The Humanity Behind That Which is Monstrous In many classic horror films and novels, there is a clear and defined difference between what is human and what is monstrous. The tropes and stereotypes that depict the typical monster is welcomed by the reader, because the predictability is comforting. These stories only become truly horrifying when the monsters exhibit some humanity. In Frankenstein, Mary Shelley focuses on the humanity behind the things we find monstrous by pushing the boundary between man and monster. Shelley uses the human necessity of emotional connection to define humanity and blur the lines between monster and creator. Despite his starkly inhumane appearance, the monster’s need to understand the family he observes shows …show more content…
It isn’t until the monster is faced with humanity’s cruelty that he begins his path of vengeance. His rejection from society makes him feel alone and angry. He first takes his anger out on himself. On page 104, he explains: “When I become fully convinced that I was in reality the monster that I am, I was filled with the bitterest sensations of despondence and mortification.” After this point, the monster loses his ties to his humanity, and begins to only refer to himself as a monster. His hatred of himself forces him to lose his childlike innocence, and accept the role of the monster. Devoid of human connection and feeling like an outcast from society, the monster’s outrage is redirected toward his “cursed creator” ask why he did “not extinguish the spark of existence which [Victor] had so wantonly bestowed?” (121) This is where the monster’s hatred of humanity forms, and it is the reason he begins murderous rampage. Once the monster is left without any ties to the humanity that he so desperately wanted a connection to, he decides to make Frankenstein feel as lonely as he feels. While Shelley doesn’t paint the monster as an innocent victim, the monster’s reasoning for his actions allow the reader to sympathize with his underlying misery, which leads the reader to question how the novel would have turned out if the monster was shown even an ounce of