Question 119·Medium·Command of Evidence
Frankenstein is an 1818 novel by Mary Shelley. Shortly after Victor Frankenstein succeeds in animating his creation, he reflects on the outcome of his experiment: _____
Which quotation from Frankenstein most effectively illustrates the claim that Victor feels immediate remorse for having brought the creature to life?
For questions asking which quotation best supports a claim, start by underlining the most important words in the claim—in this case, “immediate” and “remorse for having brought the creature to life.” Then, paraphrase each answer choice in your own words and quickly check: (1) Does it show the right type of emotion (regret/guilt, not just fear or description)? (2) Is the emotion clearly tied to the action mentioned in the claim (creating the creature)? (3) Is there any sense of timing or sudden change, if the claim mentions immediacy? Eliminate options that miss any of these pieces, even if they sound dramatic, and choose the quote that most directly and completely matches all parts of the claim.
Hints
Focus on the key word in the claim
Reread the claim: Victor feels immediate remorse for having brought the creature to life. What kind of emotion is remorse, and when is it happening?
Separate description from emotion
Look at each option and ask: is this just describing what the creature looks like or what it does, or is it clearly showing Victor’s inner feelings about what he has done?
Look for a change from hope to regret
Think about how Victor originally felt about his experiment (hopeful, excited). Which option shows that this earlier positive feeling disappears right away and is replaced by strong negative feelings?
Check that the emotion is about his own action
Make sure the emotion is not just fear of something scary, but specifically a reaction that suggests he regrets creating the creature.
Step-by-step Explanation
Understand the claim in the question
The claim is that Victor feels immediate remorse for having brought the creature to life. Break that into three key ideas:
- Emotion type: remorse means deep regret or guilt about something you did.
- Timing: immediate means it happens right away, not later.
- Cause: the regret is because he brought the creature to life, not just because the creature looks scary.
Check each option for remorse (regret) vs. simple fear or description
Now read each option and ask:
- Is Victor clearly regretting his own action (creating the creature)?
- Or is he just describing the creature or showing fear/horror without clear regret?
If an option does not clearly show regret about his own decision, it is not the best evidence for this claim.
Evaluate options that mostly describe the creature
Look at the more descriptive lines:
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Option B: “His eyes, if eyes they may be called, were fixed on me.”
This only describes where the creature’s eyes are looking. There is no emotion from Victor here, so it cannot show remorse. -
Option C: “No mortal could support the horror of that countenance.”
This shows that the creature’s face is horrifying, but the focus is on how any person would react, not on Victor feeling personal regret about having created it.
Both B and C are mainly about appearance and general horror, not about Victor’s immediate regret for his action.
Compare the two emotional options
Now compare the remaining emotional lines:
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Option A: “How can I describe my emotions at this catastrophe, or how delineate the wretch whom with such infinite pains and care I had endeavoured to form?”
Here Victor calls the event a catastrophe and calls the creature a wretch, so we see strong negative feelings and disappointment. However, he is mainly saying that his emotions are hard to describe and that the creature is awful, not clearly that his former hopes have instantly turned into regret. -
The correct choice should clearly show that his earlier dream or hope about the experiment is gone and has been replaced right away by intense negative feelings—this is what makes the remorse immediate and tied to his act of creating the creature.
Identify the quote that shows dream → instant horror and disgust
Option D: “The beauty of the dream had vanished, and breathless horror and disgust filled my heart.” is the best evidence.
- “The beauty of the dream had vanished” shows that his earlier hopeful dream about the experiment is gone at once.
- “Breathless horror and disgust filled my heart” shows a sudden, overwhelming negative emotional reaction.
- Together, these phrases clearly show that right after the creature comes to life, Victor’s hopeful dream turns instantly into horror and disgust, which is immediate remorse about what he has done.
Therefore, the correct answer is D) “The beauty of the dream had vanished, and breathless horror and disgust filled my heart.”