FOUND POEM

FRANKENSTEIN

Introduction

One of the ways to understand the tone or mood of a piece of literature is to use words from the literature to create an original poem. To create a Found Poem, readers select and combine memorable words and phrases from a text to create or "find" a poem. The reader also attains a stronger sense of the value of words in creating a mood in a story. For this poem, you will be using the section of the novel when Frankenstein assembles his creation and then deserts it.

Objectives

By completing this assignment, you will:

* recognize the importance of tone and mood in Frankenstein;

* combine words used in the novel Frankenstein to synthesize them into your own poem;

* demonstrate through your poem your viewpoint of the issue of creating life through biotechnology.

Procedure

To create a Found Poem:

* Look at the sample of a Found Poem for Chapter four.

* Look through Chapters Five and Six of the novel.

* Decide what focus you want for the poem: mood, development of character, theme?

* Select words and phrases that relate to your focus and write them down on a piece of paper.

* Combine the words and phrases you have written into poetic form (lines and stanzas).

* Reduce these lines, if necessary, to create a more concise and focused poem.

* You cannot add words to your poem that are not in the original book, but you may remove words and change the original context of the words to create your poem.

* You may repeat key words and phrases for emphasis.

* You may add illustrations for your poem.

EXAMPLE OF A FOUND POEM

FROM CHAPTER FOUR OF FRANKENSTEIN

BOLD QUESTION

Whence did the principle of life proceed?

Alone

In one pursuit -

The pursuit of knowledge

I found continual food for discovery and wonder,

Alone

Labor and fatigue

My soul occupation

The energy of my purpose alone sustained me.

When did the principle of life proceed?

Lifeless matter

Profane fingers

Food for the worms

Corruption of the body

From the midst of darkness, a sudden light broke in upon me.

Secret knowledge

The summit of my desires

Supreme delight

Alone

A slow fever

Nervous

Shunned

Guilty

I AM NOT

A MADMAN.