Frankenstein (5B11)

Date: 30/01/2026

January book sharing (5B11)

Good morning, Principal, teachers, and fellow students. I am Wong Chi Wan Chloe from Class 5B. Today, I am delighted to share one of my all-time favourite novels, Frankenstein, with all of you. Before I begin, let us pause for a moment and imagine a world where death no longer exists. What would life look like? Would you embrace the promise of immortality, or would you discover that endless life comes with its own challenges and sorrows?

Frankenstein is one of the most famous and influential Gothic novels in history, written by Mary Shelley. I believe most of you are familiar with it. The novel tells the story of Victor Frankenstein, a scientist who is determined to explore the possibility of bringing the dead back to life. Unfortunately, he succeeds in creating a creature by assembling different body parts from corpses, but the result turns into a horrifying tragedy.

Rather than spoiling the entire story, I would like to share a question I would ask if I had the chance to speak to one of the characters. I would choose to talk to Victor Frankenstein and ask him whether he would continue researching the possibility of creating life if he were given the advanced resources of the modern world.

At the beginning, Victor shows strong determination and ambition to prove his theory correct. However, everything collapses when he creates a monster he never intended to bring into existence. So, if more resources were available to him, would he dare to test his theory again? This dilemma represents a conflict between humanity and technology. Would he learn from his past mistakes, or would he be consumed by ambition and greed, ignoring moral responsibility once more?

After all the tragedies that occur, I believe — or perhaps I hope — that he would refuse such an offer. Even if he agreed to create new life again, I would try to persuade him not to do so. Humanity should learn to accept life’s impermanence, recognise death as a natural part of existence, and find peace in living in the present. Why should we bring death back to life? Is it not terrifying to imagine the potential consequences?

Eternity, immortality, and living forever are desires shared by many. Imagine being free from pain and disease, and having more time with your loved ones — would you choose such a life? Undeniably, Victor’s discovery would be considered a groundbreaking scientific achievement, earning admiration and respect from many. The idea of reviving the dead may seem ideal and even noble, as it could potentially help millions of people struggling to survive.

However, I believe that in reality, such a technology would only benefit the wealthy and powerful. Since resources are limited, this treatment would not be accessible to everyone. As a result, social inequality would worsen, and the original purpose of this invention would be lost.

Even if we ignore the issue of inequality, would the resurrected individuals still possess the same personality and memories as before? How could Victor ensure that they would remember their past identities? Their families and friends might no longer treat them the same way if they had changed into completely different individuals.

Furthermore, this technology could easily be abused. If people became immortal, they might act without fear of consequences, allowing cruelty and ruthlessness to thrive unchecked.

Lastly, perhaps the most important question is this: if life had no limits, would people still cherish it? Let us take our secondary school life as an example. If we were forced to study here forever, we would no longer treasure our experiences. It is precisely because our time here is limited that each day feels meaningful. The same principle applies to life itself. If people are no longer afraid of losing their lives, they may fail to appreciate each moment and the people around them. Therefore, I sincerely hope that Victor would change his mind if given a second chance.

In conclusion, Frankenstein is a mysterious and thought-provoking novel that challenges readers to reflect on science, morality, and humanity. If you are a lover of science fiction, this book is undoubtedly worth reading. Thank you.