To err is human, so the saying goes. And that’s the truth. We make mistakes daily. Some of our mistakes are annoyances at most, while others are life-altering tragedies. Whatever they are, we struggle to make amends and come to grips with our foibles and failures bruise our egos or cause lasting harm to others.
Mistakes and regret are central to Mary Shelley’s classic Frankenstein, which is inspiring our fall Persuasion‘s series, What We Make of Ourselves. In this episode, Erin Straza and Hannah Anderson discuss the fifth reading (Volume III: Chapters 1–4) and Victor’s ongoing struggle with his decisions and the resulting fallout thereof. His inner turmoil is on display for us, giving a snapshot of his tortured mind and soul. Can you relate to Victor’s anguish for mistakes you’ve made in life? When faced with the fallout of our choices, do we isolate or shift the blame? Do we try to escape or deny what we’ve done? Do we promise to do better next time? Listen in for dialogue on questions like these as we take a look at what we make of ourselves. Then continue the conversation on Twitter @PersuasionCAPC or in the CAPC members-only community on Facebook.
If you’d like to read along for this series, check the reading schedule posted below. We recommend B&H Publishing’s Frankenstein: A Guide to Reading and Reflecting (Karen Swallow Prior, Mary Shelley). Whether you read along or not, listen in for conversation weaving the themes of identity, formation, creation, and community.
This episode of Persuasion is sponsored in part by B&H Publishing Group, publisher of Frankenstein: A Guide to Reading and Reflecting (Karen Swallow Prior, Mary Shelley). B&H Publishing seeks to provide intentional, biblical content that positively impacts the hearts and minds of people, cultivating lifelong relationships with Jesus Christ. Learn more at bhpublishinggroup.com.
Frankenstein Reading Schedule
Conversations for our fall series will center on Mary Shelley’s original 1818 edition of Frankenstein. We will be reading from the recent release from B&H Publishing, Frankenstein: A Guide for Reading and Reflecting, edited by Karen Swallow Prior. Here’s the reading schedule (page numbers match the B&H edition) if you want to read along with us:
- 9/28 EP 223 Reading 1: Volume I, Preface–Chapter 3 (pp. 27–78)
- 10/5 EP 224 Reading 2: Volume I, Chapters 4–7 (pp. 78–121)
- 10/12 EP 225 Reading 3: Volume II, Chapters 1–4 (pp. 129–162)
- 10/19 EP 226 Reading 4: Volume II, Chapters 5–9 (pp. 162–206)
- 10/26 EP 227 Reading 5: Volume III, Chapters 1–4 (pp. 211–256)
- 11/2 EP 228 Reading 6: Volume III, Chapters 5–7 (pp. 256–306)
Your Hosts
Erin Straza: Web / Twitter
Hannah Anderson: Web / Twitter
Persuasion 227 Resources & Links
Frankenstein: A Guide to Reading and Reflecting, Karen Swallow Prior, Mary Shelley
Did you enjoy this episode of Persuasion? Give the entire series a listen!
Persuasion 221 | Imposter Syndrome (but with books)
Persuasion 222 | What We Make of Ourselves: A Read-Along Series
Persuasion 223 | What We Make of Our Time
Persuasion 224 | What We Make of Our Suffering
Persuasion 225 | What We Make of Others
Persuasion 226 | What We Make of Our Stories
Theme music by Maiden Name. Produced by Jonathan Clauson.
Sponsorship Details
If you are interested in sponsoring an episode of Persuasion, please email us for available packages and rates.
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