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Effects Of The Halo Effect On Frankenstein

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This paper examines the effect of the prejudicial and negative treatment of Victor Frankenstein’s creation and how it motivates the creature to retaliate against society and Frankenstein despite desiring to live a peaceful existence. Frankenstein, written by Mary Shelley in 1818, revolves around Victor Frankenstein, a scientist who lives to regret creating the creature, initially believing him to be an evil entity owing to a prejudicial bias. This paper also applies certain psychological theories such as the Halo effect to solidify claims about how the creature was othered and in turn, how that affected the creature and prompted him to retaliate. Negative treatment, here, refers to ostracism and othering that the creature underwent. The definition …show more content…

The Halo effect is a significant one. It is the tendency of people to form positive attitudes toward one aspect of the entity that influences the judgement of the whole of the entity (Greenberg et al. 144). Also known as the “what is beautiful is good” bias, it implies that the attractive appearance of an entity enables people to form positive attitudes regardless of the nature of the entity’s other attributes. Similarly, an unattractive appearance is attributed to negative attitudes towards the entity regardless of the nature of other attributes of the entity. Apart from the the Halo effect, physiognomy, the study of one’s outer appearance and the insight that it provides on their character traits, was a popular trend in the 18th century. Hence, the “evil” countenance and the unattractive physical appearance of the creature was attributed with an “evil” personality by everyone around him. This also explains the reason behind Frankenstein’s averse attitudes towards the creature. This bias also extends to William Frankenstein, the younger sibling of Victor Frankenstein. When the creature approached William with an intention of befriending and training the young lad to be his friend, the creature had assumed that William would be free from the kind of impression that prompts people to attribute physical qualities with personality traits. Much to the creature’s disappointment, William was indeed impressionable by the Halo effect. Additionally, William had also assumed that the creature intended to eat him even though he had not declared any such intentions to him. The visual had failed the creature in integrating into

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This essay will be analyzing the impact of the ‘monstrous’ that Mittman refers to in his essay “The Impact of Monsters and Monster Studies”. This essay will look at the impact of the monstrous in Shelley’s Frankenstein. The monstrous in Frankenstein refers to the creature that was created and brought to life by the main character Victor. The creature had a negative impact on the characters of Frankenstein, in fact the creature made the life of Victor’s family a living hell. This will be further examined later on.

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Frankenstein’s Monster is not categorized as evil by his malicious behavior and is sympathized with due to his creator abandoning him and the role of nature versus nurture taken place II. Monster’s Nature and alienation A. Monster originally had an inquisitive nature yet gentle nature a. Information on the German family was “each interesting and wonderful to one so utterly inexperienced as [he] was” (105) B. With the rejection and alienation from society, the only interactions the monster experiences, he becomes full of hatred a. Rejected by De Lacey family by his looks and labeled a monster b. Tries to save a child but is shot by child’s father C. Reader may feel sympathy towards the Monster’s actions because the readers know that his true nature was not evil and he was misjudged III.

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The Creature’s Unjustified Morals of a Monster Frankenstein’s horror tragedy leaves the reader with a dilemma about Victor’s creature guiltiness and moral responsibility. This dilemma arises due to the irresponsible care from his creator and general hatred received from the human species; contrasted by his unjustified actions towards innocents and commitment of murders as the catharsis from his problems. It is true that this being was inattentively abandoned in the most fundamental stages of its life and that circumstances may have corrupted his initial good benevolence. However, in this essay, I argue that the actions, motives, and values expressed by the unnamed creature in Shelley’s story make him solely responsible and, because of their

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After conversing with William Frankenstein, Victor's younger brother, the creature lashes out in anger and exclaims, “Frankenstein!”(Grimly 113). From this, some may conclude that murdering William makes him a monster; however, the only reason the creature felt the need to murder William is because of how Victor treated him so horribly. If Victor had cared for and tended to his own creation, then the creature would not have hate in its heart and would instead be peaceful. Similarly, following the murder of Elizabeth, Victor falls into a deep state of despair and recalls, “I was answered through the stillness of night by a loud and fiendish laugh”(Grimly 171). The opposing side would argue that the creature cruelly sought out revenge and made Victor’s life miserable, showing his deplorable behavior, making him a monster.

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Trinity Lam Professor Loubser English 1302 30 March 2023 Essay Two Detailed Outline Frankenstein by Mary Shelley tells the narrative of Victor Frankenstein and his creation while emphasizing their many representations of one another. Victor flees the scene when his horrific invention comes to life, which is a fantastic accomplishment that many would have been pleased to create. The Creature is loathed by society despite being extremely clever and capable of benevolence due to his grotesque features. Despite his best efforts, the Creature understands that he will never be accepted by society; even his creator has abandoned him. He then determines that he is exempt from their regulations and is free to act however he pleases.

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The novel Frankenstein brings to light many problems and situations that shed light on the faults of mankind. Cruelty was a huge factor in the novel; throughout Frankenstein is cruel to his body and to his creation. When he first makes the creature he runs from it, leaving the creature to fend for himself; even when reuniting with the creature he continues displays cruelty. The creature, in turn exhibits Victor cruelty right back. Within Frankenstein cruelty can be attributed, often affecting both Victor and the creature; serving as a crucial motivator and revealing their anger, pain, frustration till eventually both die.

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Mary Shelley's Frankenstein is a classic novel that explores the consequences of cruelty, both towards oneself and others. Through the course of the story, the theme of cruelty functions as a crucial motivator and major social and political factor, driving the plot and the development of the characters. This essay will analyze how cruelty functions in the work as a whole, the impact it has on the characters, and what it reveals about the perpetrator/victim relationship. One of the most striking examples of cruelty in the novel is the treatment of the creature by his creator, Victor Frankenstein.

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Society is well-known for pushing those who are outsiders or strange away from society. This is prevalent to the examples in Mary Shelley’s novel, Frankenstein. The monster who was created by Victor Frankenstein who wanted to be the first to create life was appalled by the sights of the his creation. Frankenstein’s monster is judged based on his appearances and is often ostracized by society, just as anyone in modern day society can be shunned or pushed away due to their looks or how they think. The most outstanding example of ostracism that occurred throughout the novel is based on the monster’s physical features and structure.

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The issue of the moral culpability of the Creature for his actions in Mary Shelley's Frankenstein is marked by a complex closure with valid arguments supporting both sides. With the ambiguous nature of the creature's action, his upbringing being created by Victor Frankenstines lust for science, and other avenues, they all serve a purpose in portraying why and how the creature may be morally responsible. Although the nature of his actions can be argued through the Creatures initial benevolence the novelty of his life being faced with hardships, it is evident to state that the Creature had a moral responsibility through his acts with revenge and hatred towards Victor Frankenstein and the diction of his words making him knowledgeable/well aware

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Stereotyping in today’s society exists in many forms and is part of our daily lives no matter who we are. This is true even in literature and Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein expertly shows the effects of stereotyping. In Frankenstein, Victor Frankenstein’s creature experiences rejection due to society judging the creature based on his appearance. This leads to Victor’s creature separating himself from society to distance himself from abuse. This abuse is undeserved as the creature proves himself to be a capable and very intelligent contradicting the stereotypes made against him.

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Frankenstein’s creature initially shows no signs of ill will or malice when first encountering human beings (Shelley 72-73). On the contrary, through careful observation he is able to learn more about human society and personal relationships. He begins to admire the close connection between the people he observes and respects their virtue. This, however, makes him realise what he is missing. Observing the love and affection between others only increases the effect his own solitude has on him.

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Perhaps, if a human such as Frankenstein had accepted the creature, onlookers would have had an easier time welcoming someone with his appearance into their presence. Society’s false perception of what makes someone “normal” is what altered their first impression of The Creature. People had a hard time distinguishing the difference between mind and body, which resulted in The Creature’s undesired abandonment and a gut filled with hatred towards his creator. In contrast, Victor Frankenstein refers to his family in a positive way several times throughout the novel.

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In the novel Frankenstein,by Mary Shelley, the mysterious and unnatural origins of the character of Frankenstein’s monster are an important element. The Monster, having been created unethically and haphazardly, is at odds throughout the novel, resulting in his alienation from society and prolonged feelings of anger, desertion, and loneliness. Shaping his character, his relationships with other characters, and the meaning of the work as a whole, the Monster’s origins are what define him. The Monster faces rejection and violence every time he attempts to make contact with the new, foreign world he has been thrust into.

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Lending itself to hatred and despise between the two over many years. The creature was not born a monster but is made into a monster through his disgusting looks and society's rejection and isolation, leading the creature into madness and an obsession with the Frankenstein family.

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