Frankenstein Friday 

By Kaitlyn Eberle 

Following the spooky theme of Halloween, Frankenstein Friday is an annual holiday meant to celebrate Mary Shelley and her creation of the renowned Frankenstein. Frankenstein Friday occurs on the last Friday of October, meaning in 2022 it will be celebrated on October 28th. While on a six-week holiday at Lake Geneva, Mary Shelley and her housemates were constantly stuck inside their vacation villa due to the gloomy weather. Out of boredom, they decided to have a contest to see who could write the best horror story. This was when Mary Shelley began to draft her novel Frankenstein, which was inspired by a nightmare she had. Mary Shelley originally published her novel Frankenstein in 1818. For the first five years her book was published, Mary Shelley chose to remain an anonymous writer. This was due to the fact female authors were not widely accepted during this time. In 1823, she chose to publish a version of the book under her name. Many people believed she was not the true author of this book and that her husband had written it. Despite this, Mary Shelley remains the true author of Frankenstein and is still celebrated for her writing over 200 years later. In short, Frankenstein tells the story of an intelligent scientist, Victor Frankenstein, who brought life to an artificial man who was made from recycled body parts. The story has been retold in many variations, including multiple movie adaptations. Frankenstein Friday can be celebrated in a multitude of ways, such as reading the original novel Frankenstein or watching a movie adaptation of the book. Other ways to celebrate include baking Frankenstein themed treats, researching the history of Frankenstein, hosting a Frankenstein themed party, or even conducting your own electrical experiment. This holiday can be celebrated in many ways, however it is important to keep in mind that it would not exist without Mary Shelley and her iconic creation of Frankenstein.