WebQuest Part 1 John Green’s Frankenstein ​https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SyyrwoCec1k
This assignment may be completed with a partner. You are to create a Google Slide with
all your information from this webquest. There is no set amount of slides required, but
make sure you have answered all the questions here and placed all your findings in the
powerpoint. Act as if you are presenting a Frankenstein literature review to those who
know nothing about the novel; use your research to bring light and knowledge to those
who come to your session.
Introduction: ​Mary Shelley’s ​Frankenstein​ is considered the very first science fiction
story. What does that mean and why is science fiction such an important part of our
literary experience?
Why has the Frankenstein monster become a part of our collective understanding? Why
are we so afraid of the monster?
Before we begin reading the novel, we need to develop our prior knowledge about Mary
Shelley and the gothic style she uses. We need to understand some of the science behind
the Frankenstein story. We need to explore the human fascination with death and our own
desires to prolong life.
Part 1: ​Mary Shelley is an unusual woman from an unusual family. Research her life and
how the story of Frankenstein came about. Use the following websites to answer the
questions below:
http://www.biography.com/people/mary-shelley-9481497
http://www.maryshelley.nl/
1.When and where was Mary Shelley born?
2. Name 3 things you found interesting about
Mary Shelley:
3.What else has she written? And where did she
get her work published?
4.What was her personal life like? Husband?
Friends? Kids?
5.What personal challenges did Shelley face in
her life?
6.How do you think these challenges influenced
her writing?
7. Why would the ability to restore the dead to
life be a source of concern for the people in
Mary Shelley’s day?
8. What inspired her to write Frankenstein?
9. What year was Frankenstein published?
10.What did the critics think about
Frankenstein when it was first published?
Part 2: Use the following website to answer the questions below:
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/exhibition/frankenstein/birth.html
1.Read ​Exhibition Introduction​. Who is
Frankenstein compared to?
2. Read ​The Birth of Frankenstein​ and describe
how the story of ​Frankenstein​ came to be.
3. Read ​Surrounded by Ice​ and describe the
beginning of the novel without copying and
pasting the info from this site.
4. Read ​Boundary Crossing 1931​ and describe
what scientific phenomena ​Frankenstein​ brings up
which is still controversial today.
5. In exploring the ​Digital Gallery​, which medical
device do you find extraordinary and influential to
medicine today. Why? Explain.
Part 3: Themes of Frankenstein:
Use the following website to answer the question below:
http://knarf.english.upenn.edu/Themes/
The novel ​Frankenstein ​incorporates several themes. List at least 4 themes of the story
and why you are interested in each one.
Theme
Reason
Part 4: Science Fiction and Gothic Novels
Use the following websites to answer the questions below:
http://www.treitel.org/Richard/sf/sf.html
http://academic.brooklyn.cuny.edu/english/melani/gothic/gothic.html
What is science fiction?
Frankenstein ​is the first
science fiction story.
What makes it science
fiction? Develop a
definition of science
fiction and evaluate
Frankenstein ​as a
science fiction story.
What is Gothic
literature?
How does Frankenstein
work as Gothic literature?
Part 5: The Prometheus Myth
Use the following websites to answer the questions below:
http://www.mythencyclopedia.com/Pa-Pr/Prometheus.html
http://crossref-it.info/textguide/Frankenstein/7/337
Who is Prometheus? Add at least 2 visuals about Prometheus and analyze the why Mary
Shelley wanted to use Prometheus Myth as an alternative title for the novel. And, explain
why she did use the full title Frankenstein: The Modern Prometheus
Part 6: Versions of Frankenstein created after the novel and Hollywood’s take on it!
Research and list as many titles and dates of Hollywood’s spin on ​Frankenstein​ the novel.
Look for plays, movies, television shows, comic books, characters, videos, etc. How do
these Hollywood characters, movies, etc. differ from the novel? Photos, links, etc are
important here!