Self-Actualization In Frankenstein

Many people in the world have goals that they would like to reach; however, in order fulfill these some may have to sacrifice the only thing that is able to comfort and care for them, their family. In Frankenstein, Victor is forced to leave his home and family in order to continue his studies. After leaving his family, he creates The Monster which causes his life to turn upside down. Once he becomes more isolated from his family, he begins to get very mentally and physically ill. Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs is the description of needs that motivate, influence and drive human behavior. These are the steps that humans must achieve in order to reach self-actualization. There are four total needs and levels that must be met before reaching self-actualization,

While Victor goes Ingolstadt, the only thing that is in his mind is his studies. Victor completely becomes immersed in his research and because of his studies “[his] cheek had grown pale with study, and [his] person had become emaciated with confinement” (Shelley 39). He is so focused on his research, he shirks his friends and family. He is living in isolation far away from his family and is unable to maintain and establish these important relationships with them.. Because of his pursuit for knowledge, he is becoming both mentally and physically ill due to his lack of interaction with other people. The word emaciated is used in order to convey that that Victor is very ill due to his isolation from his social and family life. Abraham Maslow also mentions similar ideas in his Hierarchy of Needs. In his hierarchy, he explains how love needs is a stage of the hierarchy that needs to be fulfilled in order for a person to reach self-actualization:“If both the physiological and the safety needs are fairly well gratified, then there will emerge the love and affection and belongingness needs, and the whole cycle already described will repeat itself with this new center. Now the person will feel keenly, as never before, the absence of friends, or a sweetheart, or a wife, or children” (Maslow 4). As Victor’s studies continue, he begins to realize how important it is to keep these relationships he has with his family members. Victor’s isolation and confinement is what led to the decline of his physical and mental well-being. These texts work together to display how Victor’s pursuit for knowledge suppresses his ability to reach his full potential. Victor is unable to maintain his affectionate relationships with his loved ones because of his pursuit for achievement. In addition to Victor being affected by