Objectives

• Analyse how Shelley uses the three-layer frame narrative (Walton / Victor / the Creature) to control reader sympathy and moral judgement.
• Analyse how Shelley's language choices in the creation scene (Chapter 5) construct the creature as simultaneously sublime and abject.
• Evaluate how the creature's self-education through Paradise Lost, Plutarch's Lives and The Sorrows of Young Werther shapes his identity and his demands on Victor.
• Analyse how Victor's destruction of the female creature (Chapter 20) and the murder of Elizabeth (Chapter 23) function as the structural and thematic turning points of the novel.
• Write a sustained, evidenced analytical paragraph that argues a clear interpretive claim about ambition, responsibility or identity in Frankenstein.
• Contextualise the novel within the 1816 'Year Without a Summer', Humphry Davy's galvanism lectures, and the ideas of Godwin and Wollstonecraft.

The sequence

1. Lesson 1: Who is speaking? Walton, Victor and the architecture of guilt

   60 min · ch. 1, 2

   Do now

   Read Letters I and II (Ch. 1) on your desk. In two sentences, describe what Walton desires, and identify one word or phrase that best reflects his tone. There’s no need to read further — the answer is right there in front of you.

   Teacher input

   Model a close reading of the opening of Walton's Letter II: "I have no friend, Margaret… I have no one near me, gentle yet courageous, with both a cultivated and a capacious mind." Illustrate to students how Shelley establishes Walton's loneliness before Victor even speaks, setting the stage for Victor to appear as the 'friend' Walton longs for. This primes readers to trust a narrator who is emotionally vulnerable. Annotate the syntax: Walton's list of desired qualities reflects the creature's later list of sought-after virtues, creating a structural echo throughout the novel.

   Independent task

   Students create a three-box diagram labeled Walton → Victor → Creature. For each narrator, they will write one sentence describing what that narrator desires and another sentence outlining why readers should be wary of trusting them. Next, they will compose a single analytical sentence that links all three narrators, incorporating at least one quotation from Letters I–IV (Ch.1). The completed diagram, the three sentences, and the connecting claim are to be submitted together.

   Exit ticket

   Shelley's decision to start with Walton instead of Victor frames Victor's story in a way that influences our judgment of his character and actions.

2. Lesson 2: A dreary November night: language, horror and the creation scene

   60 min · ch. 5, 6, 7

   Do now

   Without opening your book, jot down three adjectives you think describe the creature. Next, turn to Chapter 5 (Ch. 6) and locate the paragraph that starts with 'It was on a dreary night of November…'. Circle any adjectives that Shelley uses. How many of them are the same as yours?

   Teacher input

   In this sentence, Shelley intricately blends contrasting imagery to portray the creature as an unsettling mix of grotesque and beautiful elements. The description begins with "His yellow skin scarcely covered the work of muscles and arteries beneath," which evokes a sense of decay and horror, emphasizing the creature's unnatural appearance. Yet, this is immediately juxtaposed with "his hair was of a lustrous black, and flowing; his teeth of a pearly whiteness," introducing traits that society typically associates with beauty and vitality. Through this stark contrast, Shelley crafts a character that defies simple categorization; he is neither fully a monster nor completely human, but rather an uncanny hybrid that elicits both repulsion and sympathy. This sentence encapsulates the novel's profound ethical dilemma: Victor Frankenstein has created a being that inherently deserves the aesthetic of beauty, yet he has been condemned to wear the mask of ugliness, highlighting the tragic consequences of unchecked ambition and the complexities of creation.

   Independent task

   Students will choose an additional sentence from the creation scene in Chapter 5 (Ch. 6) — excluding the one that was modeled — and compose a complete analytical paragraph (Point, Evidence, Analysis, Link) discussing what Shelley's language indicates about Victor's state of mind during the act of creation. They should identify at least two language features and relate their analysis to the themes of ambition or responsibility. Paragraphs should be written in exercise books and submitted.

   Exit ticket

   The word Shelley uses to describe the creature's eyes in Chapter 5 is "dull." This word is more disturbing than "red" or "black" because it conveys a sense of lifelessness and emptiness, evoking a chilling absence of emotion or vitality in the creature.

3. Lesson 3: The creature reads: Paradise Lost, identity and the demand for a companion

   60 min · ch. 12, 13, 14, 15, 16

   Do now

   Ch.14 (Chapter 15) mentions three books that the creature discovers in the leather satchel. Try to recall them from memory and write them down, then verify your answers. Next to each title, jot down one word that reflects the emotion it might evoke in a reader who has never experienced human society.

   Teacher input

   Model analysis of the creature's response to Paradise Lost in Ch. 14: “Like Adam, I found myself seemingly disconnected from any other living being; yet, his situation was vastly different from mine in every way. He emerged from God's hands as a perfect being, full of happiness and prosperity… while I was miserable, powerless, and utterly alone.” This passage illustrates how the creature reflects on Milton's Adam as a way to highlight his own isolation: the repeated structure (“He had… but I was”) emphasizes the creature's sense of exclusion. This moment serves as a crucial motivator for the creature's plea in Ch. 16 (Chapter 17) for a female companion.

   Independent task

   Students will write two analytical paragraphs: the first will explore how the creature uses Paradise Lost (Ch. 14) to shape his identity; the second will examine how this constructed identity influences his argument to Victor in Ch. 16 (Chapter 17), quoting the creature's logical reasoning ('If you refuse, I will glut the maw of death…'). Each paragraph must incorporate a contextual sentence that connects to either Godwin's political philosophy or Wollstonecraft's views on rights. This assignment should be submitted as a double-paragraph response.

   Exit ticket

   By the end of Chapter 15, the creature relates more to Satan than Adam because he feels rejected and alienated from humanity, mirroring Satan's defiance and isolation. He resonates with the phrase "the fallen angel," highlighting his sense of abandonment and desire for acceptance.

4. Lesson 4: The pivot: destroying the female creature and the murder of Elizabeth

   60 min · ch. 17, 18, 19, 20, 21

   Do now

   Re-read the last paragraph of Ch.18 (Chapter 20), starting with "I trembled and my heart failed within me..." and continuing to the end. In one sentence, explain what Victor fears the most at this moment — is it the creature, himself, or the future? Be specific about the text.

   Teacher input

   Model a structural analysis of the moment in Chapter 20 when Victor tears apart the unfinished female creature while the creature watches through the window: "I thought with a sensation of madness on my promise of creating another like him, and trembling with passion, tore to pieces the thing on which I was engaged." Highlight how the verb "tore" foreshadows the creature's later acts of violence and how the term "the thing" strips away the humanity of what Victor is destroying, mirroring how he dehumanized his first creation. Then, connect this to Chapter 23: the creature's declaration, "I shall be with you on your wedding night," directly stems from Victor's choice in Chapter 20, establishing that Shelley's structure links Victor's actions to Elizabeth's tragic fate.

   Independent task

   Students create a structured comparison by filling out a side-by-side table. In this table, they select one quotation from Chapter 18 (Chapter 20) and another from Chapter 21 (Chapter 23) to illustrate how Victor's choice to destroy the female creature directly results in Elizabeth's murder. Below the table, they write a paragraph discussing whether Victor or the creature is more morally responsible for Elizabeth's death, using both quotations to support their argument. This is to be submitted.

   Exit ticket

   By having the creature observe Victor destroy the female creature through the window, Shelley symbolizes the barrier between creation and destruction, illustrating the creature's deep sense of isolation and the painful consequences of Victor's choices.

5. Lesson 5: The creature's farewell: suffering, guilt and the novel's final judgement

   60 min · ch. 1, 6, 11, 14, 15, 21, 22, 23

   Do now

   Open to Ch.23 (Walton's Concluding Letters). Read the creature's speech over Victor's body, from 'That is also my victim!' to '…I shall ascend my funeral pile triumphantly.' Write one sentence: is the creature seeking sympathy, absolution, or something else? Quote one word.

   Teacher input

   Model how to interpret the creature's final speech as the novel's moral verdict by examining the line: 'I, the miserable and the abandoned, am an abortion, to be spurned at, and kicked, and trampled on.' Guide students to see how 'abortion' (referring in 1818 to something brought forth prematurely) connects back to the creation scene in Chapter 6 and forward to Walton's ambitions in Chapter 1. This term criticizes not only Victor but also the broader Romantic endeavor of striving beyond limits. Illustrate how to construct an essay argument that positions this final speech as both a piece of evidence and a structural foundation.

   Independent task

   Students will write a timed analytical response (around 350–450 words) to the question: "How does Shelley present the creature as both a victim and an agent of destruction in Frankenstein?" They need to reference at least three chapters based on their content (the creation scene in Ch. 6; the De Lacey rejection in Ch. 15; and the farewell speech in Ch. 23) and include one contextual point. This is the final preparation task and will be graded according to the rubric.

   Exit ticket

   Before: > Write the single word from the creature's farewell speech that you would place at the centre of an essay on guilt in this novel, and write one sentence justifying your choice.

   After: > Identify the one word from the creature's farewell speech that you would center your essay on regarding guilt in this novel, and provide a sentence explaining why you chose it.

Activities

Assessment

• Exit ticket Lesson 1 — checks whether students can articulate the function of the frame narrative using the word 'frame' or 'filter', not just describe its existence.
• Exit ticket Lesson 2 — checks whether students can explain why 'watery' (or 'dull yellow') is more unsettling than a conventionally monstrous colour, testing precision of language analysis.
• Exit ticket Lesson 3 — checks whether students can distinguish between the creature's identification with Adam and with Satan, and can support the distinction with a quotation from Chapter 15.
• Exit ticket Lesson 4 — checks whether students can read the window as a structural and symbolic device, not merely a plot detail, connecting Ch.20 to Ch.23.
• Paragraph Surgery activity (Lesson 2 / Activity 6) — teacher scans annotated paragraphs to identify whether the class can embed quotation and name language features before the summative task.
• Narrator Reliability Hot-Seat scores (Activity 1) — teacher collects written justifications to check whether students are distinguishing between what a narrator says and what the text implies.

Standards covered

Common Core 11 12

• RL.11-12.1 — Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
• RL.11-12.3 — Analyse the impact of the author's choices regarding how to develop and relate elements of a story or drama (e.g. where a story is set, how the action is ordered, how the characters are introduced and developed).
• RL.11-12.4 — Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in the text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyse the impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone.
• RL.11-12.6 — Analyse a case in which grasping point of view requires distinguishing what is directly stated in a text from what is really meant (e.g. satire, irony, understatement).
• W.11-12.1 — Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts, using valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence.

AP Literature

• Literary Argumentation (LAN-1) — Explain the function of a narrator or speaker, including how point of view shapes meaning.
• Figurative Language (FIG-1) — Explain the function of specific words and phrases in a literary text, including connotation and imagery.
• Character (CHR-1) — Explain the function of contrasting characters and how their relationship develops a text's themes.
• Structure (STR-1) — Explain the function of structure in a text, including how an author's sequencing of events contributes to meaning.
• Literary Argumentation (LAN-1.E) — Develop a thesis that makes a defensible claim about the relationship between an author's choices and the meaning or effect of a literary work.

AQA

• AO1 — Read, understand and respond to texts; maintain a critical style and develop an informed personal response; use textual references, including quotations, to support and illustrate interpretations.
• AO2 — Analyse the language, form and structure used by a writer to create meanings and effects, using relevant subject terminology where appropriate.
• AO3 — Show understanding of the relationships between texts and the contexts in which they were written and received.
• AO5 (Language Paper) — Communicate clearly, effectively and imaginatively, selecting and adapting tone, style and register for different forms, purposes and audiences.

Edexcel

• AO1 — Articulate informed, personal and creative responses to literary texts, using associated concepts and terminology, and coherent, accurate written expression.
• AO2 — Analyse ways in which meanings are shaped in literary texts, with reference to language, form and structure.
• AO3 — Demonstrate understanding of the significance and influence of the contexts in which literary texts are written and received.
• AO4 — Explore connections across literary texts, including how the creature's reading of Paradise Lost positions Frankenstein within a tradition of texts about creation and rebellion.