Phineas
5th Period
Final Exam Blog
Introduction of Frankenstein
Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, even though it was written during the Romantic period, shows many ideas that connect to postmodernism. The story is told through letters and different points of view, which makes the truth feel uncertain and complicated. This use of fragmentation shows how reality can be broken into many pieces. Shelley also includes intertextuality, by referencing other books and ideas, and turns the story itself into a kind of poioumenon a story about making stories through Victor’s act of creating the monster. Instead of giving us clear answers, Shelley uses these postmodern ideas to make us think about big questions, like what it means to create, who controls truth, and how society can be just as monstrous as the monster itself.
Summary of Element #1 - Hyperreality/Alienation
Links to Postmodernism in Your Literary Tradition Text
The creature in Frankenstein is a very misunderstood creature with many questionable lines throughout the story, but one that stood out to me was "I am alone and miserable: man will not associate with me.". This quote stuck out to me because it highlights the loneliness of the creature and the overall outcast he is. Postmodernism helps us see that identity isn't simple. The Creature is not just a "monster," but someone searching for connection. It questions who really defines what's "normal."
Links to Postmodern Media Source(s)
Comment #1 Greaves, Carlos “SURE, THE VELOCIRAPTORS ARE STILL ON THE LOOSE, BUT THAT’S NO REASON NOT TO REOPEN JURASSIC PARK” “In the text Peter Ludlow uses major postmodern elements like irony and hyperreality. Ludlow speaks about the reopening of Jurassic Park, despite the immediate danger every individual would be in!” The main element I want to highlight is the topic of hyperreality which is “the blurred lines between simulated realities and real ones, especially in the context of media and culture”.
My Take - We can correlate both of these postmodern elements by dragging out the big idea of “reality” which is stated in both sources, in Mary Shelley’s the quote speaks of alienation which I stated “it questions who really defines what’s “normal””. These texts vividly relate by exploring exterior possibilities of reality and altering the mind of someone.
Summary of Element #2 - Disillusionment with grand ideas/ Minimalism and Maximalism
Links to Postmodernism in Your Literary Tradition Text
In the novel Frankenstein there are many postmodern elements highlighted throughout the text, one majorly used is quoted here “I had desired it with an ardour that far exceeded moderation; but now that I had finished, the beauty of the dream vanished.". To break down this quote we see that it explores the idea of disillusionment with grand ideas which is also referred to as questioning the big belief that science and progress are always good which is heavily demonstrated in the quote.
Links to Postmodern Media Source(s)
COMMENT #2 PostModern Poetry A Perfect Circle, "Orestes"
In my comment speaking about the postmodernism of the song “Orestes” I stated “Orestes” mixes minimalism and maximalism by using short, simple lines to say a lot with very little, while also packing in heavy themes like Greek mythology and emotional release.
My Take - We can connect Minimalism and Maximalism to the postmodern element “Disillusionment with grand ideas” by enhancing the understanding that Maximalism directly challenges the "less is more" philosophy of minimalism. Instead, it prioritizes "more is more”.. These facts help us understand the connection better because both deal with the idea that not so much isn’t always the best.
Summary of Element Three - Fabulism or Magical Realism/Power through outsider identity
Your Literary Tradition Text
In Frankenstein the author Mary Shelley demonstrates Power through outsider identity which essentially shows how those left out of society can still be powerful. This is highlighted through the quote “Beware; for I am fearless, and therefore powerful.".
Links to Postmodern Media Source(s)
COMMENT #3 - Postmodernist Music/Video Gorillaz- “Humility”
This source contains information about the song “Humility” by Gorillaz highlighting not only the Fabulism and Magical Realism but also the poioumena through thought the comment I stated “There’s also Fabulism or Magical Realism, a kind of storytelling where magical or strange things happen in normal life, but nobody acts like it’s weird.”.
My Take - I can directly relate these texts because when I bring out the idea of “reality” or “power to those left outside of reality” they both highlight the thought of Fabulism or Magical realism. This is because they both correlate to things that are “unreal” or most likely not to happen.
Conclusion
Frankenstein doesn’t give us clear answers it shows us how confusing truth and identity can be. The Creature, like people today, just wants to belong but gets judged by how he looks, not who he is. In the end, the story reminds us that sometimes the real monster isn’t the creature, but the way people treat what they don’t understand.
Works Cited
A Perfect Circle. “Orestes.” Mer De Noms, Virgin Records, 2000, https://nerdypublisher.wixsite.com/website/post/read-between-the-lines. Accessed 14 May 2025.
Gorillaz. Humility. YouTube, Gorillaz, 31 May 2018, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E5yFcdPAGv0.
Greaves, Carlos. “Sure, The Velociraptors Are Still on The Loose, But That’s No Reason Not to Reopen Jurassic Park.” McSweeney’s Internet Tendency, McSweeney’s Publishing LLC, 6 May 2020, www.mcsweeneys.net/articles/sure-the-velociraptors-are-still-on-the-loose-but-thats-no-reason-not-to-reopen-jurassic-park. Accessed 14 May 2025.
Meijering, Paul. Boris Karloff as Frankenstein Art Print. PaulMeijering Fine Art, https://docs.google.com/document/d/17CVmIUW24d-barOJh4Su17a2ZPpFhj5KhWwM585qf6Y/edit?tab=t.0. Accessed 14 May 2025.
Shelley, Mary. Frankenstein. WWNorton, 5 May 2025, https://www.google.com/search?q=when+was+wwnorton+website+last+updated&oq=when+was+wwnorton+website+last+updated&gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUyBggAEEUYOTIKCAEQABiiBBiJBTIKCAIQABiiBBiJBTIKCAMQABiABBiiBDIHCAQQABjvBdIBCDk5MzhqMGo3qAIAsAIA&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8. Accessed 14 May 2025.
Swag. “You’re Back to Reality.” Giphy, https://giphy.com/gifs/SWAG-IDWVaONxBtkcPOd6pc. Accessed 14 May 2025.
https://nerdypublisher.wixsite.com/website/post/media-writing-for-nerds?commentId=511f2c88-0673-416c-835c-375952fe2936
I like how you clearly laid out the postmodern elements in Frankenstein, especially fragmentation and the power of an outsider’s identity. Your quotes well supported and explained the creature’s loneliness. It brought out how much of the novel that revolves around alienation and the search for meaning. I also liked how you tied those themes into your media sources, especially Humility and the Jurassic Park sources. They helped show how the questions of what’s real and who belongs are still present today.
Outstanding Job!!! I would have never thought about your points about the multiple narrators in Frankenstein. It’s so true though, from the part where it’s from Viktors point of view about his “Demon”, then the point of view from the Monster himself, and of course from Robert Walton’s point of view, mixed with him meeting the monster at the end, it all creates a very muddied and confusing storyline, that gets hard to decipher at times. I also love the title and how you incorporated the humor of weaving and stitching, presumably like what Viktor did when he created his Demon, as he calls him. The dark humor in Frankenstein is also very prominent, I find, with all the death, pain, and suffering. I believe your conclusion is perfect, it’s all about the perspective we choose to perceive ideas, people, and concepts in. Perspectives can change a lot.
Wolf, Bark, Arf, and Out!
– RAVVIE
I like how their take on the postmodern trait was the fragmentation of the letters. I personally believed in the post modern trait was the battle between self relationships and passion for career.
Hey Phineas!! You did such a great job with how you explained the creature’s loneliness with the quote “I am alone and miserable", it really shows how identity isn’t as simple as we make it out to be. Your Jurassic Park example about hyperreality was spot on! Both stories make us question what’s real. I really enjoyed reading this as it was in some ways similar to my post if ya wanna check it out, so it was awesome to see another outlook on the same topic. So awesome man keep it up!!
I love how you brought out the Creature’s power because of his outsider status, it flips the usual narrative where isolation equals weakness. Your point about fabulism and magical realism was surprising, because it makes the strange feel normal, just like how the Creature's existence becomes part of everyday life for Victor, even if it's horrifying. Also, your connection between Frankenstein’s disillusionment with progress and “Orestes” was interesting. Do you think Shelley would agree that the Creature ends up more human than Victor in the end?