Love, or lack thereof, while constituting an interesting argument, poses its own set of obstacles. While one could argue that the love and support Victor received during his formative years contributed to his self-confidence and, to a degree, his level of pride, love—apart from a love of science—is not what compelled him to create the creature, just as lack of love did not truly underlie his decision to abandon it. Almost immediately after bringing the creature to life, attaining god-like status in the process, Victor realizes that he does not want to take responsibility for his creation:
I beheld the wretch—the miserable monster whom I had created. He held up the curtain of the bed; and his eyes, if eyes they may be called, were fixed on me. His jaws opened, and he muttered some inarticulate sounds, while a grin wrinkled his cheeks. He might have spoken, but I did not hear; one hand was stretched out, seemingly to detain me, but I escaped and rushed downstairs. I took refuge in the courtyard belonging to the house which I inhabited, where I remained during the rest of the night, walking up and down in the greatest agitation, listening attentively, catching and fearing each sound as if it were to announce the approach of the demoniacal corpse to which I had so miserably given life (chapter 5).
His unwillingness to assume responsibility, therefore, is what fuels the story. However, one could argue that assuming responsibility could constitute a caring and perhaps even loving action, as it compels an individual to put the needs of another first and foremost.
Look closely at the emotion that underlies the creature’s thoughts and actions. The motivation for wanting a female companion, coupled with the act of killing Frankenstein’s brother as well as his new bride, springs from something other than merely a desire to be loved:
Accursed creator! Why did you form a monster so hideous that even you turned from me in disgust? God, in pity, made man beautiful and alluring, after his own image; but my form is a filthy type of yours, more horrid even from the very resemblance. Satan had his companions, fellow devils, to admire and encourage him, but I am solitary and abhorred (chapter 15).
Having endured so much rejection from others, along with having endured his creator’s absolute avoidance of culpability where his existence is concerned, the monster decides to punish Victor through a series of destructive and vengeful acts. That the creature’s desire to punish could constitute, however misguided, an act of love, might be an interesting point to pursue.
In the third paragraph, perhaps you should examine the relationship between Victor and the monster, both of whom are bound together by a single event: the act of creation. One could discuss to what degree a creator is bound to that which he engenders and how significantly love (or lack thereof) impacts both the process of creation, as well as its results.
To continue your premise, you might also want to examine what relationship, if any, exists between the monster and God. Though mankind shuns, abandons, and even hates it, perhaps the monster is still lovable in the eyes of a higher power.
http://knarf.english.upenn.edu/Articles/mays.html
http://theoryf16.qwriting.qc.cuny.edu/envy-and-projection/
Saturday, March 12, 2016
I have to write an essay on Frankenstein. My thesis is this: Victor Frankenstein’s abundance of friendship and love in his early life leads him to be overly confident (hubris) in his abilities, while the creature’s lack of the same prevents him from benefiting from his greater human potential. The first paragraph I discuss Victor's positive childhood leading him to be extremely confident in his abilities, then making the monster The second paragraph I discuss the creature and how he is very lonley and uses his super-human "powers" for the worse, and not use it to benefit society because he does not have love, etc. prevents him from having greater human potential I do not know what to do for the third paragraph relating back to the thesis. What should I do for this? Perhaps I can do a paragraph after the Victor paragraph and before creature one. For this 3rd paragraph, please give me ideas and a few quotes to back it up and prove my thesis. Thanks.
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