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Monthly Archives: March 2020

free will

Pondering on Free Will

March 31 2020
free will, philosophy

  The question of whether a person is free to make their own choices or merely under the illusion of possessing such freedom and simply following their biological instincts has been debated since the dawn of humanity. However, I will not even attempt to resolve this question with what little knowledge I possess. I simply wish to give my own views on the matter as yet another drop into the sea of discussion this subject has accumulated throughout history.

  Have you ever asked yourself if your actions are truly your own? If they are, then why do you regret them even if you were completely aware of their consequences? It is considered an accepted fact that we as humans lose control of ourselves in moments of anger. This is easily supported by both statistics [1] and the number of people voluntarily taking anger management courses. But this leads us to question whether anger is exceptional in its ability to strip us from our conscious control over ourselves or perhaps it shares this ability with other sensations.

   I personally tend to believe the latter option as anger is only an extreme case that only seems exceptional because of the feeling of regret that follows it. I seek to bring forward the idea that all sensations cause a loss of control over ourselves even if it occurs to a lesser degree. My claim is not a solid fact and I never intended it to be one. But we need to ask ourselves whether we have truly made a choice if we cannot even recall any ponderings on the options at hand but merely impulses.

    My view is that more often than not, our choices are made for us based upon our predispositions. But this assumption does not necessarily dictate that our free will is an illusion. According to my own personal introspection, these tendencies stem from our subconscious, as it is the source of our desires and feelings. Therefore, our free choices are not the ones made in the midst of the moments of our everyday lives as we get overwhelmed with emotions. In those situations, we merely find ourselves following our impulses. Our true free choices are those made in our moments of solitude and contemplation. This can be seen through the emphasis many religions and schools of philosophy offer to contemplating one’s sins and acts of virtue.  

    I suspect that we do not directly choose our actions but we choose the tendencies that govern them. It follows that our subconscious acts as a buffer between our conscious will and our actions. In other words, we indirectly control our actions by conditioning our subconscious as we slowly adjust our tendencies and struggle against our desires. This has led me to believe that the judgments we assign to our actions in retrospect are more important than the actions themselves. As our subconscious is conditioned through remorse or satisfaction.

    This idea can be seen in how watching a motivational speech or a convincing debate does not change any long-held views. People do not simply get swayed in an instant. They require to be slowly nudged by an idea, to be surrounded by it. So that it could eventually become capable of swaying their subconscious and shifting their nature. Afterward, a moment of clarity or some event makes the final push towards a different attitude.

    This idea, in my view, explains the unreasonable dichotomy between the heart and the mind. I would as far as to say it explains how we have chosen our love, displeasure, admiration, and even trust in things all around us, by slowly conditioning our subconscious one judgment at a time. This is the idea of how we slowly shape our personalities with the choices we make in our hours of solitude.  

 

Author: Wail Rimouche.

 

Read also:

Individuation, the Psychological Rebirth

The Algerian Socialist Mindset

Vaccination

Should I Vaccinate my Pet?

March 30 2020
Algeria, pet vaccination, pets, vaccination

Vaccination, also called  Immunization, is one of the most highly debated topics in pet health care. The recent debates about human vaccine safety have left many pet owners wondering whether their dogs and cats should be vaccinated. The short answer is: Yes, definitely!

Vaccinating your pets annually helps lessen the spread of infectious diseases throughout pet populations. Vaccinating against zoonotic diseases such as Rabies and Leptospirosis not only protects your pet but you as well! Approximately 59,000 people worldwide die each year from rabies. With reference to the World Health Organisation, more than 95% of rabies deaths occur in Africa and Asia, which lack successful vaccination programs. So, if you are a new or seasoned pet owner, and you do not think that you should vaccinate your pet if you wonder how often you really need to do that, this article is directed to you! 

Vaccinating our animals has long been considered one of the easiest ways to help them live a long, healthy life. Pets should receive core vaccines, those medically necessary for all pets. There are different vaccines for different diseases. Algerian veterinarians recommend vaccines for the following diseases for your pet :

If it’s a Dog:

-Rabies: They cause progressive neurological problems and death, it is transmitted when an infected animal bites and can be transmitted to humans.

-Canine distemper: Affects the respiratory and nervous systems, it’s often fatal.

-Infectious hepatitis: It can lead to acute or chronic liver inflammation.

-Leptospirosis: Caused by bacteria shed in the urine of infected wild animals; pets and humans become infected by exposure to contaminated outdoor water sources and can develop kidney and liver failure.

-Parvovirus: Causes severe vomiting, diarrhea, and dehydration as well as life-threatening sepsis in unprotected puppies.

If it’s a Cat :

-Feline viral rhinotracheitis(FVR):  The most important of these diseases and is found worldwide, causes infectious respiratory disease and a lifelong infection. 

-Panleukopenia: Causes life-threatening blood cell deficiencies, vomiting, diarrhea, and dehydration, as well as brain damage to kittens infected in utero.

-Rabies:  required for both dogs and cats.

-Feline panleukopenia:  a highly contagious, severe infection that causes gastrointestinal, immune system, and nervous system disease.

-Feline leukosis ( FeLV): It can react in different ways depending on the reactivity of its immune system. This virus can cause immunosuppression and chronic illness.

When your pet receives a vaccine, the immune system is mildly stimulated. The body recognizes the antigen (foreign substance) and responds to it by creating antibodies. If a pet is ever exposed to the real disease, his immune system is now prepared to recognize and fight it off entirely or reduce the severity of the illness.

What are the risks of vaccinating my pet?

Vaccination is a procedure that has benefits and risks. Because it stimulates the immune system, vaccines can cause allergic reactions in pets though this is relatively uncommon. Many vaccine reactions are minor and self-limiting. You might notice mild lethargy and sleepiness for about a day afterward. Some animals will be sore at the injection site as well.

Some reactions can be very serious like collapse, difficulty breathing, seizures, facial swelling, they require immediate medical attention. In that case, you should quickly go to the nearest veterinary clinic! 

Vaccination is the most reliable method of disease prevention, it poses few risks. The best way to stay on schedule with vaccinations for your dog or cat is to follow the recommendations of a veterinarian you trust.  And always remember that a little prevention can save you dinars in treatment and extend the life of your furry friend. 

 

                                                                                                       Author: Dr. Rania Boublal

Read also:

14 Ways to Protect Animals in Algeria.

Kids therapy with animals, is it possible ?

bad days

Many Blue Mondays – Poem

March 27 2020
bad days, blue mondays, Poem, poetry

There are days when my body feels too heavy to carry, and it is then that I need myself most. when heaviness is no longer a feeling but a state of being.

Today, I am heavy,

I am the weight on my shoulders, I am the words I barely blurt out, I am the lack of confidence, I am my stage fright, I am my loudness, I am my clumsiness, I am the ugly I feel on the bad days, I am the bad days, and although everything comes to end, today seems infinite.

Today, I lose the rhymes to write my poetry, I lose count of how many times I scribbled I love you in my notebooks, I lose count of how many times I longed for love, for a warm embrace to tell me what I already know “everything will be alright” I whisper to myself, but it isn’t my voice I need to hear, today it is his,

It is my friends’

It is my mother’s

Today, I need to hear anyone but myself.

 I lock my tears hoping they won’t escape me again. Today I learned that my body has an exquisite self-defense mechanism. My body will declare a state of emergency and trigger an iceberg to prevent a breakdown, but every defense-plan has a downside. The downside in this story is that I break down regardless. I break down in silence.

My body locks the tears away and pushes the screams further down my throat, so far away I choke. Before I know it, I am hostage of my own body, I am hostage of my psyche, of the demons telling me I cannot, and I believe them.

 I am the darkness of my shadow

I am the blue of my sorrow

Maybe, I don’t deserve the dreams I see in my sleep, and this is who I am destined to be,

Maybe greatness is not meant for me

And that is okay. I will be okay

 

Authour: Nourhane Atmani.

Read also:

Addiction – Poem

A Trustworthy Limerence? – Poem

To a Bird in Mid-May – Poem

raindrop

She Wanted to Be a Raindrop – Short Story

March 25 2020
love, raindrop, romance, short story

The morning is where she lingers, she has her own morning ritual. A way to prepare for the new day. It happens before the world requires anything from her, and that’s when she is most beautiful. It’s true that not many saw her like that, in her most natural form. Yet I can’t say I was the only one. Even though we had each our own beginnings, we shared mornings like this.

She used to tell people that the world was drawn by a dull piece of chalk. That was before me. Now that she sees things my way, everything makes a little more sense. This is me, old Glasses with a pinkish frame which would imply that I lived with her for a considerable amount of time. If I am meant for anything, it is to show her the world. Is that so bad? A quiet morning like many before, cold, comfortable. Comfort can be terribly blinding. The difference in this particular morning is in a call. The phone rings, she picks up, she smiles, for who? I can’t see anymore.

She tells me she wants to be a raindrop, she doesn’t mind falling, as long as she is not alone and raindrops are never alone. She always has a new story to tell me. Today, it’s about being a raindrop.

I wish I could’ve been there, because stories aren’t always enough, and words can only go so far. This is me, an old Phone with a wire connecting its two parts, pinned to a kitchen wall, the same grey color as the wall, yet a bit darker. Sometimes I wonder if she is still talking to me, or if I am just eavesdropping. It used to be every day, sometimes for hours and sometimes just for minutes. Healthy relationships are based on communication, but her words, however sweet and real, sound so distant. Now they flew past me effortlessly as if they were meant for someone else.

She must know what she does to me, her every touch, every time she holds my hand, every time she holds me close. This is me, an Umbrella. A dark body with a brown wooden handle dangling from my designated place and waiting for that sound of rain for me to get going. If you hold my hand I will be yours forever, a simple promise. It’s all I can offer, is it enough? It is maybe too late for me, it is maybe too late.

Anyone can look from a distance. A stranger can look from a distance, what is so special about that? But to know her scent, it means something else. it means we’ve been close, closer than anyone else. I daresay I am lucky, but when she doesn’t want me when she is away, and it’s just her scent with me, I can only feel forgotten. This is me, a Scarf lying motionless on a dashboard of a car, a slight wind entering from a small crack of a window is moving one end of me, giving me a bit of life.

There are those nights, just the two of us when she softly hides in her own thoughts, and only one thing that seems to melt the cold silence, a kiss. This is me, a cold blue coffee mug sitting as I should be along with my kind of mugs, waiting for her to fill me with that warm morning coffee. Ask me what the perfect day tastes like? I’ll say… Her lips. She was my first kiss, it has to mean something. Something certain and true because the taste of a pure kiss can’t be shared. It’s the dreadfully romantic idea there would be only one, the question is: am I the only one? I am afraid the truth will break me, but our kiss is convincing still I am not the only one.

As days went by, the glasses were replaced by contact lenses, for a clearer view, and more proficiency of course. One day, her boyfriend knocked on the door, her hurrying pace to open it slammed the mug, making it fall to the ground and leaving it miserably in pieces. The boyfriend gave her a smartphone as a birthday gift, everyone has one these days, the old wall phone was left hanging in its place as a piece of decoration. The boyfriend is driving her now with his car, no matter how the weather is, she never used an umbrella again.

She always said she wanted to be a raindrop, and today it finally broke me, I was out of her life. She had found her own to fall, her own to fall for. Today, she was a raindrop…

 

Author: Oussama Aba.

Read also:

It’s Complicated – Short Story

Scapegoat – Short Story

First Love.

pandemic

How to Cope with Anxiety During the Coronavirus Pandemic?

March 22 2020
Algeria, anxiety, coronavirus, pandemic

The recent coronavirus pandemic is changing our lives in a lot of ways. Public gatherings that were normal up until two weeks ago have now been canceled. Social distancing is a necessity and the entire world is enforcing unprecedented lockdowns. General fear and panic outspread is all but expected at this point. So people already dealing with anxiety will be overwhelmed by the threat, and helplessness this pandemic has brought on. 

I saw an Instagram post a few days ago that offered simple tips on how to cope with anxiety in this sensitive situation. That prompted me to write the following text in which I gathered a list of helpful pieces of advice given by mental health specialists to deal with stress and anxiety in a more effective way. No two forms of anxiety are alike so to some people, the tips mentioned underneath will not be of much help. However, the purpose of this article above all, is to serve as a reminder that we are not alone. And feeling stressed in these conditions is not only okay but totally normal as well.

Social distancing does not equate social isolation.

This is to say, that just because physical isolation is required, it doesn’t have to mean a total disconnection from your friends and family. This may seem like a logical thing to say, but some people would take social distancing literally. It’s important to reach out and keep in touch with our loved ones, without letting the coronavirus pandemic consume much of the conversation.

Limit News Intake.

Being aware of the spread of the coronavirus and its development is different from obsessing over it. Consuming endless amounts of news about the virus, and constantly seeking new information every second will only heighten your anxiety, rather than make you actively aware of the statistics. Allow yourself time during the day to check the news. Make sure it is from trusted sources like WHO and sante.gov.dz  and not unreliable Facebook posts, but do not overdo it.

Focus on what you can control.

One of the reasons why anxiety levels would be so high right now is helplessness and lack of control. Not knowing the outcome of this virus is enough to cause stress. But whether we like it or not, this pandemic is not within our control. However, there are things we can do in response that are completely doable and up to us. For example washing our hands thoroughly, limiting our outings, and listening to the advice of health professionals. 

Acknowledge your anxiety.

Many professionals suggest writing down your concerns to face them more effectively. Knowing your emotions, and allowing yourself to feel them is a positive step toward managing your stress better — it will help you in determining the intensity of your feelings and how they are affecting you, to decide what’s next. It’s best to put it in mind that this suggestion will not necessarily work for everyone and that’s fine. The point is to find the most effective solution that helps you. 

Argue the opposite.

Instead of worrying about your loved ones catching the disease, or the world collapsing due to coronavirus pandemic, try and remind yourself that there is a chance that things will turn out for the better. The purpose of this is not to suddenly erase your concerns, or willing yourself to blindly trust that everything will end up alright eventually. It’s rather about finding a realistic balance.

This global pandemic is an exceptionally stressful period for everyone. It is undoubtedly even more distressing for people suffering from anxiety. As stated above, because it is necessary to stress the following, these strategies will not work for everybody. We all deal with our anxiety differently and there is no correct way to do it, but hopefully these small tips will guide you toward more effective approaches to handling your mental health better.

Author: Nachoua Nour Nait Ali.

 

 

Passion

Follow Your Passion, Is It Applicable to Everyone?

March 21 2020
careers, passion

   Careers or goals, in general, are either a way to express one’s self or simply a means of survival. As we reach adulthood, we realize that we may not all have a specific talent. A special gift that we were born with and should harness our life for it as we used to believe when we were young. When you were a kid, how many times were you asked ” What do you want to become when you grow up?” countless times for sure.

  Now I believe that there are two types of people when it comes to this topic specifically. The first type of people who see their jobs as a way to get money and fulfill their needs in life. They do not consider other factors like passion or interest. The second type, on the other hand, are those who have the desire to pursue a career path that can give them satisfaction and help them express themselves. They see jobs as a lifestyle and a goal, not just a means for financial security and a stable life.

   If you belong to the latter, I think we can divide it into two secondary categories as well. Category a, and they are those who are born with an innate talent that they may neglect and give up on. Category b are those who do not know what they can offer to the world and what special skills they can acquire. So they may face indecision. With time I figured that I belonged in the second category, which made me do a lot of research about this career choice journey because I needed to understand it well.  

Do You Acknowledge Your Talent?

    We all know someone who is clearly talented or passionate about a hobby. It could be art, writing …etc or passionate about a field like medicine for instance. Through that passion and dedication, you can tell that this person is meant to be a doctor. However, there are also those who have the potential and the desire to pursue this passion but they, unfortunately, let go of their dreams and lower their hopes and aspirations either to cope with social expectations, their unsupportive environment, or simply out of fear.

   The modern schooling system generates an attitude of passivity among students. Many creative students have to kill their creativity and ignore their dreams at a young age. Because for society, these talents are not enough to make a profit from and to depend on for a living.  These fears have been implanted in our minds for so long that we can see their effects. For example, most people adopt a passive attitude towards life and follow the control of the collective norms and outer circumstances. They choose to stay in the supposedly ”safe” path by pursuing a career choice that does not allow them to reach their potential and express themselves. They are prone to regrets later on with time. 

   Based on my observations, these people know what they want deep down, yet they give up on their dreams because of the fear of taking risks. They know that in order to chase what they want, they will have to face challenges that come in many forms. So they choose the safe path instead of following their dreams. Later on, they start regretting their false choices and live in despair. In order to escape that despair, they deny the responsibility of their decisions and claim that it was against their will.  They blame their wrong life choices on external factors like fate or society.

Mastery Is the Key

     This attitude may come from what is called ”The Fear of Greatness.” When someone is overwhelmed by all the steps and efforts that he has to overcome, or afraid that he will not be able to handle its pressure. How can we solve it? by choosing Mastery. Naturally talented people have a strong potential of reaching greatness, but talent alone is not enough for this. It requires years of sustainable practice and efforts in order to attain the desired level. Instead of looking at the whole ladder, focus on the next step in front of you. Divide your major long term goal into small short term goals.

   The path to mastery is usually overlooked because people have this deep-seated conviction that outstanding performers were born with an innate gift that determines their ability without making any effort. It is undeniable that the talent here is necessary, but it is pointless without practice. Just like a seed that has the potential of growth, but is still useless unless it is used and provided with the right care and efforts to turn into something bigger and more fruitful. This belief that talent is everything required to rise to the top is what impedes many talented people from reaching higher levels. So in order to acquire expert performance, constant practice is a must. 

Observe and Step Out of Your Comfort.

   Now the way to know if someone has talent is by observing their interests, especially at a young age. Their talent may appear in the initial stages of their performance when they engage in a craft or any other activity that clearly shows their abilities. This type of people pick up some skills easier and faster than others. What determines if they can nurture their already existing potential, is the time and the deliberate practice.

  However, a lot of people stop at a certain level because it becomes their comfort zone so they do not risk it by trying to learn new things. They should work smarter, not harder. For example, an artist should try new techniques in order to improve even if his work is not satisfying at first. Otherwise, he will be stuck at the same level. Working smarter aims at pushing you beyond your limits to reach a higher level. 

   Discovering talent comes from experimenting in different fields. Though, it usually shows up from a very young age through our interests and observable skills like drawing for example. A very important point is that you should not procrastinate or postpone the process of mastering that skill or interest of yours. A lot of people tend to think that they should not start working on their goals unless they were free from anxiety, depression or any other negative state, which is wrong. Once you proceed, nothing else will matter and your improvement will actually make you feel better.

What if You Do Not Have a Specific Goal?

   Now how about people who do not necessarily have a strong talent? Life is so unpredictable and a few people stick to their childhood dreams.  I used to think that everyone has it all figured out and they all know who they aspire to be. So I have always wondered, what is my special gift? what if I choose the wrong path while I could have chosen a better option? I felt guilty for not having that mind-blowing talent that was a clear sign of my destiny. The pressure was overwhelming because after all, I am responsible for my life. If I take the wrong path out of the countless paths in front of me, there is nobody to blame but my wrong judgments. That idea alone was enough to give me anxiety for months.

   It took me a while to realize that this glorified idea of having one main goal to harness all of my life and energy for does not necessarily apply to everybody. So for the sake of taking that major decision of my life, I had to consider many factors. First, I had to select all the fields that interested me, even slightly. Then I had to see which ones fit my nature more, like introversion or extroversion, practical or theoretical…etc. This step requires a high level of self-awareness and studies about yourself. You will have to dig deeper into your nature. 

   Then I engaged myself in activities that are related to my interests. Because theoretical possibilities can not determine if this field suits me or not, so experimenting is necessary.

   You will have to try and see if it works for you through activities, training and even volunteering. Here you do not have to excel in it, because there is always room for improvement. That is the point, to choose one thing out of what you can and want to do and focus your energy on it. Through experimenting, you can see if this brings you joy or not! Also, think about what makes you reach the ”Flow” state. Flow is when you are completely absorbed in the moment and enjoying what you are doing even if it is tiring. It could be anything you do in your life, for me it was writing. Contemplate it and try to link that to your future goal, ask yourself, what is the thing that you can do for free?

   If you are still stuck between some choices, remember that as long as you took the previous steps, there is no wrong or right option because all the available options are fulfilling at this level. Besides, choosing an option for your career plans does not mean giving up on your other interests! I chose my major, but I am still working and trying to improve my skills in other fields. There is time for everything, just choose your priorities right. Once you settle on any option, embark on the journey to learn, improve and master your field without looking back or any regrets. Make a system or a plan to keep you focused and disciplined. Do not feel pressured to find it early, we all have different timings and paths. Success does not have special criteria as long as you are happy doing what you like.

Do Your Best and You Will Reach Your Goal.

   Now whether you have an inborn talent or not, remember that it is up to you to give that much value to your career or not. As I said before, not everyone is that stressed about finding the right career. It is okay to have other goals in life that are not related to the professional domains. However, if you want to pursue a career that suits you, you can notice how both cases require one main thing which is effort or intense practice. Without them, it would be nearly impossible to upgrade and live your life to the fullest! It is exhausting and not always enjoyable, but it gives meaning and a sense of satisfaction. Because overcoming challenges and improving is rewarding and longer-lasting.  After all, through the process of reaching the desired goal, we shape our characters and destiny.

   If you still have not figured out what you want, it is okay, it is not an easy process at all. Keep searching until you find your thing.

 

  Author: Hibat Errahmane Hadjadj.

 

Read also:

The Five Most Common Learning Styles

 

Learning styles

The Five Most Common Learning Styles

March 20 2020
learning, learning styles

People use different approaches to learn, study, and to remember things.

They may want to learn a new language, study a module, or to remember a piece of information. Each person’s mind understands, fathoms, absorbs, and retains knowledge and ideas differently. There are people who can remember things right after seeing them. Others can remember what was said in a conversation right after listening to it without making any other efforts. There are also people who need to be involved in a conversation or in any other type of practice in order for their minds to remember the topic or the points which were discussed at that moment. These approaches are called learning styles.

What Are Learning Styles?

Learning styles are different methods by which people assimilate information. There are many different learning styles, but 5 common styles are represented in both online and classroom learning. 

1. Visual or Spatial Learners: Learning Styles

where learners learn best from seeing things. The content needs to be visually presented such as illustrated textbooks, diagrams, flipcharts, and videos. They may also prefer to write things down based on the image which keeps crossing their minds. 

2. Auditory or Aural Learners:

Learning stylesit is the totally opposite of visual learners. They are learners who learn things better and acquire information best through discussions and talking.Discussing a topic and listening to others’ conversations help them gain more knowledge about a topic. They can also benefit from using a tape record when reading a passage or a text loudly.

3. Writing and Reading Learners:Learning styles

These learners comprehend and remember information better when they read about it and write it down. This type of learners prefers to read materials and take notes. Their ideal assignments include reading assignments, extensive note-taking, and essays.

kinesthetic learning styles4. Kinesthetic, Interacting, Tactile Learners:

Learning here takes place through moving, doing things, and touching. They learn best through fitting things together, using their hands to make things, and collaborating with others. Hands-on activities are ideal for them because they help them learn best about a topic.

 

5. Solitary or intrapersonal learners:

Slearners who prefer to use self-study and work alone on a project, activity, or assignment. These learners tend to get themselves well. They understand their weaknesses and strengths which helps them to learn individually and independently.

Learners can share more than one learning style. There are learners who can share two learning styles, as well as, there are others who can share four learning styles at once. It is very important for learners to know about their learning styles for this will help them get good grades and improve their learning skills when they are aware of them.

 

References:  

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0346251X1100056X

https://www.howtolearn.com/learning-styles/

Anderson, 2005. N.J. Anderson. L2 learning strategies E. Hinkel (Ed.), Handbook of Research in Second Language Teaching and Learning, Erlbaum, Mahwah, NJ (2005), pp. 757-771

 

Author: Lydia Khelil.

Read also:

Obstacles of Learning a Foreign Language and How to Overcome Them

 

Frankenstein

Book Review: Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

March 18 2020
book review, Frankenstein

 

Brief Summary:

First published in 1818, Frankenstein or, The Modern Prometheus is a novel by renowned English author, Mary Shelley. It tells the story of Victor Frankenstein, a young student passionate about science, who brings to life a body assembled of parts stolen from graveyards. Once the monster becomes alive, Frankenstein is repelled and disgusted by its appearance and abandons it. Since then, a journey of rejection, hatred and revenge starts between both the young scientist and his creation.

The Making of Frankenstein or, The Modern Prometheus:

Mary Shelley came up with the story at the age of 18, while she was reading German ghost stories translated into French from the book Fantasmagoriana with her husband-to-be, Percy Bysshe Shelley and Byron. It was in 1816, otherwise known as the Year Without a Summer because of the climate abnormalities that cause a severe decrease in temperatures. So they could not be out, and had to find ways to distract themselves and keep time moving. As an attempt to find a distraction, Byron proposed that they “each write a ghost story.”

It was a sort of challenge, Lord Byron and Percy Shelley being experienced writers did not find any difficulties in starting a story. Unlike Mary Shelley, who was unable to think of one, she became very anxious: “Have you thought of a story? I was asked each morning, and each morning I was forced to reply with a mortifying negative.” She stated in the introduction. One evening, they started discussing the nature of the principle of life. “Perhaps a corpse would be re-animated”, Mary thought, “galvanism had given a token of such things”. After midnight, she was possessed by her imagination. She was unable to sleep as she beheld the “grim terrors” of her “waking dream”:

“I saw the pale student of unhallowed arts kneeling beside the thing he had put together. I saw the hideous phantasm of a man stretched out, and then, on the working of some powerful engine, show signs of life, and stir with an uneasy, half vital motion. Frightful must it be; for supremely frightful would be the effect of any human endeavor to mock the stupendous mechanism of the Creator of the world”

She then started her story encouraged by her lover until it became what is known as Frankenstein.

Frankenstein

 

Form, Narration and Major Themes

The novel is written in the form of a frame story. It starts with Captain Walton’s letters to his sisters, which contains Victor Frankenstein’s narration. The narration of the Monster is also included. It is set all over continental Europe as most Gothic novels. Mary Shelley fuses the elements of gothic literature and the romantic movement that made her novel a classic of 18th century English literature as well as Gothic literature.

The Theme of Grief:

Mary Shelley explores multiple themes. Major ones are grief, life and death, alienation, rejection and revenge. The theme of grief is displayed by Victor. After the death of his mother, he plunges in grief which isolates him and alienates him from human society with hopes of finding a way to bring back life to a dead corpse. Perhaps he thought he could play God’s role and solve the mystery of life and death in order to bring his mother back to life. With this theme, Shelley illustrates a certain degree of grief, how it affects the human psyche and leads them to commit unimaginable acts whether against nature or against other individuals.

The Theme of Rejection:

Rejection, on the other hand, is displayed by the Monster. It started in the night in which Victor infused the assembled corpse with life. Left it abandoned because of its hideous appearance that he chose himself. In confusion, without any basic knowledge and in search for its creator, the Monster brings fear and horror wherever it goes because of its “hideousness”. The Monster later learned how to read and understand a lot of things because of the books it took from Victor’s laboratory the day it came to life. Also by hiding in a small hut next to a cottage, it observes its inhabitants, and learns how to read thanks to these observations.

Time passes and the Monster gets attached to them and regards them as his “friends”, then it decides to reveal itself to them. The cottage inhabitants get equally terrified and horrified, that they run away directly from their home. Heartbroken and devastated, the Monster swears to chase and take revenge against its creator for he created it and then abandoned it in a cruel world. With this theme, Shelley conveys how cruel humans can get, how superficial they are and how these two affect their subject in the most negative way. 

It is believed that the novel is a reflection of Mary Shelley’s life, the grief that accompanied the death of her mother and her own children and being a woman in the 17th century. The novel also explores numerous other minor themes that are psychological, social and historical to make it an outstanding work of literature that holds a considerable place in English literature that keeps inspiring writers, movie directors and other people for centuries. It would take a lot of time and pages to talk about why this book is essential in fiction, but the best way to discover and relish it is to read it.

 

Author: Imad Moussaoui

Read also:

Should You Read Self-Help Books?

 

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