Professor Andrea Yates
ENG 110, Section 7
28 February 2013
How To Love Frankenstein by Mary Shelly is a novel based around guilt and rejection, and the outcome of these two things. Victor Frankenstein created this “monster” to show the world that he did the unthinkable, something truly amazing. But he was so self- consumed on how he would be seen as “godlike” for doing this that he did not think about the negative impacts this creature could have to humanity. As the novel progresses many people see the monster as evil and dangerous. But is he the actual “monster” of the main characters? And if he is evil, then who is the “hero” that defeats this monster? Or is there even a hero?
When I really think about the story, I honestly do not think there is a hero in Frankenstein. Dr. Frankenstein is a man consumed by ambition. He does bad things to create this monster, such as grave robbery, and then when the creature does not turn out the way he wanted, he just abandons it. He shows that he is coward, when he is unable to tell the truth when his brother’s nanny is being convicted of a crime that the creature was actually responsible for. Victor is simply a bearer of negative qualities.
The monster does murder several people throughout the novel, but that does not make him evil. He is lonely, unwanted, and unloved. Killing people is the only
way he knows how to deal with the rejection of society. The monster is an intelligent and sensitive creature, and is moved by the only kindness shown to him by a blind man. While, he is treated ill based on his outer appearance by all other people who can see him. Only after he is abused by humanity does he become violent. In the novel he says, “… once I falsely hoped to meet the beings who, pardoning my outward form, would love me for the excellent qualities which I was capable of unfolding.” All he wanted was to be treated for who he is on in the inside, and not on the outside, and was hurt that no one who could see his looks would give him a chance. His dishonorable actions were simply a cry for help, and I blame society, and for that I do not think he is a monster.
All in all, I do not see a hero or a villan in either of these characters. They both possess characteristics of each, but not enough to define them as one those traits. I think that monster represents the evil and unforgivable acts of Victor’s
