Digital Humanities Account

        After being asked to reflect on the English 250 class taught by Professor Burket at the University of Oregon, A few things come to mind. I think about the book Frankenstein, generative AI, filing systems, and the blog that I curated for the entirety of the course. I also think about my “college experience” relative to this English class and my initial thoughts during week one. Number one, this was my first college level English class- the first college lecture that I ever walked into. Number two, a large component of the class is creating a functional website, which I had very limited experience in and, after reading the syllabus I was feeling daunted. And number three, This is the class that my Literature-Loving grandma will ask me about at every family gathering, as she has for the last 12 years of my English education. 

        Upon successful completion of the Digital Humanities course, I  feel satisfied with the content I’ve learned and I plan to apply my knowledge to my upcoming career applications. This course has made me reflect on what may be the most profound technological advancement in Human history: AI. The complexity of our current breakthrough in the AI field is a vast and mostly unexplored topic, raising questions of ethics and intelligent life.  Professor Burkert offered insightful observations and drew connections between human sentience and AI “life”. We were taught the parallels between Victor Frankenstein, a mad scientist, and AI engineers. The scientist creating a creature with consciousness, and AI researchers essentially recreating human intelligence to serve mankind. Burkert also provided helpful instruction into the analytics of building a polished website. After finishing the course I will be more than happy to discuss my most recent English class with my Grandma over the holidays. I will tell her that Mary Shelley captured the fundamental question of AI Ethics, in the year 1818 in her novel Frankenstein. After that, I’ll have to rush home to work on my school of nursing application, and publish my own website documenting my progress and impressive portfolio. 

Digital Competency

        Over the last 10 weeks, we have been reinforcing ideas of digital competency by creating and posting on a personal blog. The class was introduced to Bryn Mawr’s Digital Competencies concept early in the course. Bryn Mawr’s digital competencies framework is a collection of digital skills, organized into 5 main areas of focus. Each category describes digital technologies college students can access and finish with a professional website. Among those categories the two that were especially emphasized through lab notebook requirements were Digital Communication and Data Analysis and Presentation.  

 

        Although I was a proud blog-owner in 6th grade (my own opinion pieces posted on a website called, Laurel’s Daily Chronicle), I was unfamiliar with the mechanics. The first few requirements were organizational, such as ending the URL with the correct “slug” and creating relevant headers to break up sections of text. The following requirements aimed to make the blog more accessible, such as embedding alt text for an image for accessibility purposes. By the end of the course I had an organized and visually appealing blog that stored my work. Each image posted on this website is correctly sourced and embedded with text, some of the illustrations I have created digitally and imported. I did not know what to expect when signing up for a digital humanities English course, but upon completion I am satisfied with my choice. When applying to medical schools in the following years, I will be happy to upload my educational accomplishments to an online portfolio. The portfolio will be neatly organized, containing a polished home page with links to titled resumes and letters. 

Collective Work Effort 

        Overall, the collective workload of this class aligns with the University of Oregon’s credit hour and student workload policies. We were given appropriate time to read the content of Frankenstein and other in-class readings. However, I found that if I were behind one chapter, the following reading assignment seemed to come quickly. My advice to incoming English 250 students is to take time to read the novel according to the due date, so as to avoid easily falling behind. The Lab notebooks were relevant to the course, however there were times that the prompt could not draw enough inspiration from me. For example, the first lab notebook was about computer filing systems, which at that point we had only read one article about file organization. However, After meeting with our discussion leader and my peer group I was able to expand on the topic. In general, I did not feel as if the class homework was overwhelming or interfering with my university experience. 

        It’s easy to succeed in Burkert’s class, especially with reinforcements from the Course’s General Educators. The required lab portion of the course was a helpful way to enforce ideas we had read about by collaborating with other students taking the class and instruction from highly educated GE’s. Through these weekly discussions I was able to meet some peers that I could draw inspiration and ideas from, as well as friendly acquaintances with a common goal in mind. 

 

           The story of  Frankenstein is a beautiful narrative about ambition and tragedy, written by Mary Shelley and published January 1st, 1818. Frankenstein tells the story of a young scientist who creates a sentient creature from a string of intense scientific revolutions. The creature, rejected by society, grapples with his own existence and purpose while seeking revenge against his creator, Victor Frankenstein. The characters in the story endure vivid emotions as the catastrophe of  unrestrained ambition unfolds. The tale explores themes of relentless pursuit, the consequences of playing God, and the nature of humanity. I found myself transformed by Shelley’s writing, the artistically curated sentences and powerful words, constantly reminding me that she was a young girl when she fabricated the horror story. By digitally analyzing two editions – the 1831 second edition, animated with a new introduction, and the very original, handwritten and revised in Shelley’s own handwriting- we gain perspective into the life of the very gifted Mary Shelley. 

Frankenstein’s Origin – Accentuated by HathiTrust

           Thirteen years after Frankenstein’s release, Mary Shelley released a second edition of the story, this one revised, corrected, and illustrated with a new introduction. Digital scans of the 1831 edition have been made available by HathiTrust, a digital library founded on the principle of collaboration and curiosity. Shelley starts the 1831 edition with a new introduction, requested by the Publishers of the Standard Novels, answering society’s most frequently asked question –

“How I, then a young girl, came to think of, and to dilate upon, so very hideous an idea?” (Shelley, Introduction IV) 

          She begins to answer the question by relating back to her childhood. Being the daughter of two literary celebrities, Mary  expressed a natural passion for writing at a young age. Her residence on the Northern  coast of  the Tay is where Shelley did most of her writing. 

“It was beneath the trees of the grounds belonging to our house, or on the bleak sides of the woodless mountains near, that my true compositions, the airy flights of my imagination, were born and fostered.”  (Shelley, Introduction IV) 

 

 

                  It was the summer of 1816 in which Mary and her husband, Percy Shelley, became neighbors with the prominent writer Lord Byron. It was a wet and rainy summer which often contained the writers inside the cabin, with volumes of German ghost stories to keep them occupied. Lord Byron proposed the idea of writing their own ghost stories, and after days of, as modern day would describe, “writer’s block”, the idea of a ghastly, reanimated creature came to Shelley as she was drifting to sleep. Even Mary herself was horrified of the creature she had procured in her imagination

“ ‘I have found it!’ What terrified me will terrify others; and I need only describe the specter which haunted my midnight pillow.” (Introduction IV)

               I used the platform Hathitrust to view the introduction. Hathitrust is a collaborative digital library that was founded in 2008 as a medium to preserve the published record for durable, long-term, and lawful access. The 1831 edition is a two hundred and twenty four page scan that users can seamlessly scroll through. The website has also conveniently sorted each chapter with a hyperlink to the scanned pages. Since the platform is scanned book pages, It feels almost as if  you are reading the book, with the nostalgia of the sort of damp-looking yellow pages that I can smell through the screen. However, using the digital scans proved that there was no embedded text, when trying to select quotes to insert, the computer does not recognize the page as a text, but rather an image. This website would also be considered inaccessible for those who experience any visual impairments, seeing as though a screen reader would not be adaptable to the website. 

                 The added introduction gives readers like myself a new perspective. We learn aspects of Shelley’s personality and even the circumstances in which Frankenstein was written. While reading the introduction, I thought about Mary Shelley, only 17 years old, crafting the works of Frankenstein in a rainy cabin, over 200 years ago. 

The Very Original 

                 The second platform I chose to analyze was Mary’s very own notebook, the story of Frankenstein in the creator’s handwriting. Digital scans of her notebook pages have been made available by The Shelley-Godwin Article. The scans show frantic writing, almost scribble-looking, that I can only imagine possible written at a high speed. This little detail highlights the brilliance of Mary Shelley, the ability to quickly formulate literate and beautiful sentences to form such a profound plot. While reading, I can see an even clearer image of Mary, writing in ink and quill while the rain pours outside and her heartbeat pounds with terror. 

                The digital scans of her pages also shed light on her original ideas, or essentially, what made the cut and what did not. We see whole paragraphs crossed out and little details changed. For example,  In chapter 2 we see that the age that Victor experienced a thunderstorm over Belrive was changed from twelve to fourteen. The attention to detail by Shelley is impressive, how does the age of Victor affect our reading experience? 

               The readers can also appreciate the accessibility of the archive. On the left hand side of the site we see the actual pages, with handwriting, redactions, and annotations. On the left side we get a text version of what each page displays, which is convenient for people like me who could not read Shelley’s script. This also gives readers the option to use screen readers and the copy and paste tool on their computers. 

Conclusion 

               By comparing two different editions of the same novel, Frankenstein, we can further analyze each decision made by the author, and how each idea is carefully articulated to convey a message. We can get a glimpse of the artistic process Shelley experienced, as well as original feedback from other notable authors. In the 1831 edition, Shelley writes a new introduction, this one about herself and the events that led up to Frankenstein’s creation. We get personal insight, for example, when Shelley mentions that even herself was scared of the creature, a figment of her imagination so vivid that the thinker gets scared. 

 

Relentless Pursuit

The word “endeavored” is a prominent and multifaceted word that Mary Shelley frequents in her book, Frankenstein. Shelley’s intentional repetition of the word masterfully mirrors the never-ending struggles, both scientifically and socially between the protagonist and antagonist. This invites the reader to contemplate the implications of unwavering ambition and the pursuit of one’s goals. How far is too far? What are the potential repercussions of unwavering ambition? Further exploration into the meaning of the word using The Oxford Dictionary and Voyant reveals Mary Shelley’s attempt at capturing a fundamental principle of  life: The relentless pursuit. 

Exploring the Word in Frankenstein

Mary Shelley chooses the word or similar variations of  “endeavored”  a total of fifty seven times throughout the story.  There are two instances in which the word’s use is most notable to the narrative, the first instance is during Victor’s reflection into his fervent pursuit of scientific knowledge and the creation of life: 

“How can I describe my emotions at this catastrophe, or how delineate the wretch whom with such infinite pains and care I had endeavoured to form? … I had worked hard for nearly two years, for the sole purpose of infusing life into an inanimate body. For this I had deprived myself of rest and health. I had desired it with an ardour that far exceeded moderation.” (Volume 1, chapter 4) 

This passage highlights Victor’s long and strenuous dedication to his scientific research, emphasizing his ambitious attempts to recreate human life over the course of two years. The first step to his process required hours of tireless research and experiments. Victor extensively studies natural sciences, including chemistry and biology to start to uncover the principles of life. He toils for a significant period of time, isolating himself and dedicating all his efforts to this singular pursuit. Immediately after the awakening of his creature, Victor is horrified by his grotesque appearance and feels an intense sense of guilt and remorse as the ramifications of what he’s done begins to set in. 

The second crucial usage of the word “endeavoured” occurs in the monster’s lament about his failed integration into society: 

“What chiefly struck me was the gentle manners of these people; and I longed to join them, but dared not. I remembered too well the treatment I had suffered the night before from the barbarous villagers, and resolved, whatever course of conduct I might hereafter think it right to pursue, that for the present I would remain quietly in my hovel, watching, and endeavouring to discover the motives which influenced their actions.” 

Here, the creature uses the word to express his adamant desire to assimilate and integrate into human society, despite his perpetual rejection and isolation. During the time he observed the De Lacey family, the creature finds solace in the close bonds they share. He watches the family go about their daily lives and gets a glimpse of love and a family structure. He learns the complexities of human interaction, emotions, and language by silently watching the family. He also feels an overwhelming sense of deprivation and isolation. He desperately desires another companion to share the simple joys and compassions of life with. He then faces a brutal rejection after his eventual interaction with the De Laceys, leading to further isolation and despair for the creature. 

Insights from the Oxford English Dictionary

The Oxford English Dictionary defines the word “endeavor” as: To make an attempt, to make an effort, to strive, or to exert oneself to do or achieve something. This definition is applicable to the early 19th century as well. In the context of Frankenstein, the term aligns with the characters’ persistent efforts, attempts, and earnest endeavors towards particular goals or ambitions. It reflects their continuous and dedicated exertion towards objectives, whether it be the advancement of scientific knowledge or the desire to fit into society.

 

Recognizing Patterns using Voyant

After feeding Voyant the complete works of Frankenstein, we can further analyze the distribution and frequency of the word. 

 

The word is predominantly associated with pivotal events in the novel where characters strive for a significant goal. It highlights the parallel struggles of both Victor and his creation. Victor’s fervent endeavors in scientific creation mirror the creature’s attempts to be accepted into society. Both characters grapple with a pursuit that ultimately leads to further demise: Isolation and suffering. Mary Shelley uses the word “endeavoured” to accentuate the human condition – the perpetual quest for fulfillment. Humans strive for acceptance and purpose, creating the relentless pursuit and the devastating yearning for approval. 

 

The File Abyss

When I was fifteen I got a laptop for Christmas. It was a sleek, light gray Apple Macbook, capable of downloading up to two hundred and fifty Gigabytes of new possibilities. No longer bound to the family computer remaining stationed in the living room, I was eager to start my very own digital life. I could download Minecraft, a popular building game, without the creeping potential of my brother setting fire to my house. I even made an account on Facebook. Thus began my online presence and what I call “The File Abyss.”

For years my computer has faithfully stored years of content. When I open a new document, I know that my computer is automatically adding it to the abyss of files, somewhere within the hard drive. As a student in college, I find the process of uploading my work to educational platforms fairly simple – I only press about 4 buttons to transfer documents between devices, and my computer organizes most of my files for me. Being a younger generation in the digital world has been almost relaxing, given that we’ve grown up with advanced and intelligent technology. But at a certain point do we need to ask, should I know more about my computer?

I recently read an article titled “File not Found”, by Monica Chin. The author sees a clear divide in generations and their abilities to manage files, specifically for younger students in STEM majors. College professors have found that they need to start teaching fundamentals of file management, along with the content of the class. Monica believes the problem stems from the fact that younger generations have grown up during the prevalence of smartphones and technology. She blames the little robots in our computer for doing the work for us. Our mental thought process sees digital storage as more of a “bucket”, then a complex organization system. After reading the article, I couldn’t help but feel as though my generation was being slandered for growing up with intuitive devices, but I also can see the author’s approach to the importance of knowing where your computer stores information.

One of the features that I find extremely convenient on my Macbook, is a built-in app called “Finder”. According to Apple, Finder serves as the user interface for navigating and organizing files and folders within the laptop. Finder lives on the bottom left side of my homepage, he is blue and white and has a friendly smile. Something about his square head and pointy nose makes him appear helpful, like a digital butler ready to organize files. Finder has been a reliable companion for a few years now, automatically storing my extensive collection of media into categories that I do not bother myself with learning. When I open the app, the first category of files has been named Recents. Among this folder I can find a collection of documents that I have recently opened; Notes, a chapter from a book, as well as, a multitude of files that are not “recent” at all. Scrolling through my “not-so-recent” recents, I find a presentation titled “la sociedad ideal” from a spanish class I took in highschool. I also find a screenshot of stingrays swimming through the ocean, a return label for something I bought, and subsequently returned, back in 2019, and about 100 more accounts of random files, photos, screenshots, pdfs, and documents. A sort of file “bucket”, just like Monica Chin had written about.

Feeling a burst of motivation, I focus on the task at hand; Sort through my recents. I notice a set of color tags along the side of my screen. I start to label each color after a class I am currently taking. Then I start the mundane process of dragging documents into each appropriate folder, and a little colored dot appears next to the file. The process has suddenly become satisfying. When I open my “Recents” category, instead of seeing an influx of files in disarray, I see files with little colors next to them, and I know where they belong. After the task is complete, I think back to Monica Chin’s article. Is it necessary for students to learn file management before taking STEM classes? After much deliberation, my answer is No. Computers are constantly evolving, and as time goes on each generation will be equipped with more knowledge on how to use the technology. If there is already a little robot successfully storing and retrieving my files, why should I bother myself with learning how he does his job?