Frankenstein Critical Thought Writing Assignment

Frankenstein evokes literary themes that arguably parallel those found in the development of western thinking along several dimensions, including changes or innovations in: social norms, political organization, scientific discovery, and economic production.  Using your own critical thinking in conjunction with the Frankenstein text itself and the historical material and/or current debates we have studied this semester, write a paper where you develop your own conclusion on the appropriate balance between the benefits of society’s pursuit of knowledge (“Light” in Frankenstein) and the potential risks and dangers when that pursuit goes wrong (“Fire” in Frankenstein).  Your analysis can take any direction that allows you to present your best writing and deepest analytical thinking.