Frankenstein

Frankenstein

 

            Frankenstein by Mary Shelley is an iconic novel. Although there are some details which are lost from the original novel to the more commonly known Frankenstein. In today’s world when someone refers to Frankenstein they mean the actual monster, who actually remains unnamed but was Frankenstein’s creation. Beyond the misconception of the names I found the novel carried an important message which seems lost in the current media.

            Frankenstein begins with letters from a Robert Walton, who has set sail to the North, to his sister back home in London. Walton and his crew are locked in the ice and feel they are doomed when they see a creature dogsledding across the ice a great distance away, not long after they also discover a man adrift on an ice flow, this man is Frankenstein who relays the incredible story of the monster he created.

            This novel touches on many important lessons but the one I feel most beneficial in today’s world is how the monster became true to his title. By all accounts this monster was very kind hearted, despite being abandoned by his creator upon first sight, and forced to live hiding from society, a lonely, desperate time. The monster had the ability to feel empathy and became close to the family living in exile near him, he assisted with chores at night while the family slept, never knowing who or what was bringing in their firewood. The monster finally makes contact, first to the blind old man, hoping to gain his confidence without fear of prejudice due to his looks, which works quite well, the man is sympathetic to the monsters situation but upon discovering the truth through his children’s eyes he and his family flee abandoning their midnight saviour. After many attempts to become accepted and consistently pushed away, and feared, the monster turned into the monster who murdered family members, and friends of Frankenstein in attempts to gain a companion and understanding.

            This novel is a great depiction on society’s ability to create the monster they see in someone who may have otherwise had no ill will to another living being; but is pushed to their limits and ultimately left with no choice but to become the monster society believes them to be.