Is There a Monster?

In Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, which today is often considered to be the first science fiction novel, we see a concern with problems of communication. When we try to understand what people are really saying, we can communicate more effectively and have less misinterpretations amongst one another. Difficult communication between different species, or even a complete loss of communication, is one of the most common themes in this genre, and it is crucial in the understanding of this story. Also, the capacity of thematic concerns to transcend time are manifested within this 19th century novel, while examining the significance of what it means to be human. We also see the pursuit of forbidden knowledge, as Victor, the main character, attempts to access the secret of life. But, is Victor the actual “monster” in the book, as he is eventually consumed by the hatred of his creation? Or, is it only the arrogant knowledge that he uses in his experiments that constitutes as monstrous? This book is not only a wonderful escape into the condemnation of “patriarchy”, but is an interpretation of usurping the woman’s ability to bear children. Further on, I will be discussing my personal analysis of this marvelous, science fiction story. All analysis is important for many reasons, and it reveals many valuable literary devices, such as: round characters, plot formulas, and why it was even written in the first place. So, as we analyze this literature, we will learn to identify a meaningful theme and not just guess at what the author had intended for us.

Most women in Frankenstein behave how they are suppose to in that time, which was subservient and passive. Actually, there are very few female characters, which is surprising, only because Mary Shelley is a female child of an early feminist. In many situations today, the most common problems can be traced back to family issues. What we have witnessed throughout history is that without a strong relationship between parents and children, we may see causes of destruction in the child’s future. In this case, we are looking at similarities in the relationship of a scientific creator and his unearthly creation. This dark and gothic novel of hers is known as early science fiction, and Shelley even made her main character a scientist so that his actions would seem more logical. It was definitely successful in focusing on the elusive boundary between life and death, which was a big fascination of scientists and physicians of Mary’s time. The message that is being conveyed is much deeper than at first glance. But, the question still remains: When should there be limits to scientific inquiry, and who decides them?

Frankenstein is one of our first and very best cautionary tales about scientific research because the question of the morality, with man’s meddling in nature, has been a prevalent issue. Mary Shelley explores the ethics involved in this query and its inevitable consequences. While science can provide boundless amounts of invaluable contributions to mankind, ultimately some endeavors should never be pursued. Shelley says that “race, class, and cultural privilege are the deciding factors of a person’s status and how they are treated in society (Editors).” She challenges and proves this idea by placing an innocent, loving creature into the world and showing the affects that oppression has on him and how he is forced to retaliate.

This story was intended to be a literature of escape, but became so much more. Although Frankenstein, at times, takes us away from the real world, there is much more meaning hidden inside it’s many themes. Shelley was only trying to create fun and scary ghost tales for her friends, when she actual began a rise in women’s literature. Her interpretive literature was written to broaden and deepen our awareness of life and it illuminates some aspects of human behavior. Mainly, the human condition can be defined as the unique features which mold us. A few of her main themes portrayed are about the fragile relationship between the creator and created and the dangerous consequences of misused knowledge. Through these, we gain a keener awareness of what it is to be a human being in a world that is sometimes hostile. As the words of the monster are recounted, you can truly feel the eruption of anger and self-pity as he questions the injustices that have been done to him. ‘Creature’ feels that he is an unwanted life as he says, “I, the miserable and the abandoned, am an abortion (Shelley, Ch. 24, pg. 14).” The reader gathers much information and instant negative feelings about ‘it’, because of the charactonyms used to represent the monster. Shelley never gave the monster a name, but rather called it by creature, it, or demon. She wanted the reader to realize that the names were chosen for a very specific reason and not played for humor.

Victor Frankenstein and the monster are obviously the two major players in this work of fiction, which we also call the round characters. Both main characters Shelley introduces in the novel have complex and multifaceted personalities. Frankenstein is the doomed protagonist and narrator of the main portion of the story. He then keeps his creation of the monster a secret, feeling increasingly guilty because he simply cannot prevent ‘it’ from ruining his life and others. The creature is undoubtedly a victim of this special situation, as he grapples with the meaning of life, the inevitability of isolation, and the awareness of the inescapability of death. The monster is intelligent and sensitive, but his feeling of abandonment compels him to seek revenge against his creator. In this regard, they both stand out from the other characters because they have individuality and depth, along with experiences of personal growth and change.

Now, there are far more flat characters that are used to move the plot along, while providing subtle exposition, such as Robert Walton, Alphonse Frankenstein, and William Frankenstein. Robert’s letters of Victor’s stories are what tie the beginning and end to one another of the entire novel, while Victor’s youngest brother, William, is strangled by the monster. This death is what essentially burdens Victor with wrongfulness about having created the creature at all. Also, the professors, M.Waldman and M. Krempe, are minor characters that move the two protagonists towards their ultimate goal through their brief interactions with Victor. Even in a short time, they are who spark his interests in the origin of life and encourage him to begin his new studies. I also consider the peasants to be a big part of the monster’s journey, yet are still only two-dimensional characters. They are what bring on his vow of revenge against humankind, and especially his creator. The demon learns to speak and interact by observing them, yet they still beat and chase him away as he finally musters the courage to reveal himself, only hoping for friendship all along.

While the atmosphere of Shelley’s Frankenstein is similar to a nightmare, it is much more than a science fiction horror story. She brings facts to life, not by simply stating information, but by painting a picture that the reader can see in their minds. Particularly, the novel is written in the first-person point of view, but different narrators recount the story at different points in the book, and a good part of the book is told in letters. But, the description of the creature coming to life is given in very few details, and is described from Frankenstein’s point of view. I like to imagine how the scene could have had more illustration if told from the monster’s eyes.

This type of novel was popular in Mary’s time, with some of the main ingredients being mystery and the supernatural. There is an emphasis on the unknown, which inspires fear, and throughout the entire novel, Shelley shows the reader great details of each scene by including hearing, touch, taste, smell, and emotional feelings. Today, the profound questions about science and society she brings about are still very relevant. Through her techniques of showing great conflict, these same questions were not as accepted by the readers in the early 1800s, even though it was a time of growing faith in the power of technology improving human life.

Through these unique characters, this powerful novel explores the themes of how intellectual striving must be balanced by compassion, people must take responsibility for their actions, and good intentions can have destructive outcomes. Shelley’s novel has inspired many filmmakers and story-tellers of all kinds, yet the interpretations are often very different in terms of plot and theme. Her themes here are universal, which means it touches on the human experience and transcends cultural barriers. People in her time typically had little access to information about other cultures, so it was not uncommon for writers to portray negative views towards what they didn’t fully understand. To me, there is a hidden theme in the fact that many people who have not read Shelley’s novel think that Frankenstein is the name of the creature. This mistake has a certain symbolic truth because we can see the characters as two parts of a divided self. The idea of the double is based on the ancient belief that each living creature has an exact double who exists as a spirit or ghost. Many science fiction writers have employed this idea, but in the final chapters of the novel, I see only one theme while Victor Frankenstein and his creature are involved in a mad contest of revenge.

Now, I would call Frankenstein a frame story, or in other words, a structure of tales within tales. It is set within Victor’s narrative and Walton’s letters, which is the first story told of his life. This is also called a chain formula, which is a series of linked events that must cause the next one for the story to continue. I can also place this novel into a seven point plot structure where there are two characters, who are in a situation with a problem, and who try repeatedly to solve this said issue. As one of the plot turns, the monster demands that ‘it’s’ creator make a companion to relieve his agonizing loneliness. But, on the verge on animating the female creature, he destroys it instead, which creates a larger rampage as the demon kills more of Frankenstein’s loved ones. As we read, the suspense builds from wondering if any of it can be prevented and when the worst will come, but Shelley gives us hints that prepare us for later events through foreshadowing. There are a few pinches in the story where something extreme happens that really puts pressure on the main characters. Throughout the story, she emphasizes the parallels between God and Satan, and between Frankenstein and his creature. The creation not only feels much sadness, but compares himself to “the fallen angel, whom thou drivest from joy for no misdeed (Shelley, Ch. 10, pg.3)”. Finally, a resolution is attained as the monster confesses his remorse and vows he will end his own life.

In Mary Shelley’s novel, Frankenstein brings on his own destruction by bringing an artificial man to life. This is an admirable piece of work simply for its captivating plot and it’s complex insights into human experience. This story is regarded as a forerunner of science fiction, with fantasy at the center of its plot. At the time Frankenstein was written, early scientists were on the verge of discovering the potential of electricity, and had proven that muscles contracted in response to an electrical stimulus. This ultimately opened the way to new discoveries about how electrical forces exist in living tissue. Although the obsession with his science experiments take over, Victor is originally motivated by curiosity and ambition, where the creature only has a desire to find a companion. Both are intelligent and vengeful, yet these two journeys are both motivated by revenge in the end. Essentially both characters suffer, but many readers may sympathize with the creature more because he actually longs to be good and loved. Human companionship seems to be more important to the creature because as Frankenstein makes declarations about loving his friends and family, he still stays away from them for long periods of time to work alone. All the while, the monster is loved by no one. The true subject is whether or not Frankenstein has created a monster or a creature worthy of human sympathy, understanding, and respect. “It is sometimes said that the key to living a responsible and happy life is to balance intellectual and emotional pursuits (Shelley, Ch. 24, pg. 15)”.