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Frankenstein Nature Vs Nurture Essay

937 Words4 Pages

Nature versus nurture is always a discussion when it comes to new life. When children are raised and differ from their parental figures, people often wonder how they come out the way that they do. When siblings come out with varying personalities, there are even more questions about the parenting. Mary Shelley is a woman with personal experience with this discussion; though she was raised without her mother, she shared similar characteristics. Within the book, Frankenstein and Victor are parallel in many ways, making the point of nature versus nurture extremely relevant. When comparing the creator and creation through their thinking traits, their unstable emotions, and their overall development through the story, it is obvious that nature plays …show more content…

Similarly enough, the monster also had very advanced thoughts early in his life. When he encountered Victor, he expressed this to him: ““I made a discovery of a still greater moment. I found that these people possessed a method of communicating their experience and feelings to one another by articulated sounds. I perceived that the words they spoke sometimes produced pleasure or pain, smiles or sadness, in the minds and countenances of the hearers. This was indeed a godlike science, and I ardently desired to become acquainted with it. But I was baffled in every attempt I made for this purpose (Shelley, Chapter 12).” This was one of the first thoughts he had when he began to observe the DeLaceys’. Through this quote, Shelley does not only explain how the monster learned, but also the way he analyzed circumstances, proving his advancement. These are some of the countless examples of Victor and his creations' thoughts reflecting one …show more content…

The first time Victor showcased his possession of this trait was when he built his creation, he went from being a caring family and school oriented guy to isolating himself to focus on the creation of life. Though the creation of life was in the pursuit of knowledge, the obsession he showed throughout the process was unexpected to him. The first time the creature showcased this trait was when the DeLaceys’ rejected him. While their approval meant a lot to him, he swore off humanity and began to have cruel thoughts not so long after he had just learned of a moral compass. This behavior was surprising due to the massive switch. He later corrected himself only to be rejected once more, which resulted in him acting the same. Victor also struggled with emotions and temper. After he built the monster, he was distraught and life produced more misery for him. This resulted in random outbursts of anger, similar to the monsters. While most possess the trait of hefty emotions, Frankenstein and the monster’s reactions always reflect each other. Throughout the story, the two characters develop

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