Hi Jennifer- I enjoyed reviewing your CPB and all of the work you put into it. I loved how much contextual evidence you provide in your entries including all of the paintings/maps/pictures that show what life was life for the authors of these novels. Making the connections between historical events and events in the book helps us understand how these stories were created and their importance to our culture. Looking at the artwork/imagery, it is easy to see how it mirrored life for civilians during Vicotrian times as it is often dark, sad looking imagery. But just as life influenced these books, they also have greatly influenced our lives. Monsters such as the ones we have read about are very prevalent in many aspects of our lives from movies to halloween costumes. I was wondering what you think the largest impact Victorian monsters may have had on our present day lives?

Hi Brittany- Reviewing your CPB, I came across some excellent quotes that summarize the important aspects of each novel whether it was for character, setting, or story development. I found it interesting that many of the quotes you chose seem as if they could have come from any of the novels we’ve read. This would make sense as the settings for these stories play an important role in contributing to our overall view of the monster. With these important quotes we can pick out some of the main commonalities within each book. Examples include dark/misty locations, grotesque institutional rights, suppression of women’s rights,  science vs. religion…etc. All of these subjects are still feared today, which makes me understand why these novels are just as popular today as they were when they were first published. While during Victorian times they may have focused on only the monster being monstrous, today we also look at our previous ways of life, once considered normal, to be included in our description of monstrous. Did the Victorians understand just how horrible their way of life was regarding education/equal rights/living in general? I wonder how the focus of these novels has changed over the years as our ways of living have changed.