time for anything or anyone else.
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Cassidy Weathers
1/19/2018 07:54:05 am
Victor Frankenstein and Robert Walton are highly engrossed in their occupations which pushes them to become socially isolated. Since they wanted to know more and experiment within the occupation they became distant from their family and friends. Frankenstein moved from Geneva to attend college after his mom died and did not speak to his family or friends he left behind in mourn for two years. Around chapter four, Frankenstein pushed himself to completely understand natural philosophy by building his own human. Walton doesn't go to the extremes of building a human, but voyages to the North Pole (which we learn in the letters he sends to his sister Margaret). Walton's letters to his sister even state that his voyage could kill him and that they might not see each other anymore. The people who intend to pursue similar forms of mental labor will most likely suffer from similar isolation. Frankenstein and Walton's extreme mental labors are quite unnecessary, like Molly stated in her discussion.
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Cole Petershagen
1/19/2018 11:23:51 am
Cassidy,
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1/19/2018 08:24:25 am
These are great comments, but have any of you thought about what Mary Shelley might have been saying about this possibility? Was she warning men? Women? Her mother was an intellectual. How about the fact that this was written during the Romantic Age where authors turned to Nature for inspiration?
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Cassidy Weathers
1/19/2018 09:30:16 am
I did not think about that, but I could see how this book could be a warning to both men and women to not get into a mental labor of this sort. Since the Romantic Age turned to nature for inspiration, it would make since to have these characters explore and get engrossed into natural philosophy, so it could be more relatable to the people of the era. I believe that Shelley's work was a warning to people of the era to not get occupied in their studies especially since there was not much information and research about nature and the way it works.
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Cole Petershagen
1/19/2018 10:30:36 am
In both Walton's letters and the original text, it is evident that both seek further levels of knowledge. Walton seems lonely and in search of a friend. In his letters, the reader can start to see the disconnection between Walton and the social world, where he starts to say that his studies have been deeper and more intriguing.
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Ryan Veasman
1/19/2018 11:34:09 am
It is true, they both faded into social oblivion. However, it must also be said that Walton still has the potential to stop now. According to Victor, he has gone past the point of no return, and he is clearly right. Walton still has his wits about him. He remains chipper. Victor has lost his mind and his happiness. Though we are intended to see the similarities between the two, the only real similarities are that both are men of emotion bound by their desire to push the boundaries of knowledge.
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1/21/2018 03:48:53 pm
Interesting, Ryan. So Frankenstein is past the point of no return but Walton isn't. Do you think he's trying to help turn Walton around with his story? His Walton his opportunity for redemption?
Elisa Veasman
1/19/2018 11:37:59 am
Cole, I agree with you that both men became less attached to the social parts of their lives by deciding to concentrate their attentions on their studies. They could have avoided this by spending less time in their pursuit of knowledge and more time with the people they care about.
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Corlis
1/19/2018 10:37:55 am
Robert Walton and Frankenstein both felt socially isolated because they devoted their time to studies or voyaging. In the letters Robert described his devotion to his studies and voyaging and how he didn’t like to socialize with other ship mates due to feeling too sophisticated for them. Frankenstein like Robert lost touch with reality because he engrossed himself in his studies at Ingolstadt. Like Frankenstein and Robert if we wanted to persue mental labor like the two characters we have to devote our time to studies and less to the social aspect of life.
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Molly Hutson
1/19/2018 11:08:38 am
Corlis, I agree that both Walton and Frankenstein devoted all of their time to their studies. Although there were ways to avoid complete social isolation, neither men wanted to stop their studies enough to communicate with family or friends.
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Amber Schulte
1/19/2018 11:20:06 am
Corlis, I agree that Robert Walton and Victor Frankenstein were so ingrossed in their studies that they did not realize they were losing touch with reality. However, I believe that they did not have to be this extreme; they did not have to completely isolate themselves. They could have made time for their friends and families. In fact, I believe it would have been a good idea if they did.
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Amber Schulte
1/19/2018 11:14:56 am
Robert Walton and Frankenstein feel socially isolated because they both put so much time into reading and studying that they rarely socialize with people. They are so focused on their studies and are trying so hard to be successful in their field of interest; they do not even realize they are isolating themselves from human contact. In the letters, Robert states that his family may never see him again because there is a risk the voyage could kill him, but he was okay with this fate because there was a chance he was going to succeed. In the book it states how Frankenstein did not return to home to see his family or friends and he rarely communicated with them through letters. I think this is showing that people who really want to pursue this are going to have to focus a majority of their time on their studies if they want to be successful and be able to stay focused.
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Courtney Falter
1/19/2018 11:27:50 am
Amber, I agree with you and believe that these men were so caught up in their studies and finding new knowledge that they forgot to socialize with other people. They did not even stay in contact with their families. They believed being successful was their first priority and they were going to devote all their time to studies in their field of interest.
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Christi Kern
1/19/2018 11:59:21 am
I agree that Walton and Frankenstein were too engrossed in their own missions and too obsessed with glory that they ended up cutting themselves off from the rest of the world. It is honestly ridiculous that someone would be willing to destroy themselves just for a chance at success, and that's where both of them go too far.
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Courtney Falter
1/19/2018 11:20:58 am
Both Robert Walton and Victor Frankenstein devote so much of their time to their occupation and seeking new knowledge that they isolate themselves from the world around them. Walton appears to be lonely but won’t socialize with the other men on his ship. He believed that no one would understand him anyway. Frankenstein also isolated himself when he moves away at seventeen to Ingolstadt for studies. He became so into his studies that he didn’t socialize with anyone, not even his close family. Getting this involved in your studies and staying to yourself would cause anyone to become isolated. People who would also take action in these mental labors would most likely get the same results as these men did.
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Megan Thompson
1/19/2018 11:47:10 am
Courtney, I agree with your thoughts on Robert Walton and Victor Frankenstein. Both men isolated themselves from their peers to focus on their studies. While they worked hard to accomplish what they wanted, they also missed out on building friendships and relationships. They did not interact with people, and fell socially awkward.
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Ryan Veasman
1/19/2018 11:26:04 am
Robert Walton and Victor Frankenstein initially meet under rather strange circumstances. They have found a strong bond in their similarities. Walton is a determined and boisterous fellow. Frankenstein is reserved, quiet, and very troubled. From this description, they could not seem more opposite. However, they find common ground within the mind. Both are possessed with a passion for knowlege. Both are so strongly interested in learning that they have built their life around the pursuit of information. From what we have seen of Walton, he has spent a long time searching for the source of the magnetic poles of the Earth. Frankenstein has lost his sanity as a result of his search for the key to successful animated life. Clearly, in Shelley's presentation, she intends us to see such labored pursuits as potentially fruitful, but also to remind us of what we have to lose or to miss out on as a result of chasing our dreams.
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Bailey Wilkinson
1/19/2018 11:28:33 am
Robert Walton and Frankenstein both had a very strong passion for their areas of study. Frankenstein turned to nature for his work especially by making a human. In order to become more educated and successful, he as well as Walton, divided from society to become more comfortable with his work.They became more intelligent and engrossed with knowledge. I think that the author was trying to warn people not to become so obsessed with their.These men lived to work instead working to live.
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Malerie Meier
1/19/2018 01:29:51 pm
Bailey, I think that you are correct when saying that Mary Shelley could have been trying to warn readers not to let their work consume their lives. She is using Robert and Victor as examples to show that it is okay to allow your education and work become an important part of your life, but to always make sure that you have a life outside of this.
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Elisa Veasman
1/19/2018 11:30:40 am
Robert Walton and Victor Frankenstein both end up isolating themselves in the pursuit of knowledge and discovery. Walton wrote letters to his sister saying that he would return to see her in “many, many months, perhaps years” and that if he failed in his exploits, she may never see him. Frankenstein left his family shortly after his mother’s death to go study at a university. While he was there, he becomes engrossed in his studies and failed to return home for over two years. These men lost themselves in their longing for knowledge and their personal relationships suffered as a result. Those who choose to pursue knowledge with the same enthusiasm and obsessiveness as Robert Walton and Victor Frankenstein are likely to suffer in their relationships and forge their own isolation.
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Megan Thompson
1/19/2018 11:40:23 am
Robert Walton and Victor Frankenstein both isolated themselves socially from the persons in their community because they were both so intrigued in their studies that they felt they could not pull away from their work to socialize. When Victor left Geneva for Ingolstadt, he nearly secluded himself from his past family, even though that was his last intention when he left. He spent early mornings and late nights obsessing over his scientific research and discoveries. As well as Frankenstein, Walton distanced himself from his friends and family to focus on his studies. Looking back, I wonder if either would have regretted this? Yes, they worked hard to accomplish their tasks, but they also missed out on building relationships with their peers.
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Kara Harker
1/19/2018 12:51:41 pm
I agree with you, Megan. Both, Robert Walton and Victor Frankenstein, became so intrigued with their studies that they isolated themselves from almost all social aspects of life. They only focused on their educational discoveries, leaving them with no social relationships. Studying in such depth, there is always isolation, but complete isolation will destroy a person.
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Christi Kern
1/19/2018 11:49:34 am
Throughout the story, Robert Walton and Victor Frankenstein both speak of success and knowledge with great passion and excitement, and they have dedicated so much of their time to the pursuit of these ambitions that they have become isolated. From the very beginning, we are well aware of both men’s ambitious desires to achieve glory and notoriety. Walton puts it plainly when he says, “My life might have passed in ease and luxury; but I preferred glory to every enticement that wealth placed in my path,” and he speaks of his loneliness when he says, “I desire the company of a man who could sympathise with me; whose eyes would reply to mine.” Victor Frankenstein speaks of his isolation and dedication to success when he says, “Two years passed in this manner, during which I paid no visit to Geneva, but was engaged, heart and soul, in the pursuit of some discoveries, which I hoped to make.” These quotes tell us that these men are so focused on self-improvement, knowledge, and success that they have virtually cut themselves off from all personal relationships and most communication just to pursue glory. For those who intend to pursue similar paths, this means that they will have to decide if they will leave the rest of their life behind just to seek glory and knowledge. Those people will have to be mindful of their circumstances if they wish to keep friends, relationships, and a normal life, or they might just destroy themselves.
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Kara Harker
1/19/2018 12:46:35 pm
Both, Robert Walton and Victor Frankenstein, were so engaged in their pursuit of reason and knowledge, they destructively isolated themselves from social relationships. Leading up to, as well as during, Walton's voyage toward the northern pole, Walton wrote letters to his dear sister, Margaret. These letters recorded the experiences in which Walton encountered. In the letter that Walton wrote on March 28th, he states, "I desire the company of a man who could sympathize with me, whose eyes would reply to mine." This shows Walton's realization that he had forced himself to become socially isolated. He had become so intrigued by his future voyage to the northern pole, he realized nobody would be there to share his joys of success with. Victor Frankenstein spoke that his knowledge "gained strength as I proceeded and soon became so ardent and eager that the stars often disappeared in the light of morning while I was yet engaged in my laboratory." Frankenstein was beginning to ignore the world around him, thus beginning his social isolation. He stated, "Two years passed in this manner, during which I paid no visit to Geneva, but was engaged heart and soul in the pursuit of discoveries which I hoped to make." Both, Robert Walton and Victor Frankenstein, were so intrigued by self-success and knowledge that they isolated themselves from almost any social aspect of life. For people who wish to pursue similar forms of education, they must make the decision of whether or not they will isolate themselves from others in order to succeed in their endeavors. When focusing on education, there will always be social isolation, but complete isolation will destroy a person.
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Malerie Meier
1/19/2018 01:23:30 pm
I believe that both of these characters had feelings of loneliness because they devoted too much of their time to their studies rather than a social life. Robert Walton first told us about his desire for a relationship in his second letter to his sister when he said, “But I have one want which I have never yet been able to satisfy and the absence of the object of which I now feel as a most severe evil. I have no friend, Margaret” (Page 9-10). Walton did not show interest in befriending any of his fellow crew members and spent his free time studying subjects like mathematics, medicine, and physical science. Victor Frankenstein, however, was capable of gaining friendships, he already had Elizabeth and Henry Clerval, but instead he decided to completely submerge himself into his work. In Chapter Four, Victor begins to realize that he has gone two years without any form of contact to his family back home. Both of these characters clearly show an enormous amount of determination towards their education, ultimately resulting in a decline in their other relationships. For those who intend to pursue similar forms of mental labor today, I believe that if you are as passionate about your area of study as these two men were, then be as socially involved as you wish to be. However, if you are interested in building and maintaining relationships throughout your life, do not allow yourself to become to so immersed in your work that you are not fulfilling all of your personal needs.
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Taylour Schoene
1/19/2018 02:24:26 pm
Malerie, I agree with the point you made about being interested in maintaining relationships in your life. For people like us, who enjoy the company and connection between people, it seems crazy for someone to let themselves become so engulfed into their own work/ study, however for them it is like it made sense and seemed healthy. I guess it is just a personality defect, however it does seem kind of clear to me, I love people who may not love me back, but they love knowledge, which can only benefit them and not break their heart like a real person. Of course they lose much more like socialization in general, but after reading your post it really made me disregard my first judgment. Maybe they are doing it wrong, but maybe we are too? Either way people end up getting hurt. There is always a choice to make with different but similar consequences.
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Taylour Schoene
1/19/2018 02:19:15 pm
Throughout the story, both Walton and Frankenstien come across as very similar. They both show signs of obsession with their work, distracting them from everything else, such as social construct. Their jobs ultimately push them to their boundaries and deny socialization there for causing isolation.I think that it is completely their choice to be this way, however, they are so compelled by wisdom and knowledge that they know nothing else. In Walton's letters with his sister, he shows signs of obsession by basically possessing the man that comes out of the ice. He truly believes that this man is his and is for no one else. This throws an obvious flag to me about his isolation. Walton also states that he has trouble making friends because although he is twenty-eight, his social maturity is more of that of a fifteen year old. That is really sad to me because that makes a person fall more into isolation when they cannot find anyone to connect with because they are not on the same level. Frankenstein also obtains the obsessive personality, however you see it earlier in his life. You first see his change in personality when he moves to Genva. He becomes more isolated and starts growing into his love(obsession) for knowledge. It is obvious once he starts not liking people that he is creating a problem within himself.
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AuthorMrs. Starkey is an English I, III, and IV teacher at Salem High School with 17 years teaching experience. Archives
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