Papers, papers, papers OR ideas, ideas, ideas

I suppose where the conception of seminar papers are concerned it is better to have many ideas rather than none at all. However, I suffer- more than perhaps any of my freshman comp. students- to cull from the wild herd of ideas teaming about in my head, a lucrative and narrow focus. In attempt at airing out my thoughts, and perhaps either arriving at that focus I yearn fo, or at least encouraging from others among you some advice or guidance I will take out in turn each of the three favorites that presently allure my attention. I will warn you however, none of my ideas are as of yet fully fleshed out. One, indeed, is as skeletal as its subject matter.

To begin: Science and Travel

Idea 1: Captain Walton/Artic Travel/And The Monster At Home
Last semester I attempted a paper on Frankenstein. I say attempted, because that is merely what the paper amounted to; an attempt, that never fully achieved the hopes that inspired it, nor can be characterized by any particularly well formed thesis. It was a paper about Frankenstein, roughly focused on the issue of female authorship (the female author as a monstrosity). To be honest, the idea is (I think) more interesting than the paper itself, which flopped with a resounding (and not a little bit dissapointing) thud. That said, given our discussions in seminar, and my current project with the artic travel narratives of William Parry (circa early-mid 19th century), I am interested in perhaps reapproaching Frankenstein- or more specifically the framing letters from Walton- as travel writing. What might I focus on specifically in such a paper...? Good question. At present, I am struggling to decide what angle I want to take. To be honest, the first thread I thought I might chase is the question of why Shelley so chose to frame the story of Frankenstein within the W's travel writing. I find it interesting that Walton's letters serve to frame Frankenstein's story, but it is only in light of the story they bookend, that we can fully understand their significance, and W. as a character. Is there a paper here? I'm not sure. What else might I say or consider about these letters? About artic travel? About Shelley's attitudes toward to voracious appetite for knowledge that characterized her age? What connection might I draw between W's travel and Frankenstein's single-minded passion for control of nature--- that has not yet been made? Is there a way to expand what we talked about concerning Emerson, the poet-scientist, and Walton's character?---- I'm desperate for a solid focus.

Idea 2: Artic Travel Then and Now/ The nature of exploration in a discovered world
Basically, I'm interested the death of the explorer (and later the traveler) that both Conrad and Fussell declare has taken place, and given way to the age of the tourist- and where does artic travel fit in to this idea. The artic in the 19th century (and I think still today) presented an alluring destination for the would-be explorer, perhaps one of the last mysterious lands, untrafficked by men. Today, with the world seemingly mapped, and little left for the explorer, but psuedo or "re"discovery we see all sorts of interesting trends emerging. One I find interesting, that was brought to my attention by Ben yesterday is this issue of urban discovery- or the phenomena (if you want to call it that) of urban dwellers seeking out danger and adventure in the city, namely through activities like scaling buildings, and exploring rooftops/alleys/etc. But what about the artic? It still remains isolated, and in some ways virginal- if only because it's so frigid and inhospitable, and people (brave or crazy) still trek there in the name of adventure and discovery- or perhaps just for the challenge. In Parry's day the NW Passage presented the an enticing prospect that drew explorers to danger, death, and disaster in the artic, but today- the passage discovered, Africa mapped, the world laid out in detail on google maps- what is the artic? And, what is the artic explorer- is the intrepid traveler to the north just a tourist like those that flock to sun and beach in pseudo-places along in Mexico or other resort hotspots? Are the two really so different? I've got in my possesion a recent travel writing from an expedition to the artic in the 1980's and I suppose I might consider examining it in light of what has been said about the state of the explorer, traveler, and tourist today along side travel writings of the 19th century....could I do that?

Idea 3: Romancing the Skeleton/Exploring, naming, and owning nature and the body
I'd thought to expand my Villette paper from last semester on anorexia and Victorian society/women into a thesis, but lately I've been courting other ideas about how to approach a topic of great personal interest to me. Perhaps there is something to be done concerning travel/science and the body that might appeal to my interests about women, science/medicine and the body....?