Frankenstein

CHAPTER 4: Frankenstein Goes to University

It took three long days of traveling to get to Ingolstadt. The beauty of the town around the school was lost to me because I was so tired. i spent much of that first week in my room getting ready for my classes.

Monday came and I took my letter of introduction around to the teachers. My new science teacher greeted me coldly. His name was Professor Krempe. With his glasses sitting on the end of his nose, he asked what I had already studied. I told him about all the reading I had done when I was younger. I also told him how I learned everything I could about the natural world and then started to teach myself mathematics. When he learned which scientist I had been reading, he started to yell!

"Nonsense!" he shouted. "All nonsense!" He dipped a pen into ink and wrote quickly for a moment.

"Start here," he told me. "Commit these books to memory. You must start over as of today."

I took the piece of paper he held out to me. He looked at me firmly and continued, "I will teach you natural science starting next Monday. Every other day you will be with Professor Waldman. He will teach you chemistry. That is all."

"Thack you, professor," I said quietly. "I will do my best to get caught up before then."

Professor Krempe nodded, and I left his office. It upset me that I was so far behind.

I started classes the next week. Professor Waldman was an older man. His brown hair had started to turn gray by his ears. Although he wasn't very tall, he certainly had a big, booming voice.

Our first lesson began with the history of the chemistry. The professor explained how much science had changed over the years: "Great progress is being made. With the help of microscopes, modern scientist are seeing a world we barely even knew existed before today."

His voice carried through the classroom: "These scientists have discovered how and why bloods run through the body. They know what makes up the air we breathe. They can grab thuder from heaven. They can make the Earth shake. The possibilities of science today are as endless as the minds that pursue them."

He paused for a moment and then continued, "You young students are the next group of great thinkers."

My mind raced. 'Yes,' I thought to myself, 'Yes! Yes! I, Victor Frankenstein, will find the truth behind the world's greatest mysteries!' Those thoughts set my fate. My dreams flowed like a great riverr. Nothing could stop me. I became Professor Waldman's beat student. I never missed a singel class and listened to his every word.

One day I decided to visit him at home. I wanted extra reading. The professor was happy to see me. He seemed very different at home.

"How can I help you, Victor?" he asked quietly. We sat in his living room, drank coffee, and talked about chemistry for a long time.

I explained, "I need to learn everything I can about chemistry, sir. Do you have extra readings or experiments I can do?"

"Young mna, I am glad to hear how eager you are to learn! But science isn't just chemistry. To be a really good scientist, you need to know about all different kinds of science, incliding math."

I replied, "Yes, sir. I'm willing to learn anything and anything I need to know to be a great scientist!"

Professor Waldman was then kind enough to show me his laboratory. The machines were amazing! He showed me his equipment, and told me how to build my own laboratory. Toward the end of our visit, he gave me the list of books I was looking for. What a wonderful day it was! It had such an effect on me - it decided my destiny.