James Whales Jeffrey Jerome Cohen's Monster Culture

John Gardner’s Grendel and Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein both include characters who are labeled as monsters. Grendel and the Monster share common characteristics such as being ugly, strong, large, and they kill others. They are both insecure about their appearance and how society portrays them. Grendel and the Monster use violence to try and cope with their insecurities. In the literary works Grendel and Frankenstein, both the monster’s physical appearance and their interactions with others cause them to become an outcast from society. This leads to rejection of themselves, low self-esteem, and ultimately they create havoc within their communities.

Many timeless novels have impacts on our everyday culture, not only as a book, but also through music or movies. Many popular novels have multiple adaptations, which shape how we approach their interpretation, in ways we may never even notice. In some films, humans are depicted as monsters, whether through their actions, or through the thoughts of other beings. In these films we find issues with our own society, and in turn see ourselves as monsters, and look for ways we can change, for the better. One particular novel that influences this side of Hollywood is Mary Shelley's “Frankenstein”. The ways Frankenstein influences pop culture can be seen in science fiction films in which humans are depicted as monster, and “monsters” are seen as

In Shelley’s Frankenstein, the monster is portrayed as a grotesque abomination. However, as Hopkins states in Contending Forces, the cultural and geographical situations, or lack thereof, in which one matures in play a crucial role in the proper development of one’s mind and brain. The monster is simply a product of circumstance. The lack of social interactions alongside geographical isolation propelled the daemon to be alienated from society, ultimately resulting in a lack of morals and an underdeveloped psyche. By being a culmination of his surroundings and experiences it is revealed that the true monstrous entities are the factors that leave the daemon predisposed to fail in a modern society. Arguably, Victor created a being, while the circumstances that said being was placed in “created” a monster. Shelley purposefully terrorizes the monster with such intensity to provoke and justify the overarching theme in this novel which states that people should not be judged on their physical appearance.

What differentiates Mary Shelly’s novel, Frankenstein from the majority of horror novels are the very real and timeless themes it explores.  The overriding theme of the novel - scientific investigation without consideration of morality and responsibility is still an important topic in today’s world.  “Perhaps the reality of cloning and genetic engineering makes this theme more relevant today than when Frankenstein was first published”(Patterson). This theme, along with the more subtle themes of revenge, the inability to accept those who are different, and the inability to control one's destiny are all themes which separate Frankenstein from other novels in the genre.

A little girl screams in fear for her parents as she envisions a green, three-eyed monster lurking under her bed, waiting to get her until she finally closes her eyes. A little boy scares fellow trick-or-treaters as he’s dressed as a vampire for Halloween brandishing his pointy teeth with blood dripping out of his mouth. Both of these examples of monsters focus on the physicality of a creature and undermine the weight which the word ‘monster’ actually carries. In Shakespeare’s play, The Tempest, and in Mary Shelley’s novel, Frankenstein, there are characters that perfectly fit the description of a tangible monster. However, monsters are more than their somatic features. Monsters are created within based on circumstances, decisions that are

In this essay I will examine how the monster’s looks and actions reflect the predominant cultural feelings that those who look different are bad, evil or incapable of normal feelings. That somehow because one may look different from the rest of us there must be something emotionally as well as physically wrong with them.

In “Monster Culture”, Steve Cohen develops an idea that “monsters” are essential to society. In fact, they construct what is “normal”, “rational”, and “civilized”. Specifically, “monsters” are foundational to how we view ourselves. “Monsters” contain all the traits deemed unacceptable and odd. It can be concluded that every outlier is a “monster”. In “St. Lucy’s Home for Girls Raised by Wolves”, Karen Russell tells the story of a pack of wolf girls who are transitioning into young ladies. Russell delves into society’s need for conformity, gender roles, and change. The story is told from the point of view of the middle wolf girl, Claudette, and follows her on her journey from wolf to woman. In relation to Steve Cohen’s idea of monster culture, Claudette’s journey applies to Thesis IV “The Monster Dwells at the Gates of Difference” and part of Thesis I “The Monster’s Body is a Cultural Body”. Claudette is torn between two worlds and she has to learn how to successfully “move between the two cultures”. Through Cohen’s theses, Karen Russell uses character development and dialogue to depict the inner and outer battle of societal femininity and individualized femininity and the decision of accepting either side. The presence of “monsters” are essential for this acceptance.

In “Monster Culture”, Jeffery Cohen develops an idea that “monsters” are essential to society. In fact, they construct what is “normal”, “rational”, and “civilized”. Specifically, “monsters” are foundational to how we view ourselves. “Monsters” contain all the traits deemed unacceptable and odd. It can be concluded that every outlier is a “monster”. In St. Lucy’s Home for Girls Raised by Wolves, Karen Russell tells the story of a pack of wolf girls who are transitioning into young ladies. Russell delves into society’s need for conformity, gender roles, and change. The story is told from the point of view of the middle wolf girl, Claudette, and follows her on her journey from wolf to woman. In relation to Jeffery Cohen’s idea of monster culture, Claudette’s journey applies to Thesis IV “The Monster Dwells at the Gates of Difference” and part of Thesis I “The Monster’s Body is a Cultural Body”. Claudette is torn between two worlds and she has to learn how to successfully “move between the two cultures”. Through Cohen’s theses, Karen Russell uses character development and dialogue to depict the inner and outer battle of societal femininity and individualized femininity and the decision of accepting either side. The presence of “monsters” are essential for this acceptance.

The inclination to belong is natural present in all humans. Even though, we understand the struggle, we, as humans still persecute others who are different. All in all, the exclusion is a form of bullying. In her novel Frankenstein, Mary Shelley exemplifies these phenomenas of human behavior, when she shows the maltreatment Frankenstein’s monster is given for his unattractive physical features and how he attempts to communicate with others in order to terminate his isolation.

In today’s society, people have become accustomed to the norms of society. The question is and will continue to be: Will we ever accept or overcome our differences? We spend more time judging anything out of the norm then we do bettering ourselves for a greater tomorrow. Fear should not be a result of these differences, society needs to embrace our forever changing society for the better. The works that are connected with this idea are Frankenstein by Mary Shelly, Beloved by Toni Morrison and Edward Scissorhands by director Tim Burton. Each work has a unique representation of the global theme of our society associating differences with monstrosity moreover, reflecting the theme of appearance vs. reality. In Frankenstein, Victor Frankenstein

Generalizing is a common human mistake. Humans judge others naturally by their looks simply by instinct, without knowing others’ point of view. Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein indirectly displays how people poorly treat outcasts, and can break personal connections with them from a lack of perspective. In order to display the unfairness of living, Shelley portrays humankind as judgemental beings that have trouble accepting differences which leads to the destruction of human relationships.

Though Victor Frankenstein thinks fundamentally in terms of ‘who belongs to whom’, he and the Creature share a strange bond that goes beyond the bounds of mere possession. Frankenstein clearly ignores his mutual obligations and promises, especially towards the Creature, creating a relationship between the two that is composed entirely of power-struggles rather than any form of mutuality. In addition to this, as one who thinks about social organization in terms of sheer power, Frankenstein extends this master-slave relationship to nature itself – in short, he treats nature the same as he treats his unnatural Creation.

Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein examines the very nature of humanity through the juxtaposition of two characters, Victor Frankenstein and the creature. The curious creature has an innocent desire to learn whereas Victor Frankenstein pursues his blasphemed ambition. The creature has a sincere desire to belong in the human world but he is incapable of properly presenting himself whereas Victor Frankenstein isolates himself from humanity to hide his guilt. The sympathetic creature is an innately good being who was turned evil by a rejecting society whereas Victor Frankenstein is full of hatred and revenge. The creature’s actions and qualities weighed against those of his creator in a moral

In Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, the social institution exemplified gives constant reckoning onto the creature that Victor Frankenstein bestows life into. Such a process presents light to the true meaning of the word monster and what worldly beings deem having the title. As the conjured creature manifests its emotions and newfound conscious, the constructive elements that make up this societal institution sling constant hostility and horror shaping its mindset until it becomes what its superiors deem is a monster. Looking at the book from the perspective of the creature, one can argue how the only real monstrosity is the remedial society displayed.

This experience illustrates the fundamentals of alienation because the creature reveals the discrepancy between how he sees himself versus how others see and react to him. The villagers fear Frankenstein’s creation when he is harmless in this situation. He is actively sought out by the rest of society in pursuit of extinguishing his atrocious countenance. The villagers make him out to be the ‘monster’ when they initiated the violence and ostracize him based on their superficial beliefs of malevolence corresponding with appearance. Ultimately posing the idea that society is the true ‘monster’ here. The cottagers walk in on the creature conversing with the blind man and they “behold a detestable monster” (109). The cottagers are quick to attack the creature based on his appearance rather than to step back and calculate who he really is. This demonstrates humans making snap-judgements based on the prejudice that if someone or something looks horrific or malicious then they are as such on the inside which causes them to alienate the