What do zombies, vampires, mummies, and Frankenstein’s Monster all have in common? They are all dead, but somehow alive. Their horrific features paired with the unnatural ability to be alive after death is something humans cannot comprehend, let alone understand that these creatures may or may not possess human qualities. In Mary Shelley’s 1818 novel, “Frankenstein,” we are introduced to Victor Frankenstein, who after a series of unfortunate events, created a fully sentient creature, that ended up rejecting and abandoning him. The creature’s appearance and his lack of socialization are what may have prevented everyone from seeing his humanity. There are various aspects that make us human, but what are the primary qualities?
Qualities that make us human are rather subjective; some might say our ability to
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The creature was never taught social and societal norms, language, or morality because he was abandoned immediately after his animation. Frankenstein essentially leaves him to wander on his own and learn the world by himself, not knowing what is socially accepted or not. The creature recounts to Victor about the time he had found food in a shepherd’s hut: “…I perceived a small hut, on a rising ground, which had doubtless been built for the convenience of some shepherd. This was a new sight to me; and I examined the structure with great curiosity. Finding the door open, I entered,” (Shelley 39). This is a great example of the creature not knowing any societal norms; not only did he trespass someone’s property, but he also stole food from them. If a small child did this action, the adults would excuse and/or tolerate the children and their behaviors and try to re-educate them. Because this was an eight-foot-tall creature with yellow skin, the people were less kind and tolerable to him, as people would automatically assume that he has lived their life and already know of the