Whos More Human In Mary Shelley's Frankenstein

When presented with the idea of whos more human in “Frankenstein” by Mary Shelley, the answer seems simple, Frankenstein himself. But once reading the book and analyzing his character traits, this statement quickly is proven false. This is due to the fact of his lack of traits, that make us an individual. I believe that the qualities of a human consist of our emotions, our human instincts, and our anatomy. All of which, the monster possesses. Throughout the novel, the creature never failed to show compassion for others. Weather it was chopping wood and shoveling snow for the DeLaceys, “When I returned, as often as it was necessary, I cleared their path from the snow and performed those offices that I had seen done by Felix”(Shelley 80),

He even did so without having to be taught. When Frankenstein abandoned him, he was able to find a shelter for himself, “But I enchanted by the appearance of the hut: here the snow and rain could not penetrate; the ground was dry; and it presented to me then as exquisite and derine a retreat…”(Shelley 73), even while lacking the knowledge to do so. Not only did he have the ability to do this, but he also could find food for himself, “...I found some of the offals that the travellers had left had been roasted, and tasted much more savoury than the berries I gathered from the trees”(Shelley 72). In addition, he had the capability of discovering things in which he needed, “One day, when I was oppressed by cold, I found a fire which had been left by some wandering beggars… in my joy I thrust my hand into the live embers, but quickly drew it out again with a cry of pain”(Shelley 72). This need for fire came naturally to him, due to the cold. These human instinct were not present in Frankenstein. He constantly ignored that gut feeling, even when he knew it was not right. He knew that it was wrong of him to desert the monster and let him roam, but he did so anyways in sake of his