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The Destruction Of Humanity In Mary Shelley's Frankenstein

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In Frankenstein, Mary Shelley portrays a negative light on humanity from the characters’ insults and malice towards one another. Shelley’s characters lack redeeming qualities shown through society’s abuse of Justine, humanity’s disgust and neglect of the Creature, and Victor’s determination to kill the Creature. Overall, Shelley’s characters display qualities of cruelty, vengeance, and betrayal causing them to deserve none of the reader’s sympathy.
Society’s abuse of Justine Mortiz shows an evil aspect of humanity. It begins when Justine’s mother abuses her following Justine’s father death. As a result of Justine’s abuse, Caroline adopted and welcome Justine into the Frankenstein family. Although, Justine was saved by Caroline’s maternal instinct, …show more content…

When the Creature is first created Victor Frankenstein is disgusted and explains that “breathless horror and disgust filled his heart”(Ch.V; pg 51). The hard work put into this creature did not receive the sense of relief and accomplishment it deserved from Victor as its creator. Instead, without even knowing or learning about the Creature, Victor is filled with hatred demonstrating the malice in humanity. In addition, the Creature presents itself to the cottagers in hopes of acceptance and welcome. However, the cottagers immediately were frightened and struck the Creature. The cottagers did not seem to care about the Creature’s feelings nor its intent, displaying humanity’s malice. Similarly, the Creature dives in the lake to save the girl from drowning. When the Creature comes out of the water with the girl, he is shot and victimized for saving a helpless girl. The Creature says, “I had saved a human being from destruction, and as, a recompense, I now writhed under the miserable pain of a wound, which shattered the flesh and bone” (Ch. XVI; pg 125). Although Shelley includes companionship between some characters, the disgust and maltreatment Shelley’s characters display to the Creature overcomes places society in a negative

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