Isolation And Selfishness In Mary Shelley's Frankenstein

Mary Shelley wants to emphasize her position on isolation and selfishness throughout the novel, Frankenstein. She does this by adding one key scene that portrays Victor Frankenstein’s isolation and selfishness, which is the creation scene. In this scene, Victor Frankenstein went off to school after his mother’s death. He left his family to pursue his passion in science. After he discovered the secrets to life an death, Victor wanted to create a new superior species. Miserable and fatigues for many nights and days, gathering body parts, Victor’s masterpiece was finally together. One night, lightening struck, Victor’s creation came to life. Victor panicked and ran into the courtyard. He starts to wander down the streets and runs into Henry Clerval, then illness overwhelms Victor and Henry takes him in.

He forced himself into isolation from his family and friends because he immersed himself into science instead of dealing with his mother’s death. He also felt alone and isolated because he deprived himself of human companionship, which could have drove him into making a new species. This scene stresses selfishness because Victor abandoned his family to achieve fame and glory for himself. His mother’s death took a toll on his whole family except him. He left his family behind to cope and grieve in such a sensitive time. The next selfish action portrayed in the creation scene was when he left his creature all alone. Rather than help the creature develop his senses or understanding of the world, Victor runs off in fear of his own creation. This will lead to many consequences later in the novel. In conclusion, the creation scene signifies Victor’s isolation and selfishness. Mary Shelley’s position on isolation and selfishness is that it will lead to a solitary lifestyle and will bring great consequences later in