What does it really mean to be a monster? And who gets to decide? How far should ambition go before it becomes dangerous? And what happens when creation outpaces responsibility? In this smart, playful discussion, we’ll step into the world of Frankenstein, no pre-reading required. Ben will bring the story to life in dramatic fashion, guiding you through key moments before we dive into a few powerful excerpts together. From there, we’ll unpack the big ideas at the heart of the novel: ambition, responsibility, and the uncomfortable question of whether the real “monster” is the creature… or the creator.

What makes this even more fascinating is the story behind the story. Written by an 18-year-old Mary Shelley, who didn’t even put her name on it at first, Frankenstein is widely considered the very first science fiction novel ever written. And yet, over 200 years later, it still feels eerily relevant: a haunting reflection of human nature, innovation, and the unintended consequences of our own creations. Expect a session that’s rich, thought-provoking, and surprisingly fun, where one of literature’s oldest stories starts to feel uncomfortably close to our modern world.

到底什么才算是“怪物”？这个定义又是谁来决定的？野心应该走到什么程度才会变得危险？当创造的速度超过了承担责任的能力，会发生什么？在这场轻松但有深度的讨论里，我们会一起走进《Frankenstein》的世界，不需要提前阅读。Ben 会用比较有表现力的方式带大家过一遍故事的关键情节，然后我们会一起读几段重要的原文，再慢慢展开讨论。这本书的核心问题其实挺直接：野心与责任之间的关系，以及那个让人有点不安的问题——真正的“怪物”，到底是那个被创造出来的存在，还是创造它的人？

更有意思的是，这个故事本身的背景也很特别。《Frankenstein》是 Mary Shelley 在18岁时写下的作品，而且最初甚至没有署上自己的名字。这本书也常被认为是最早的科幻小说之一。但即使过去了两百多年，它读起来依然很有现实感：像是一面镜子，映出人类的本性、对创新的追求，以及我们在创造过程中可能带来的后果。这会是一场内容很丰富、值得慢慢想一想的讨论，也会让这个经典故事和我们今天的世界产生一种意外的连接。