Kade Gilbert Mrs. Shelley Wisener ENGL 2321: Frankenstein Analysis Essay 2 October 2017 Mary Shelley’s Journal The human brain while complex, initiating every impulse that controls the body, can be simplified. Simple things such as memories, beliefs, or passions can define the decisions that a person makes. The impulses of humanity may cloud a person’s logic, while each person’s logic, in turn, may affect the impulses of humanity. Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein is overflowing with emotionally based decisions. Her text can be further observed when looking through a psychoanalytic lense with a hint of New Criticism, and searching for the root of emotion in outside texts such as the book of Genesis and “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner” (Brackett …show more content…
A story of creation, ruthless murdering, and revenge originate a literary work that seems as though it should be analyzed independently (Brackett 1). While one might relate the monster’s instincts directly to evil, the acts and concept of the monster should be analyzed separately. Nevertheless, the id principles displayed through the monster characterize the instinctive force that separates the monster from humaneness. In addition, Victor Frankenstein portrays the balance of decisions and priorities to represent the ego. Similar to the average person, “[Victor’s] behavior [was] modified by demands of the world and [functioned] with reason and logic, although he often [felt] out of control and unable to meet his responsibilities” (Brackett 61). The autonomous plot puts Victor in situations that are unique and uncommon, but he persists to symbolize the average person dealing with conflict, balancing stress, and fighting to meet expectations. Despite his struggle between good and bad choices, Victor remains the steadfast neutral ego throughout the novel. In one step closer to morality, the superego aspect of Frankenstein is predominantly seen through children or supporting characters. For instance, when the monster shared his observance of the family in the cabin, superego qualities were illustrated. The mood was not gothic, but peaceful, loving, and joyful for the few times superego views prevailed. Knowing that the mood was meant to be
Mary Shelley’s, Frankenstein, symbolized a person’s necessity for acceptance by society. Society labels everything as good or bad, right or wrong, rich or poor. Although some of these labels may be correct, many are misconceptions. The monster, needed to be accepted by society, but instead was scorned, attacked, and shunned because of his outward appearance. The treatment of the monster was on the assumption that he was actually a monster. The only justification of this treatment was his outward appearance.
Mary Shelley uses point of view in Frankenstein to naturally develop her reader’s opinions and feelings in regards to her characters. Shelley forms her own Chinese Box structure along with a frame narrative stirred together to give the nature of stories within stories in a completely unique way ("Narrative Technique in Frankenstein"). When Shelley’s readers interpret Frankenstein, they tend to have mixed feelings when viewing the Creature and Victor Frankenstein. They have to decide who has evil attributes; the Monster for killing other humans, or Victor Frankenstein for creating the monster and then abandoning it. Throughout the story, the reader tends to battle with their emotions of sympathy towards each of the main roles within the story. In Frankenstein, Mary Shelley uses her unique way of writing to fully mature her readers’ feelings on deciding the wicked character, Victor Frankenstein or the Monster.
In Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, the author portrays various aspects of human nature and societal norms through the characters and their actions. Although the characters conform to these norms, some of them question inwardly-particularly Victor Frankenstein.
Literary works that encourage curiosity in the reader to decipher and rationalize character’s actions or qualities are pieces that bring to light just how conflicted and dynamic human nature is. In Frankenstein, Mary Shelly uses “the creator” to further explain this very thought by conveying him as a morally ambiguous, or a character that is neither entirely good nor bad. “The monster” in Frankenstein, due to his moral ambiguity, portrays the complication of Victor’s situation of helping or killing “the creature,” it gives insight to how human nature is mutable, and furthers how our decisions are commonly based on other people’s change in good or bad intentions, just as Victor is unwilling to aid his creature because he is unsure of what he
In “Insurmountable barriers to our union’: Homosocial male bonding, homosexual panic, and death on the ice in Frankenstein” James Holt McGavran makes a compelling argument about the nature of Frankenstein’s creature in Mary Shelley’s “Frankenstein.” He argues that the creature represents his creators repressed sexuality and that Victor’s rejection of the creature stems from “homosexual panic.” The revulsion Victor feels is due to being faced with a physical manifestation of his sexuality and being forced to confront it. McGavran claims that the mutual obsession with one another that the creature and Victor share is due to attraction, and that the creature represents an ideal lover for Victor. He goes on to offer proof of both Shelley’s
At the start of life, human beings are exposed to the outside world with an open and blank mind. A new born has no knowledge, no concerns or worries and it only seeks to fulfill its main necessities. Surrounded by the outside world one lives through many experiences where knowledge is accepted. Encountering other human beings reflects upon ones perception and brings about ones self decisions. Mary Shelley’s novel Frankenstein demonstrates characters that through an obsessive desire for more knowledge ruin their own lives. Victor Frankenstein is a scientist, who creates a monster to life through his extensive knowledge of science, but the creature he creates brings terrible demise and Victor loses everything that was once close to him. The
Almost all great works of literature contain allusions to other great works of literature that enhance the meaning of the work. Mary Shelly’s Frankenstein is an excellent example of a major literary work that contains a sustained allusion to another major work. Frankenstein contains many references to Milton’s Paradise Lost, and the two stories are parallel in many aspects.
The challenges of race, class, and cultural privileges are frequently questioned, and how a person is perceived by society often is decided upon by these aspects. Although it is an everyday occurrence that a person is judged by what color their skin is or how much money their family has, it is a topic that most feel too uncomfortable to examine. However, Mary Shelley had the courage to verbalize the pain and suffering that results from oppression and judgment. She lets the reader delve into the mind of the subjugated, and in doing so she allows them to challenge the traditional ideas of cultural privilege, race, and class. It is proven that looks determine the way a person is perceived by the contrasting
In Marry Shelley’s Frankenstein, the powerful creature represents the physical manifestation of the ugliness and selfishness of Victor’s desires as well as being the solution for his need to escape from the elements that threaten his way of life.
Many people know that Mary Shelley, the author of Frankenstein, was part of a family of famed Romantic era writers. Her mother, Mary Wollstonecraft, was one of the first leaders of the feminist movement, her father, William Godwin, was a famous social philosopher, and her husband, Percy Shelley, was one of the leading Romantic poets of the time ("Frankenstein: Mary Shelley Biography."). What most people do not know, however, is that Mary Shelley dealt with issues of abandonment her whole life and fear of giving birth (Duncan, Greg. "Frankenstein: The Historical Context."). When she wrote Frankenstein, she revealed her hidden fears and desires through the story of Victor Frankenstein’s creation, putting him symbolically in her place
What comes to mind when you think of the literary character Frankenstein? You likely think of a monster with no morals or mental capability. However, this excerpt from Frankenstein by Mary Shelley shows us that there are more sides to the creature than his stereotypes lead us to believe. The first person point of view uses the character’s observations, words, and actions to change the reader’s opinion on the creature in a positive way.
In most stories that you read you can easily find who the monster of the story is without thinking too hard but in Frankenstein it makes you think. When you’re reading it it tells you who the monster is but the thing that Mary Shelley does really well is that she makes you question it, when I was reading the story I was questioning it without even realizing it because that’s how good of a job she does with this story. From reading this story I believe that even though they say that the “Creature” is a monster I believe that he is just a lonely person who just wants a family because he doesn’t want to be alone. I believe that Victor Frankenstein, his creator that abandoned him, is in fact the real monster because he created him, left him alone, and then attempted to kill him.
Frankenstein was a story written by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley while she was on her vacation in Switzerland with her husband. The story got published in 1818 without letting the public about the author. It was in 1831 when the novel revised edition was out and Mary Shelley name mentioned as an author. The novel focused on social, cultural and political facet of the societies during Mary’s lifetime. The fictional character in the novel clearly shows the battle against the pre-established people’s attitude during that time. Religion and science always create a controversy in the society with religion always differencing from any scientific principles and experiments. Shelley’s tried to addresses the above controversy and showed how science and modern technology is sometimes wrong. She tried to show how scientists and inventors are sometimes selfish only care for achieving their plan without evaluating the end result.
As a young child Victor Frankenstein was loved unconditionally by his parents. They adored him and provided him opportunities and stability to develop into a well-rounded person. Victor becomes a scientist and is intelligent and loves research. As he develops, Victor became obsessed with creating life. He accumulates body parts for the local cemetery and begins to put together his monster. He is confident that he can be like God and has the skills to create life. Victor eventually creates a monster, and he comes to life. However, Victor is horrified by his monster, because of the way it looks. Instead of relishing in the joy of his accomplishment he runs away from it. The monster is left alone to fend for itself and doesn’t have the right skills to take care of his basic needs. He cannot speak, he cannot read and he doesn’t have anyone to teach him basic fundamental human skills. The monster escapes to the woods, afraid and alone, not sure where he is going or what he is going to do. Nearby is a village full of people and he sets forward to observe them. At first, he tries to be visible and friendly, but people turn from him in fright and run away. The monster is hurt and because he cannot make physical contact with anyone he decides to observe people secretly. During his observation, he watches human interaction and studies what is socially acceptable and what is not..
A life full of abandonment, judgement, betrayal, and isolation; how could he ever be normal? Society’s judgmental nature often leads to negative, even fatal consequences. In Mary Shelley’s novel, Frankenstein, the monster created by Victor Frankenstein questions the mystery of society and why he was abandoned by his creator. Through the use of vivid imagery, perceptive diction, and allusions, Shelley is able to demonstrate the importance of parental roles and acceptance.