Ideas on Frankenstein

• The only truly fictional aspect of Frankenstein is the actual idea of one man giving life to an inanimate being, as we as humans are entirely ignorant to how life can be created. The emotions, morals, and ideals, however, are entirely non-fiction.
• It is rather unlikely that Victor would choose to create a giant; why would he give his creation power over himself, especially with his massive ego? (I found this comment rather amusing)
• A huge theme in Frankenstein comes from the point of view of the creature, and the idea of what it means to be alone in the world.

Man or Monster?

In Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, the character of Victor Frankenstein is a very interesting and complex one indeed. An obsessed scientist who comes to hate his own creation, Victor has a very complicated relationship with his own work. Shelley depicts Victor as a misguided, demoralized man, and she sets this tone early on in the novel through Victor's description of his work. In the passage on page 32, Victor describes his devotion to the creation of life, and the motives he is given by Shelley show her attitude towards Victor as a character. Victor explains how the reason for his work stemmed from an obsession with becoming the creator of a "new species" and giving birth to life. It seems that Victor views himself as a godly being, and he will do anything to fill these shoes. Yet, later on in the novel, when Victor finally achieves his goal, he resents his own creation, and hates the very sight of what he has done.

Shelley provides a twist of irony in her novel that occurs between the creature and Frankenstein himself. While the creature is viewed as a monster by nearly all he encounters, including his own creator, he is the furthest thing from it; kind-hearted, gentle, and filled with sadness and remorse (until he is pushed by the hatred of others, that is), the creature is perhaps the more human character of the two. Meanwhile, Victor is the true monster, as he cannot even bring himself to love what he toiled so greatly over. The contrast between who these two characters truly are and what they seem to be is very important in the novel, and Shelley first shows this through Victor's motives for and thoughts on his own work.

Frankenstein's Monster

The character that resonated most with me from Mary Shelley's Frankenstein was the creature, for the reason that he is viewed as a monster and an abomination from the moment of his creation, yet he is not a monster at all. The creature is born pure and sinless, yet his appearance causes him to be feared and hated, by his creator and others. This emotional, sensitive being, who has done nothing wrong, is despised by humanity simply for his looks. This makes the creature a very misunderstood character, and he faces greater troubles than any "normal" human might face. Human nature was something the creature had to acquire, yet even after being exposed to the worst in people, he shows compassion and remorse. Even after such a terrible existence, without love or family, the monster mourns the death of his hateful creator, showing his true inner beauty. "'But soon,' he cried, with sad and solemn enthusiasm, 'I shall die, and what I now feel be no longer felt. Soon these burning miseries will be extinct...'" (Shelley 220)

Literary Experiences

1. Flowers for Algernon, Daniel Keyes. I was 13, and it was and still is the most emotional and engaging book I've ever read.
2. Harry Potter (full series), J.K. Rowling. I started at 7, and eventually read all of them at least twice but as many as five times. These books played a huge part in my childhood, because they opened up a new and magical world for me as a kid.
3. Catcher in the Rye, J.D. Salinger. I was 16 and it was the most relatable book I've ever read, simply because the character is just as angsty and sarcastic as I am.
4. The Edge Chronicles, Paul Stewart and Chris Ridell. I was 12, and it was a fantastic series that just brought me to a whole new world, similar to Harry Potter.
5. Feed, M.T. Anderson. I was 14, and I loved this book just because the premise was so unique and interesting.
6. Othello, William Shakespeare. I was 15, and this book was so memorable because of how powerful and captivating Iago was as a character.
7. Decoded, Jay-Z. I was 16, and it was a really inspiring story about the rapper's journey out of the ghetto and rise to fame.
8. Scott Pilgrim Series, Brian Lee O'Malley. I was 15, and it was a very funny and very good graphic novel series.
9. Kick-Ass, Mark Millar. I was 15, and loved it because of its premise, content, and my life long love of superheroes.
10. The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald. I was 16, and it was one of the only books assigned for school that I truly enjoyed, which is why it was so memorable.