Examples Of Ostracism In Frankenstein

855 Words4 Pages
“Pain can be alleviated by morphine but the pain of social ostracism cannot be taken away.” (Jarman). Derek Jarman had a very good point when he said this. We all feel pain at some point in our lives and that pain is often altered by pain medication or other remedies but the pain of being pushed away from society otherwise known as Ostracism, that is pain that cannot be taken away. Ostracism is a problem that has been around forever and is still an unsolved problem today. 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. This is prevalent due to the fact that the moment the monster is created, Victor calls it a catastrophe and is horrified by what he has created. He explained, “The beauty of the dream vanished, and breathless horror and disgust filled my heart” (Shelley 51). When Victor uses words such as “dream vanished”, “breathless horror” and “disgust” he is showing his emotions for the