Introduction: Is the monster in Mary Shelley's Frankenstein truly "a monster?" When one thinks of the monster in Frankenstein, a image of a green, ugly distorted monster staggering across the dark castle stairs. That’s how the monster is portrayed in pop culture. His name, though unknown is Mary Shelley’s book, is known as Frankenstein, assumedly originating from his creator Victor Frankenstein. Victor Frankenstein successfully creates a human being out of corpses after two years of research and then leaves the creature, frightened by its gruesome appearance. The green, ugly deformed monster might stumble and talk slowly in cartoons and movies, however, in Frankenstein the monster can be described no less than civilized.
*A. Thesis: What is a human? Is the monster human?
Point One- The monster is widely known as barbaric and violent but he can not be summarized as being evil or uncivilized.
A. What makes the monster evil anyways?
his appearance
-gross appearance
-stitches, black lips, empty looking eyes
his origin
- made out of corpses
his actions
killing William, Justine, Father, etc... Evidence from outer- book's subtitle: A Modern Prometheus. In Greek mythology, Prometheus took the power to make fire from the gods- a power only they possessed previously. Here, Frankenstein has taken the power to give life, a power held previously only by gods or God- and given it. Therefore, Victor in his psychotic thinking reasons that since the creature isn't from God, it must be from evil. Of course, the killings done by the creature reinforce his thinking.
(Adamand Eve, promethus descendents are not human as well)
d. the monster is called evil so many times throughout the novel. (23 times)
B. Sub point- The monster was originally a human being, just that he was made out of corpses. He didn't ask Victor to make him nor did he knew what was happening when he first opened his eyes. Left all alone in the darkness and isolation, the monster was left to die. However, the monster survived and civilized himself by learning how to speak, walk, and communicate with others. He’s actually the victim and the innocent one
*1. Evidence 1- the cottage in the forest. Communicating with the blind man.
Evidence 2- trying to find a mate and leave, he did offer a deal to Victor but he refused
Evidence 3- uses violence to revenge. wrong but he has a reason.
communication many people would define people as this however,
philosophy, decarte, niche, psychology definitions about human.
I think therefore I am.
augustine, - religious philosophers.
serial killer- are they human?
do you becoming a monster if you kill? how about soldiers at war?? does it count for revenge?
child soldiers in africa?? are they monsters? What defines monsters? we have to forgive.
is it the society that creates monsters? just like the monster?
**use monster in the beginning but use victor's creation as the paper develops.
bc I emotionally pity him, i automatically pity him but let's explore more on this.
C. He had all of the human features of a normal being; emotions and the ability to think. He was mortal, with flesh and blood. He was weak and imperfect; vulnerable and susceptible just like any other human beings. He felt the same anger, vengeance, and loneliness that William feels.
1. Evidence from BOOK: A frightful selfishness hurried me
7024: on, while my heart was poisoned with remorse. Think you that the
7025: groans of Clerval were music to my ears? My heart was fashioned to be
7026: susceptible of love and sympathy, and when wrenched by misery to vice
7027: and hatred, it did not endure the violence of the change without
7028: torture such as you cannot even imagine.
The monster felt regret after his burst of anger.
He’s not evil from the beginning.
how people perceive him made him feel so lonely and feel disgusted of himself
cottage
william
tried to talk to victor on the hill
He volunteers to destroy himself at the end.
he knows that he goes again the nature. he wants no more.
BOOK: But it was not so; thou didst seek my extinction, that I
7136: might not cause greater wretchedness; and if yet, in some mode unknown
7137: to me, thou hadst not ceased to think and feel, thou wouldst not desire
7138: against me a vengeance greater than that which I feel. Blasted as thou
7139: wert, my agony was still superior to thine, for the bitter sting of
7140: remorse will not cease to rankle in my wounds until death shall close
7141: them forever.
D. Analysis
the monster in the book wasn’t only Frankenstein. Actually I wonder if he is actually a monster. There were multiple monsters in the book that I assume Mary Shelley portrayed to show our human greed and desires. Victor was a monster of greed and glory, equally evil as the monster in creating a vulnerable being and abandoning his creation.
By portraying the monster as a monster just because of his ou ter appearance and powers, emphasize how the real monsters were people that feared the monster and hurt the monster for no reason. Characters in the book were filled with greed, want for glory, and etc... that are eviler than monster’s naive consciousness in the beginning.
Conclusion: So is the monster in the novel Frankenstein truly a monster? Is he truly evil? Or is it just the appearance that makes people think the monster is evil? Victor calls the monster a evil being who destroyed everything around him but isn’t he on the same level as the monster since he gave the equal loneliness and pain to the monster? Victor committed the same murder as the monster; he killed the monster as soon as he brought life to it. A life filled with so much pain, misery, and loneliness is same as death to the monster. So who is truly evil?
*A. Thesis: What is a human? Is the monster human?
Point One- The monster is widely known as barbaric and violent but he can not be summarized as being evil or uncivilized.
A. What makes the monster evil anyways?
his appearance
-gross appearance
-stitches, black lips, empty looking eyes
his origin
- made out of corpses
his actions
killing William, Justine, Father, etc...
Evidence from outer- book's subtitle: A Modern Prometheus. In Greek mythology, Prometheus took the power to make fire from the gods- a power only they possessed previously. Here, Frankenstein has taken the power to give life, a power held previously only by gods or God- and given it. Therefore, Victor in his psychotic thinking reasons that since the creature isn't from God, it must be from evil. Of course, the killings done by the creature reinforce his thinking.
(Adamand Eve, promethus descendents are not human as well)
d. the monster is called evil so many times throughout the novel. (23 times)
B. Sub point- The monster was originally a human being, just that he was made out of corpses. He didn't ask Victor to make him nor did he knew what was happening when he first opened his eyes. Left all alone in the darkness and isolation, the monster was left to die. However, the monster survived and civilized himself by learning how to speak, walk, and communicate with others. He’s actually the victim and the innocent one
*1. Evidence 1- the cottage in the forest. Communicating with the blind man.
Evidence 2- trying to find a mate and leave, he did offer a deal to Victor but he refused
Evidence 3- uses violence to revenge. wrong but he has a reason.
communication many people would define people as this however,
- philosophy, decarte, niche, psychology definitions about human.
I think therefore I am.augustine, - religious philosophers.
serial killer- are they human?
do you becoming a monster if you kill? how about soldiers at war?? does it count for revenge?
child soldiers in africa?? are they monsters? What defines monsters? we have to forgive.
is it the society that creates monsters? just like the monster?
**use monster in the beginning but use victor's creation as the paper develops.
bc I emotionally pity him, i automatically pity him but let's explore more on this.
C. He had all of the human features of a normal being; emotions and the ability to think. He was mortal, with flesh and blood. He was weak and imperfect; vulnerable and susceptible just like any other human beings. He felt the same anger, vengeance, and loneliness that William feels.
1. Evidence from BOOK: A frightful selfishness hurried me
7024: on, while my heart was poisoned with remorse. Think you that the
7025: groans of Clerval were music to my ears? My heart was fashioned to be
7026: susceptible of love and sympathy, and when wrenched by misery to vice
7027: and hatred, it did not endure the violence of the change without
7028: torture such as you cannot even imagine.
The monster felt regret after his burst of anger.
He’s not evil from the beginning.
how people perceive him made him feel so lonely and feel disgusted of himself
cottage
william
tried to talk to victor on the hill
He volunteers to destroy himself at the end.
he knows that he goes again the nature. he wants no more.
BOOK: But it was not so; thou didst seek my extinction, that I
7136: might not cause greater wretchedness; and if yet, in some mode unknown
7137: to me, thou hadst not ceased to think and feel, thou wouldst not desire
7138: against me a vengeance greater than that which I feel. Blasted as thou
7139: wert, my agony was still superior to thine, for the bitter sting of
7140: remorse will not cease to rankle in my wounds until death shall close
7141: them forever.
D. Analysis
the monster in the book wasn’t only Frankenstein. Actually I wonder if he is actually a monster. There were multiple monsters in the book that I assume Mary Shelley portrayed to show our human greed and desires. Victor was a monster of greed and glory, equally evil as the monster in creating a vulnerable being and abandoning his creation.
By portraying the monster as a monster just because of his ou ter appearance and powers, emphasize how the real monsters were people that feared the monster and hurt the monster for no reason. Characters in the book were filled with greed, want for glory, and etc... that are eviler than monster’s naive consciousness in the beginning.
Conclusion: So is the monster in the novel Frankenstein truly a monster? Is he truly evil? Or is it just the appearance that makes people think the monster is evil? Victor calls the monster a evil being who destroyed everything around him but isn’t he on the same level as the monster since he gave the equal loneliness and pain to the monster? Victor committed the same murder as the monster; he killed the monster as soon as he brought life to it. A life filled with so much pain, misery, and loneliness is same as death to the monster. So who is truly evil?