Letter 2, Page 4 " But I have one want which I have never yet been able to satisfy, and the absence of the object of which I now feel as a most severe evil. I have no friend, Margaret: when I am glowing with the enthusiasm of success, there will be none to participate in my joy; if I am assailed by disappointment, no one will endeavor to sustain me in dejection." This quote relates to my topic because Robert was completely alone on his trip to the North pole. He blamed it on his higher education and how it put him in such a place that no one can relate to him.
Brantly Howerton Mrs. Schroder English 4 12/8/2017 Dichotomies in Frankenstein Dichotomies are two thing that oppose and clash with each other because they are not related and it is shown a lot in Frankenstein. Frankenstein shows these things very well because in the book there is always two opposites or some type of fight. Some of the dichotomies in the book are Victor/ The creature, Natural/ Unnatural, Civilized/ savage, Masculine/ Feminine, and Light/ Dark.
The monster has felt the pain of rejection from human society. He understands what it is like to be hated because of his appearance. This is the start of the monsters downfall, he lets the rage he feels consumes him: “Cursed, cursed, creator! Why did I live?” (138).
In the novel, Frankenstein, by Mary Shelley, the two main characters, Victor Frankenstein and his creature, both display a sense of moral ambiguity. Each character has committed both good and evil alike, and neither knew the consequences of what they had done. However, Victor Frankenstein is generally the morally ambiguous character by his treatment of his creation and his own imperious personality. He wanted to be able to help science by recreating life or bringing it back, but at the same time, he did not want to consider the consequences of doing so. Victor tries to prove himself as a good moral character in the relationship between his creation and himself.
The monster has to deal with solitariness and reclusiveness because he is an outcast and is not welcomed in society. Both of these characters find a sense of healing within nature. Victor states, “These sublime and magnificent scenes afforded me the greatest consolation that I was capable of receiving. They elevated me from all littleness of feeling, and although they did not remove my grief, they subdued and tranquillized it.” (Pg. 92)
“At first I started back, unable to believe that it was indeed I who was reflected in the mirror; and when I became fully convinced that I was in reality the monster that I am, I was filled with the bitterest sensations of despondence and mortification”(Shelley 80). The Creation of Frankenstein woke up in a world of hate. Since he looked different, the Monster never fit in with normal people. He would become isolated and feared because of his looks. Because the Monster was a hideous creation from Frankenstein, he was isolated and hated by his looks and behaved in an ethical manner when he began his path of vengeance.
In Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, both of the main characters undergo physical and emotional isolation. This enforced or chosen solitude causes Frankenstein to become over-ambitious and harbor secrets from his family and friends, leading to his demise. In the monster, isolation turns to misery, which causes him to become vengeful against his creator and all the world. Through these examples of total isolation, Shelley shows that when people have no connection to others in the world, their worst characteristics and flaws are brought out. Victor Frankenstein was the first character to show a major flaw while in isolation.
Moral ambiguity is lack of clarity in ethical decision-making. That is, when an issue, situation, or question has moral dimensions or implications, but the decidedly “moral” action to take are unclear, either due to conflicting principles, ethical systems, or situational perspectives. The desire for companionship is the main theme surrounding Frankenstein. The creature‘s loneliness is led by the abandonment of his creator Victor Frankenstein. Frankenstein was horrified upon the realization of the creature he has brought to life.
“It’s ALIVE”!!!!! Most people know that line from the 1931 movie Frankenstein. However, most people do not know that Mary Shelley’s 1818 book Frankenstein is one of the earliest examples of the proverb “one can not judge a book by its cover.” In the novel, the normal-looking Victor Frankenstein is unfeeling and apathetic, and the Monster is ugly and virtuous. To prove that beauty is on the inside, Shelley parallels Victor and the Monster’s response to adversity and guilt.
Mary Shelly’s novel, “Frankenstein,” was written in an era of romantic literature that includes gothic themes that explore the darker side of human interactions. One of the themes explored is the inhumanity that human beings show to one another. Inhumanity is defined as an, “extremely cruel and brutal behavior” exhibited when two parties find indifference between themselves that lead to atrocious acts that usually involve death, destruction, and discourteous behaviors. Reasons for acting in this way can include seeing the second party as “The Other”, a being seen as not belonging to a group, and as well as seeing the second party as something less than human. Therefore denying the emotions that would normally connect human beings to one another.
Regardless of who we strive to be, or who we dare not to be, those who we respect and look up to will be the ones who leave an impression on our lives. To the Monster’s credit, it continued to pursue a life of good deeds until the people it idolized turn on it. Because of the influence made on it by its parental figures the Monster behaves like an outsider, and as an outsider it gains new role models and is governed by new emotions such as anger and hate. The monster should not be blamed for its malicious nature, rather, the people who taught it hate and the Doctor who created it without a true intent of being its
The unjust treatment that the creature received from humankind was harsh and unreasonable as he wasn’t allowed the opportunity to prove his intentions were far from malicious. His loneliness, isolation and injustice from those he tried to befriend turned him into an actual monster, evidently his perspective and personality changed after being excluded. The monster had been treated unfairly by humanity “I desired love and fellowship and I was spurned. Was there no injustice in this? … Am I to be thought the only criminal when all human kind sinned against me?”
When he attempts to interact with humans and is met with fear, hatred, and violence, the Monster is pushed further into a state of rage and despair. As he reflects, "I am malicious because I am miserable. Am I not shunned and hated by all mankind? You, my creator, would tear me to pieces and triumph; remember that, and tell me why I should pity man more than he pities me?" (Shelley 139).
Although he comes with friendly intentions, the Monster is treated violently and with contempt, essentially being forced into his alienation to survive and becoming the “monster” he is already thought of as a result. The Monster’s actions are a response to the treatment he has received from others, everyday villagers and Victor alike. With little known about his origins and no way to explain himself, there is no hope for the Monster to assimilate himself. This is present in other characters of the novel as well, for example, Richard Walton, who has self-alienated in order to gain distinction and knowledge. The Monsters origins and appearance develop these themes of alienation throughout the novel, themes that are further developed by other characters and play an important role in delivering the message of
In Shelly's novel, I concluded that a monster made out of corpses faces hardships, and his life gets a considerable turn the moment he connects with DeLacey's family and ultimately starts talking just like an average human, which was a bit awkward to me; so in my film, I made him an actual monster by showcasing his ugly figure, making him less expressive and uplifted the theme of reluctancy and isolation that I believe audience feels in the real world when they are neglected or when they have some disability. In Shelly's novel, when Monster tells his story Victor says, "I am alone and miserable; man will not associate with me; but one as deformed and horrible as myself would not deny herself to me "( Shelly 403). The word 'miserable' and 'alone' clearly indicate what Monster is going through in the novel as he is one of his kind on earth and is getting aware of emotions such as love and compassion. Therefore, I added a theme filled with despair and loneliness in my work, emphasizing Monster's otherness and alienation from other human beings that audience can even relate with themselves. Thus, The Monster's difficulty in communicating highlights the divide between him and the rest of humanity, making his struggle for connection and acceptance all the more
