Alexandra Groen ENGL-1001-003 Dr. Steve Asselin April 15th, 2024 What Makes a Human. Both of these stories may have different endings, but what binds them together is their profound exploration of humanity’s essence and what truly defines humans. By examining the theme of humanity in such depth, both pieces offer unique perspectives that force readers to question what actually makes a human a human. Mary Shelley's Frankenstein depicts Victor Frankenstein's attempt to create the perfect human through unconventional means, leading to the creation of a monster. This creature is deemed unhuman due to its abnormal composure and the patchwork of various body parts. As the creature slowly becomes a killer, it highlights its lack of humanity. The novel is an excellent example of the question of what makes a …show more content…
Roderick and the creature both portray the unhuman in their ways. Despite their differences, Roderick and Victor Frankenstien's creatures share a commonality in their depiction of the unhuman. In Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, the creature is seen as a monster from the moment it takes its first breath. Victor, relieved to have finally given life to his creation, is horrified and disgusted by the result, "But now that I had finished, the beauty of the dream vanished, and breathless horror and disgust filled my heart" (Mary Shelley 99-100). It is no surprise that Victor reacted this way. After all his hard work, he created a villain instead of a friend. He created the opposite of what a human should be. Victor unintentionally created an unhuman creature. Although the monster did not appear to be that different from a normal human, something was unsettling about "his yellow skin scarcely covered the work of muscles and arteries beneath" and the "horrified constrain with his watery eyes" (Shelley 83). However, it was not just the creature's appearance that led Victor to believe it was unhuman, but also its