1. A Monster in the Mirror: Mary Shelley
During her stay at the Villa Diodati, Mary Shelley dreamed of a "hideous phantasm of a man stretched out... on the working of some powerful engine... ... Shelley's mother, Mary Wollstonecraft, died on August 9, 1797, ten days after her birth due to several birthing complications. ... After the anger resides, Mary Shelley's life is clearly reflected in her fictional creation: "No father watched over my infant days, no mother blessed me with smiles... ... Clerval represents Mary's closest childhood friend and half-sister Fanny, who committed suicide after learning a family secret....
- Word Count: 2436
- Approx Pages: 10
- Grade Level: High School