- Once Victor turns 17, his family decide to send him to the University of Ingolstadt, so he can work on becoming a great scientist.
-Before going to University, Elizabeth falls ill with scarlett fever.
- Caroline,Victors mother, who is incredibly worried about Elizabeth's well-being, tends to her bedside over the winter to help her recover. As Elizabeth recovers Caroline contracts the scarlett fever, she eventually ends up on her death bed.
The first 2 chapters of the novel are quite upbeat, however this is the first time we get a glimpse of the impending doom which Victor will have to battle through. These events are foreshadowing Victor's future.
- On Caroline's deathbed, her only wish which would make her happy would be for Victor and Elizabeth to eventually get married.
You could say that through Caroline's wish, Victor may actually have a chance of ending the novel with a 'happily ever after', it could be that this point has already set up and ending for the novel to finish on.
- Because of the death of his mother, Victor is stricken to grieve and cancels his move to Ingolstadt until he feels that the right time has come. Elizabeth also shows that she wants to fill Caroline's shoes by making sure she looks after the family.
- Henry Clerval visits Victor days before he goes to Ingolstadt, he tells Victor he is unable to company him on his move to Ingolstadt as his father will not allow him. Victor reflects on how he might cope as he finds it difficult to enjoy the company of strangers, however the knowledge that he will learn will compensate that.
Because Victor will use the knowledge he will gain from Ingolstadt to replace the thoughts of missing his family and friends back in Geneva is foreshadowing how Victor will become self dependent and work for years just to create the monster using the knowledge he learnt. It also shows Victors commitment to be able to become a great scientist.
- On his arrival to Ingolstadt, the first person Victor meets is Professor Krempe. Krempe tells Victor to scrap the books he is reading as they are 'absurd', he tells Victor to start anew with his knowledge. However Victor also visits Professor Waldman who lectures Victor on how scientist can make 'miracles happen' and they are able to 'mock the invisible world with it's own shadows' . Victor then decides to study 'Natural Philosophy'
Professor Waldman's lecture to Victor about scientists makes them sound god-like, for example she says that 'Scientists can make miracles happen' which sounds incredibly similar to what people believe God can do.
It is also the first time we learn Victor's second name, 'Frankenstein'. The reason why Shelley only just mentioned his second name now is to represent Victor becoming out of touch with the world and become more indulged into his scientific work which will ultimately lead to him creating the monster.
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