Kofituff
6th Period
Final Exam
Introduction
The main premise of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein is that Victor Frankenstein wants to play God and bring something that was once dead back to life. This undead being is ultimately known as the “Creature” or “Monster,” which shows how little Victor cared for what he created (not for long *Cough* Elizabeth*Cough*). Once the Creature was brought back to life Victor almost instantly flees
, which led to a sequence of events of the Creature wanting Revenge and Victor being consumed by regret due to being the reason for some people's deaths. Then eventually Victor wanted revenge just like his own creation. This cycle shows the PEAK of postmodern work through ideas of fragmentation, irony, and even skepticism within truth, science, and even human nature.
Summary of Element One - Fragmentation
Links to Postmodernism in Your Literary Tradition Text
Fragmentation is the first element that came directly to me while revisiting Frankenstein, the first few pages even start with foreshadowing of the letters Walton wrote to his sister on how he got an unexpected visitor, giving us readers something to expect which is explained towards the end of the story. This alone clearly shows the fragmented narrative of Walton and later on Victor and the Creature. Throughout the books, there are cuts between the perspectives, mainly Victor and the Creature especially when the creature was explaining the “original era of my being; all the events of that
period appears confused and indistinct. A strange multiplicity of sensations seized me, and I saw, felt, heard, and smelt at the same time; and it was, indeed, a long time before I learned to distinguish between the operations of my various sense… retreated and lay down happy to have found a shelter, however miserable” (Shelley). This shows the narrative of the monster and his agonizing origin story, while Victor was basically laid back, even though he brought him into this world (again). The Fragmentation of this chapter gives us readers the broken pieces of the stories we have yet to hear, tying it with postmodern works of nonlinear storytelling, leaving us readers with an open perspective.
Links to Postmodern Media Source
Radiohead's "Pyramid Song" also has a clear connection with fragmentation, especially with scenes like broken and floating objects, to create a fragmented reality. The environment can be interpreted as real or unreal depending on the viewer's perspective. We don’t get a main explanation of the backstory of the protagonist, which allows all of us to create our own assumptions which I like in storytelling. This supports the postmodern idea that life and memories won’t always be 100% clear and that at points it will come down to only fragments of what we know now, creating a blurred reality and maybe even a lack of identity in our distant futures.
My Take -
The non-linear story within Frankenstein is similar to the dreamlike setting of Pyramid Song mainly because at certain points they don't give us the full picture, for example, Walton’s letters or the transition of the diver to the lights in the music video. This shows the postmodern idea that we don’t always get the full truth, and we receive other perspectives from memories and moments that help us fill in the whole story.
Summary of Element Two - Irony
Links to Postmodernism in Your Literary Tradition Text
Mary Shelley is truly a writing genius with the way she uses Irony to describe the story of Frankenstein especially with Victor's ambitions to play God which ultimately causes the downward spiral of his life. The use of science to create life leading to the death of many highlights the consequences of unchecked morals and ambitions, which in itself explains the great amount of Irony Shelley used in the story of Frankenstein. Victor's goals are shown mainly at the beginning of the story especially when saying things like,
(Shelley).
When first reading it he just seemed like a crazy scientist, but when looking into it further this was a clear sign of irony in the story. Victor truly believes that science can solve any problems in the world. Even the word choice of “torrent of light into our dark world” has an immense amount of irony because that “light” is actually
what brings death and destruction into Victor's life. Shelley uses this postmodern element to denounce the great amount of faith in science and power at the time, which also correlates with the postmodern view that truth and progress are often more complicated than they seem.
Links to Postmodern Media Source
I'm linking Irony to the silly story of Polyphemus on His Days Off where in the original story, Polyphemus is a terrifying monster who eats men alive, but in this new ironic story, he’s seen more like a grumpy old man just trying to live his life. The image of him in a “polyester tracksuit and a sky-blue neoprene neck warmer” makes him seem more like a one-eyed teddy bear rather than a threat. Even the idea of a Cyclops visiting an optometrist adds to the silliness which was seen in one of the lines. This role reversal fits with postmodern values by humanizing a monster we have seen as evil and making us question what “monstrous” really is. Under the humor, the story presents Cyclops as lonely and misunderstood, allowing us readers to see depth in a character that we all once saw as purely evil.
My Take -
Irony is a major postmodern element seen in both stories, while one is about a monster turning “good” and the other is about how things don't always end up how they seem. They both challenge the traditional ideas of how an outcome can always be different from how we first imagined it.
Summary of Element Three - Skepticism
Your Literary Tradition Text
Victor is a huge skeptic of everything mainly because of what has happened to him throughout the story (can’t really blame him). The skepticism that Victor has endorsed has direct links to postmodernist traditions, and the level of it increased especially towards the end once he was filled with the maximum amount of regret. Victor would even go on to tell Walton
(Shelley)
This quote shows a clear biblical illusion connecting the serpent from the bible to a metaphor of wisdom and danger, showing how Victor now sees his science as “sinful’ and destructive. The tone in the message Victor left to Walton emphasizes the fear and regret he feels, making it seem far more personal. These elements together create skepticism about the progression of science, and challenge the postmodern ideas that seeking truth always leads to good.
Links to Postmodern Media Source
I used Radiohead’s There There, a media source that links to skepticism. In the song, it's used mainly on the emotional and the perception aspects, especially when I heard lines like “Just ‘cause you feel it/ Doesn’t mean it's there”. This line alone gives me the idea of being crazy or imagining things that aren't even around. This level of skepticism is followed throughout the entire song, making it feel eerie and out of place, almost giving me, as the reader a sense of anxiety. Another specific example of this in the song is the word use of “someone on your shoulder,” which makes us question what the speaker is going through and if it's real or not.
My Take -
Both Frankenstein and There There connect with postmodern skepticism, although not in the same way, due to one being about imagination and the other being about regret; they can be linked to the reliability of perspective and also the effects of learning the truth. Victor regrets his ambition for knowledge, and the song gives us doubt about what's real, creating a shared emotion of uncertainty and instability.
Conclusion:
In both Frankenstein and postmodern media, irony, fragmentation, and skepticism reveal how truth is never simple. The human experience is shaped by broken stories, uncertain meanings, and the search for understanding in chaos.
Works Cited
Childish Gambino. Run Away Donald Glover, Giphy, 5 May 2018, https://media4.giphy.com/media/v1.Y2lkPTc5MGI3NjExMmRhdzF6Y2JmZmdzMjgzeTM5bGJqejFpamN2anN1YjZ0dzZ5anEybiZlcD12MV9pbnRlcm5hbF9naWZfYnlfaWQmY3Q9Zw/Ojr9vupbS0v0GWDgxm/giphy.gif. Accessed 14 May 2025.
Donwood, Stanley. Hail to the Thief (Album Cover). 2003. Artnet, www.artnet.com/artists/stanley-donwood/. Accessed 14 May. 2025.
Radiohead. “There There (The Boney King of Nowhere).” Genius 26 May 2003, https://genius.com/Radiohead-there-there-the-boney-king-of-nowhere-lyrics. Accessed 7 May 2025.
Radiohead. “Pyramid Song (Official Video).” YouTube, 13 Sept. 2018, https://youtu.be/3M_Gg1xAHE4?si=vuiBffFR4fd6LoiF. Accessed 14 May 2025.
Shelley, Mary. Frankenstein; Or, The Modern Prometheus. Project Gutenberg, 1993, www.gutenberg.org/files/84/84-h/84-h.htm. Accessed 13 May. 2025.
I really like the fragmentation the author of this post mentions because it demonstrates that it can really be found everywhere. I love the organization of this post, it makes it really fun and easy for readers to read. I like the theme of fear that this author included as well, it's something that isn't mentioned a lot but is important when it comes to discussing these stories/literature works.
I like how you pointed out how like in Frankenstein, not every monster is the evil and heartless beings that they are somehow made out to be. Instead they are judged by a fear factor that takes over reason and results in the victim to become frustrated and resulting in the wrath of despair.
I like how you talked about the formation of human experience and how it is never a perfect journey. The elements you added to explain this were perfect. Your Gifs and Images are hilarious and I really enjoyed getting to read your Post. Great job and thank you for teaching me something new!
I like the way you connected all of the different sources to the same themes and found what they had in common. I agree with all that you said and I find it interesting that all of these sources included both fragmentation of reality (destruction of one's ability to interact with truth) and skepticism (zeal for truth and truth only).
This was a very complex read through of all your sources that was very well connected and wonderful interpretations of monstrosity, nonlinear narratives, and ironic twists of fate. Overall, you explained your sources well before tying them together and, even though I didn't read some of your sources, I understand the story and how you could relate it to Frankenstein.
Brioche - 6th