Rickie Wu Ms. Wood Honors ELA - 4th Period 20 January 2023 Unnaturally Born Human The bonding of humanity does not occur without a concrete foundation of empathy, the relating to or understanding of another human individual. Within Gris Grimly’s graphic novel adaptation of Frankenstein, the conundrum of drawing the line between being human or not imposed humanity to define one’s worthiness by whether (or not) one can contribute empathy to society. Narrator Victor Frankenstein’s expression of hatred towards his creation, who endures neglect and alienation from the moment it was conferred life, was apparent when he chose to not burden himself with the responsibility for the creature he bestowed life and impulsively fled. The creature is viewed …show more content…
Humanity gains its supreme exuberance from its sublime evolution of language, feelings, and community within itself; man shares paradigm characteristics such as a natural desire for a companion and to fit in to connect with coexisting people. After coming across works of literature and Victor’s journal, the creature narrates, “Increase of knowledge only discovered to me more clearly what a wretched outcast I was. I cherished hope…but it vanished, when I beheld my person reflected in water, or my shadow in the moon-shine. I endeavored to crush these fears” (Grimly 103). When describing one to be (or not to be) part of a certain species, it should be able to communicate between its species. His new ability to communicate and connect, from his involvement in literature, moreover classifies him as human because the co-existing beings he is more able to understand and connect with are humans themselves. This illustrates how communication and language between humanity and the creature are similar. This, it demonstrates the creature’s worthiness of being a human individual by elaborating on the evolution of his language and his ability to reflect upon himself when exposed to the nature of knowledge which humans experienced as well. Therefore, the commonality of communication not only supports the creature as human because of his similar language developments to connect to humanity but also supports the creature’s human-like intellect elaborated in the latter half. After the death of Victor, the creature visits his creator and the creature explains to Walton how his “‘heart was fashioned to be susceptible of love and sympathy; and, when wrenched by misery to vice and hatred, it did not endure the violence of the change without torture…filled me with an insatiable thirst for vengeance’” (190). This demonstrates how the creature is indeed human by illustrating his similar nature and