Trauma In Frankenstein

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley is a science fiction novel about the life of Victor Frankenstein as he tells his story to a man named Walton. His story begins with his early childhood life and the misfortunes of his life after he reanimates a stitched corpse and trouble ensues. The story is told through the frame of Walton writing letters back to his sister in England. Ellen Moers publishes her review of Frankenstein in The New York Times Review of Books, she claims that one of the problems within the novel comes from Victor providing “deficient infant care” (Moers 5). Frankenstein’s inability to provide sufficient care to his creation is true, but his inability to provide does not come from being a male. Once Frankenstein brings his creation

This is told through Victor relaying the story to Walton. The creature reveals that life has not been easy, even though he has made substantial progress in his intellectual development. Nature and what he observes has become his teacher. Shelley is making an interesting theory about children raised by nature rather than society, especially given the creature’s infantile mind. Through the course of this section of the book , Shelley also reveals the effect of trauma that is inflicted upon a young mind. After several rejections by others, the creature stumbles upon William, Victor’s younger brother and grabs him. The creature says, “... ‘I do not intend to hurt you…’” (Shelley 154). The creature only kills William after discovering that William is from the Frankenstein family (Shelley 154). This scene shows the reader that the creature, despite being then somewhat educated, still holds onto the emotional turmoil Victor Frankenstein left him with. It can be argued that being abandoned at such a vulnerable state of mind left the creature traumatized. Studies have proven that traumatized children can also grow up to experience difficulties, including becoming violent offenders. The aggressive actions and murders committed by the creature are directly-linked back to Frankenstein. The child, in this case the creature, is revolting and lashing out at his parent, which is