The story of Frankenstein and his creation has been popular for many years. It was a base for movies, and the monster character was included in many other stories. This is not surprising since this monster is ambiguous and arouses many feelings and emotions. Many contradictions exist in this monster, and the audience can find both negative and positive features in his image. The purpose of this paper is to discuss the main characteristics of the image of the monster and understand what the author put into this image.
The first emotions that the monster evokes are fear and disgust. Readers are afraid of him because this creature is entirely unpredictable and does not obey the natural laws by which other living creatures live. Most of his actions are caused by a desire to take revenge on the creator. Readers also feel disgusted regarding the monster, as he is made of unnatural parts in an unnatural way. He seems truly terrible and absurd and is associated only with the negative phenomena of the surrounding reality. Therefore, because of these features, this character can be called slightly negative.
However, other details are worth remembering when talking about this monster. First, how disagreeable he is, is not his fault but is the fault of his creator. He did not choose to be terrible but was created this way, and he does not find pleasure even in himself. Readers should also understand that deep inside, the image of this monster is filled with suffering. For instance, he often feels injustice: “I had saved a human being from destruction, and as a recompense, I now writhed under the miserable pain of a wound which shattered the flesh and bone” (Shelley, p. 168). He wants to be part of society, wants to be like ordinary people, wants acceptance and understanding. This is, in many ways, what connects him with ordinary people, for whom social communication is one of the critical factors of existence. It is these sufferings caused by the inability to live a “normal” life that makes the character of the monster so heavy.
Towards the end of the story, the monster becomes noble. He understands that he has made many mistakes, guided by blind desires. At the same time, he does not see an opportunity to correct them and become part of society. Thus, he decides that the only possible solution is to run away from people and commit suicide so as not to harm anyone. Therefore, despite all the external flaws, the monster is a creature with a good heart. These feelings and decisions partly make him a regular human.
In the history of Frankenstein, the author talks about the hard fate of a monster created by man. The way he appears to readers changes throughout the story. If in the beginning, he makes people afraid, in the end, readers sympathize with him. Thus, the author says that even the most terrible creature has positive traits. The way he looks and acts is not always his fault. His character and even appearance are the results of a combination of many external factors. The same can be stated about people affected by parents, classmates, colleagues, and other people. Moreover, in each person’s character, there are positive qualities, and they need to be valued and nurtured, but not hidden.
Work Cited
Shelley, Mary. Frankenstein: Or, the Modern Prometheus. Restless Books, 2016.