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Year 8

Identifying features of the Gothic genre in the plot of ‘Frankenstein’

I can identify features of the Gothic genre in the plot of 'Frankenstein' in 'Frankenstein'.

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Year 8

Identifying features of the Gothic genre in the plot of ‘Frankenstein’

I can identify features of the Gothic genre in the plot of 'Frankenstein' in 'Frankenstein'.

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Gothic literature is literature that evokes feelings of mystery, fear and terror.
  2. The horrifying events narrated in Gothic texts are often metaphors for characters' psychological struggles.
  3. Gothic atmospheres are often tense, created by a fear of the unknown.
  4. The supernatural is also an important element of Gothic literature.
  5. Frankenstein tells the story of a scientist who pushes knowledge to its limit by creating a creature out of human parts.

Keywords

  • Gothic literature - literature that evokes feelings of mystery, fear and terror

  • Convention - a recognised way of doing things - a standard expectation of something

  • Supernatural - something that cannot be explained by the laws of science or nature

  • Unsettled - unnerved or uneasy - anxious

  • Isolated - alone - removed from others

Common misconception

Students think that Frankenstein is the name of the creature.

Frankenstein is the name of the scientist who created the hideous creature that students are often familiar with.


To help you plan your year 8 english lesson on: Identifying features of the Gothic genre in the plot of ‘Frankenstein’, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

Before reading the plot summary of Frankenstein, you could show the novel's cover and get students to label any Gothic conventions they can identify from the cover. They can then compare this with their table after completing task B.
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Teacher tip
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Content guidance

  • Depiction or discussion of sensitive content
  • Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering
supervision-level

Supervision

Adult supervision recommended

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Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

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Starter quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
If decorating a Christmas tree is a 'convention' of Christmas, what might a 'convention' be?
an idea that many people adopt
Correct answer: a typical way of doing things
a perfect example of something
a standard of accepted behaviour
Q2.
Which of the following would you not expect to find in a frightening text?
vampires
monsters
Correct answer: genies
werewolves
witches
Q3.
The marked the shift away from using manpower to farm and manufacture goods, and the turn towards using machinery to resource and create products instead.
Correct Answer: Industrial Revolution
Q4.
What did the Enlightenment period place emphasis on?
Correct answer: reason and rationale
humour and goodwill
peace and tranquility
wealth and prosperity
Correct answer: knowledge and truth
Q5.
Which weather would create the most tense and frightening atmosphere?
bright sunshine
crisp, cold snow
Correct answer: thunder and flashing lightning
a light, warm breeze
Q6.
Which of the following settings would create the most tense and frightening atmosphere?
a quaint little cottage
rolling hills and vast lakes
a busy high street with lots of shops
Correct answer: a ruined and abandoned castle
a packed bus on its daily commute

Exit quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
What is Gothic literature?
any story regardless of genre that is horrifying
Correct answer: a genre of literature that evokes feelings of terror or mystery
a story with an unresolved ending
a story that was written by a writer who was a convicted criminal
Q2.
Who wrote the Gothic novel 'Frankenstein'?
Bram Stoker
Correct answer: Mary Shelley
Enid Blyton
Mary Wollstonecraft
Percy Shelley
Q3.
Which of the following is not a Gothic convention?
Correct answer: set in the future
dark, remote settings
multiple narrators
isolated protagonist
extreme violence
Q4.
Who is the character of Frankenstein in the novel 'Frankenstein'?
the hideous creature created by the protagonist
Correct answer: the scientist who pursues knowledge to its limit
the friend of the protagonist, who is murdered
the protagonist's younger brother, who is killed in the woods
the protagonist's saviour, who recounts his story in a series of letters
Q5.
Why does the creature in the novel 'Frankenstein' kill Victor's friend Henry?
because he hates Henry and thinks he is selfish
to warn Victor Frankenstein not to come anywhere near him
because he is angry with Henry for deserting him
Correct answer: to get revenge on Frankenstein for destroying his mate
Q6.
Why is the line between good and evil blurred in 'Frankenstein'?
Both the creature and Frankenstein bring joy to the world, but also pain.
Correct answer: Both the creature and Frankenstein commit acts of atrocity that they regret.
The creature is the alter-ego of Frankenstein, so they are hard to separate.
Neither the creature and Frankenstein understand morality, so can't be blamed.
Victor Frankenstein represents good and the creature represents evil