Responsibility, morality, and scientific ambition were on trial in Emma Baughman’s AP Literature class, where students staged a courtroom-style debate to determine whether Victor Frankenstein should be held accountable for the creature’s violent acts in Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein.
After reading the 1818 edition of the novel, students divided into two teams: one arguing that Victor was morally and ethically responsible for the creature’s actions, and the other defending his innocence. With structured roles, formal time limits, and an emphasis on avoiding logical fallacies, the debate challenged students to think like lawyers, philosophers, and literary scholars all at once.
Each team built its case using close textual analysis, outside research, and real-world ethical parallels. Students took on roles ranging from lead speaker to cross-examiners and rebuttal specialists, with every team member contributing to the strategy. The format mirrored college-level academic discourse, encouraging students to engage deeply with the novel’s central questions about agency, consequence, and human responsibility.
The result was a lively, high-level debate that sparked meaningful reflection. “The students really seemed to enjoy themselves,” said Baughman. “They took the assignment seriously and had a great time doing it, but more importantly, they wrestled with complex ideas and defended their reasoning with evidence and clarity, important skills as our students prepare for college-level inquiry and principled leadership.”