Frankenstein diary entry

This piece is based on the part in Frankenstein where the recently created monster cones across the DeLacey family who he wants to befriend. Mr DeLacey is blind and has two children, Felix and Agatha. Felix helped a Turkish man who was imprisoned to escape and as a result the authorities took the family’s home and wealth. When the monster meets them, they are living a meagre existence in a humble cottage.

Felix’s diary

Dear Diary,

I woke up to a dark night sky. I went downstairs to a lovely meal and then soon headed off.

As I headed off outside my first chore today was to chop down some firewood. After that I then went to check if the bait that I had set out last night had caught anything. In excitement I discover I had caught a rabbit which will make a lovely stew.

Frantically, I ran back home and showed my sister the rabbit that I caught. My sister was washing up after breakfast.

To get me thorough the day I always look forward to my dad playing his favourite melody on his violin. I then help my dad get up and go to his bedroom to rest which puts a big smile on his face. That smile is one of the things I always look forward to seeing in my day.

Although there are things that make me happy in my day I can never forget the luxurious life that I used to live. After putting my dad to sleep I sit in my room and think how easy life was before I lost all my money. I can hear my sister crying and I know she’s upset too.

For lunch the only vegetable that we could eat at the time was carrots so my sister had to make carrot and rabbit stew. Winter time is tough. When spring comes around I can eat as much as I want. Sometimes when there’s no drinking water I have to drink milk but even milk is sometimes hard to get in winter because we’ve only got one cow. When there’s not enough food for everybody we feed Dad instead of eating any ourselves.

In the past our food used to go missing but luckily the thief stopped. I wonder what happened to the robber? Maybe he has gone away into the woods? I looked for him but never saw him. I wonder who he was?

Just before I bed I notice my axe is missing but didn’t think anything of it and thought I just misplaced it.

…

The next day my sister gasps in surprise and I rush downstairs to see what all the noise is about. To my surprise I find a pile of firewood at our doorstep that will last us for weeks. I quickly gather it up in excitement knowing that I won’t have to work as much for a long time. I still thought to myself who would chop all of this wood and leave it by our doorstep.

I then get all my stuff and work on repairing the cottage. Today I’m hoping that my sister will cook something more tasty.

Tomorrow I’m hoping there will be more wood at my doorstep. Is someone from where I used to live helping me out?

…

The monster:

I hope the humans are happy with what I’ve done. I slowly peep out from the bushes and think to myself, “I hope they want to be my friends.”