Both literary works of Frankenstein written by Mary Shelley and “A Rose for Emily” written by William Faulkner demonstrate how acts of passion can lead characters to degeneration, ultimately reflecting the journey of the fall from the establishment to the other. Pride is a passion that is characterized as an overwhelming arrogance that clouds logic, believing that the normal rules of civilization do not apply to oneself. Degeneration is the process of decline or deterioration reflected through aspects of the physical, mental, spiritual, and moral domains. Shelley and Faulkner’s use of passion within the attribute of pride drives characters of Frankenstein and Miss Emily into their degeneration, demonstrating to readers how unchecked pride leads …show more content…
Pride is a passion for the seven deadly sins, which Frankenstein demonstrates by creating the monster. Frankenstein challenges the power of God by believing that the ability to create life is an ability that Frankenstein can also possess, disregarding the hierarchy that God has over humans. Therefore, Frankenstein believes the idea that the rules of civilization do not apply to himself, with the desire to possess forbidden knowledge. Enthralled with the capability of his discoveries, Frankenstein fails to see the atrocity of his actions and views the breaking of a social norm as an epiphany, without truly understanding the negative consequences of his actions. Frankenstein demonstrates his passion for science to an extreme where his arrogance allows him to not see the faults in creating new life. After Frankenstein sees the monster alive for the first time, he falls into a long period of physical degeneration, fainting and becoming sick with hallucinations for two years after this initial creation. This physical degeneration serves to the inner feelings of guilt of what Frankenstein has done, reflected in an illness. Despite the physical deterioration of Frankenstein, he further continues to follow actions of pride rather than logic, which continues to show his fall in the