ASSIGNMENT ONE - final thoughts

Upon first reading this text, one might see it somewhere along the following lines:

A female Frankenstein is objectively analyzing her gender identity according to societal norms of male/femaleness. In the end, she figures out she is indeed a woman.

A deeper reading, however, reveals a much more unsettled, conflicted narrator. S/he struggles with the conflict between his/her physical “design” and his/her desires. The few emotions of pleasure s/he expresses to us come when s/he describes her “male” characteristics and activities, yet s/he appears to choose his/her female side at the end of the passage. S/he frequently brings up the fact that others find her/him fascinating and alluring which implies that s/he relishes that attention. But a feeling of grimness and loneliness pervades the entire passage. The narrator apparently has stayed inside all his/her life (the “uniform light conditions” mentioned). S/he takes little action his/herself; instead, s/he is acted upon. S/he is frequently treated as nothing more than an object of examination. Yet s/he clearly wants to “belong” somewhere. In the end, that urge leads her to suppress the “male” aspects of his/her character so s/he can be categorized and find a place in our society.