Mary Shelley's Monster Lives On!

Stephen Witty discusses the significance of the monster in Mary Shelley's "Frankenstein". He easily relates the story from centuries ago to this century and the generations to come. Sara Karloff states, "The story of Frankenstein applies itself to every generation" (Witty). Witty then accentuates her quote by saying "...the feeling of being ostracized...And I think people have always felt that, and so they can feel for the monster too." Every being can relate to the monster's emotions; ostracism is inevitable.

Unfortunately for the monster, he receives isolation to the extreme. Very rarely do you find a case this severe. The extreme lonliness of this creature takes over him and essentially turns him into someone of the contrary. "The more I saw of them, the greater became my desire to claim their protection and kindness; my heart yearned to be known and loved by these amiable creatures; to see their sweet looks directed towards me with affection was the utmost limit of my ambition" (Shelley 120). The monster had no one. Everyday thousands of kids are isolated because of their looks, sometimes they are even bullied. The same thing happened to the creature in Shelley's story. Because he looks different from the "normal" person, he was shot for saving a girl's life. It's not often do you hear of that sort of reward for a good deed. It is the children that live every day, fearing school and leaving their house, knowing that they are going to get picked on at school, that can relate to this monster the most because they know what it is like to have no one.

Witty makes it apparent that Shelley wrote about the realities of life, not only the progression of science in everyday life. By reading her novel, each reader can relate to the monster when he confronts Victor for the first time. Ostracism is a huge problem in the world and if anyone was going to exploit it to the world, Shelley is the right person; she knew what isolation feels like better than anyone.

Reaction Thus Far

Hollywood has created an image for me of what the novel Frankenstein is really about. Reading this horror novel, I have come to realize how much of a story is actually changed by Hollywood to make a more dramatic, interesting movie. For instance, the 1974 version, called Young Frankenstein, is a parody that changed all the details Shelley worked vigorously to include in her novel and created a comedy. Her novel was not meant to be portrayed as a comedy, and I'm sure if she were alive to view this film, she would not think very highly of it. Hollywood also shows Victor using electricity to give life to his being, and that the first sign of life for the monster, which Hollywood named Frankenstein, is his finger moving instead of "...the dull yellow eye of the creature..." (Shelley 43) openening.



I was drawn in to this horror novel by its plot as a whole and the interesting way Shelley decided to write it. I find it interesting how the opening of the novel is letters being written from a sailor, Robert Walton, who happens to be lonely like the monster, to his sister back home. It intrigues me how Victor becomes "...the shape of a man, but apprently of gigantic stature..." (Shelley 9) that Walton befriends, however it is still a mystery to me how Victor ends up in the glaciers with a sleigh of dogs.



I can relate to how Victor feels once he gives life to his monster. Creating a being, and giving it life, is greatly overwhelming, especially for someone who has isolated themselves from the outsid e world for such an extended period of time. Looking back in the novel, after Victor chose to run from his monster and abandon it, his reaction to the creation of his monster should have been expected. Victor clearly states when talking to Robert Walton "how dangerous is the aquirement of knowledge and how much happier that man is who believes his native town to be the world, than he who aspires to become greater than his nature will allow" (Shelley 39). This statement foreshadows Victor's reaction to the novel, but speaking from experience, is probably overlooked by many of Shelley's readers so his reaction probably comes as a suprise to many.

So far, it has become apparent to me that Shelley is portraying her main characters as lonely. Robert Walton was lonely, thus he searched for a friend aboard his boat until he discovered Victor. Victor isolated himself to create this monster and now only has the people of Ingolstadt and his monster to look to, since he hasn't seen Elizabeth in a while and debating whether to marry her or not. Also, the monster is lonely, hence why he is asking Victor to create another monster. This reoccurring theme of lonliness may be reflecting Shelley's life where her children didn't survive and her husband passed on, leaving her all alone.

Victor should create another monster, and is stuck in a hard position. If he creates a female monster, and the original will "... instead of injury...bestow every benefit upon him with tears of gratitude at his acceptance" (Shelley 135). The monster claims that his violent and malicious actions are the result of his lonliness, since no one will look at him and give him a chance. Victor is also faced with a threat from the monster whom he gave life to. "I will revenge my injuries; if I cannot inspire love, I will cause fear, and chiefly towards you my archenemy, because my creator, do I swear inextinguishable hatred" (Shelley 135).

Overall, I am intruigued by the plot and themes of this story. I do think Shelley's personnal life has effected some of the reoccurring details of this horror novel and am excited to see which path Victor chooses to walk.